The difference between the call of the perfect Shaykh who is united with God and the words of imperfect men whose (spiritual) virtues are acquired and artificial.
شاعر: رومی
وزن: فاعلاتن فاعلاتن فاعلن (رمل مسدس محذوف یا وزن مثنوی)
صنف: مثنوی
The illumined Shaykh makes (his disciples) cognisant of the Way; moreover, he causes the light (of faith) to accompany his words.
Strive to become intoxicated and illumined, in order that his light may be (like) the rhyme-letter to your discourse.
Whatever (fruit or vegetable) is boiled in grape-juice, the flavour of grape-juice will be (tasted) in its syrup.
(Whether it be syrup) of carrots or apples or quinces or walnuts, you will taste in it the delicious flavour of grape-juice.
When your knowledge is steeped in the light (of faith), then the contumacious folk derive light from your knowledge.
Whatsoever you say, too, will be luminous, for the sky never rains aught but pure (water).
Become (like) the sky, become (like) the cloud and shed rain: the spout rains (too), (but) it is not at work (productively).
The water in the spout is borrowed; the water in the cloud and in the sea is original.
Your thought and cogitation resemble the spout; inspiration and revelation are (like) the cloud and the sky.
The rain-water produces a many-coloured garden; the spout causes your neighbour to quarrel (with you).
The ass disputed twice or thrice with the fox, (but) since he was (only) an imitator he was beguiled by him.
He had not the glorious power of perception possessed by a (true) seer: the fox's palaver brought upon him (a stroke of) apoplexy.
Greedy desire to eat and drink made him so despicable that he submitted to him (the fox) notwithstanding five hundred arguments (to the contrary).
