Discourses of Rumi

264 V DISCOURSES OF RUMIThe words of the Saints are the true coin; thewords of others are but imitation. Imitation is abranch of the true coin. Imitation is like a woodencarving in the shape of a foot, that woodenfoot was filched from a real foot and shaped to itsmeasure. If no foot existed, how could there be acopy? Therefore some speech is true coin, andsome imitation. They resemble each other. Onlydiscrimination can recognize the difference. Thiscritical perception is real faith.Do you not see how Moses threw down his rodand it became a serpent, and the staffs and ropesof the magicians also became serpents, butPharaoh who lacked insight saw no differencebetween them, while Moses who possessed discernmentcould see truth from sorcery? Throughdiscrimination Moses became a believer. So werealize that faith is discrimination.The root of our judgement is Divine revelation.But after mingling with the thoughts, senses anddesires of mortal creatures, that original grace hasvanished. How does our judgement resemble thedelicacy of revelation now?