Discourses of Rumi

FIHI MA FIHI V 201Some seek these teachings to eat the bread ofGod, some only to inspect the bread. They wantto learn these words just to sell them. Thesewords are like a beautiful bride; if a beautifulmaiden is bought to be sold again, how can shelove her buyer or fix her heart upon him? Sincethe pleasure of that merchant comes only in selling,he is as good as impotent. He buys the girl tosell her, not having the manhood and virility towant her for himself.If a fine Indian sword falls into the hands of aneffeminate man, he will take it to sell it. If amighty Pehlevi bow falls into his hands, he willalso sell it since he does not have the strength ofarm to draw the bow. He desires that bow for thevalue of the string, he has no capacity for thestring, itself. He is in love merely with what it willbring. When such a man sells the bow, he tradesit for rouge and indigo. What else should he do?Marvelous! What could he buy better than that?These words mean nothing except to the initiated!Beware! Do not say, “I have understood.”The more you understand and grasp these words,the farther you will be from understanding them.