M1:190 — اینک این خلعت بگیر و زرّ و سیم / چون بیایی خاص باشی و ندیم»

Translation: Now take this robe of honor and gold and silver, / When you arrive, you shall be a special confidant. Meaning: This verse conveys the king's envoys' deceptive promise to the goldsmith: he will receive a robe of honor, gold, silver, and a high position at court, all of which are lures to bring him to his death.

This verse represents one of those pivotal moments in the Masnavi where a pleasant appearance conceals a horrifying truth. Within the narrative of the sick maid and the enamored king, the king's envoys have journeyed to Samarkand to cunningly bring the goldsmith, the cause of the maid's suffering, to court. What is promised in this verse – the robe of honor, the gold and silver, and the position of being a 'special confidant' – is but a cover for a sinister intention; a kind of Christian 'kiss of death' like Judas used to point out Jesus to the soldiers. Its surface is affection, its core is destruction.

I have repeatedly stated that Rumi in the Masnavi believes in the fundamental principle that 'one action gives rise to another' (kār az kār khīzad). That is, an action does not necessarily lead to its direct and expected outcome, but rather becomes the origin and catalyst for another action, sometimes a contradictory one. The king's love for the maid (one action) led him to the divine physician (another action), and the physician's remedy for the maid (yet another action) culminated in this grand deception. The poor goldsmith 'became deceived' (gharre shod); a word that in contemporary Persian means to take pride, but in Rumi's language and classical literature, it signifies 'being deceived' or 'lured.' Upon seeing the wealth and the robe of honor, he was beguiled and abandoned his wife, children, and city, unaware that this journey was a journey to his death. In essence, he 'mistook his blood-money for a robe of honor' (khūn-bahā-yi khvīsh rā khil'at shinākht); the money they gave him was not a gift, but the recompense for his own life.

This tale is a prime example of a person who 'goes willingly to his evil fate' (khud ba pāy-i khvīsh tā sū’ al-qazā). That is, with full consent and heartfelt eagerness, he rushes towards an unfortunate destiny that has been decreed for him. Rumi teaches us here not to be misled by 'colors' and appearances, for at the end of the story he states:

ʿIshq-hā-yī k-az pay-i rangī būd ʿIshq nabūd ʿāqibat nangī būd (Loves that are for the sake of an outward show / Were not love; in the end, they brought shame.)

These very 'robe and gold and silver' and 'special confidant' status are nothing more than a 'color.' A love based on such appearances is not lasting, and its ultimate outcome is disgrace and shame. In contrast to these ephemeral loves, Rumi invites us to 'living love':

ʿIshq ān zindih guzīn k-ū bāqī ast V-az sharāb-i jān-afzāyat sāqī ast (Choose that Living One whose love endures, / And who is your cupbearer from life-giving wine.)

This 'Living One' can only be God, who is the absolute Ever-Living and can refresh our souls at every moment. Divine generosity and grace stand in stark contrast to this worldly deception. Rumi says:

Tu magū mā rā ba dān shah bār nīst Bā karīmān kār-hā dushvār nīst (Do not say, 'We have no access to that King,' / With the Generous, tasks are not difficult.)

This verse, in my estimation, is the most hopeful in the Masnavi. God, unlike this worldly king, neither deceives nor attaches Himself to 'colors.' He is 'The Generous' (Karīm), and the path to His court is not difficult for anyone. It is this divine generosity that gives humanity hope not to tie their hearts to fleeting 'colors' and promises, but rather to seek refuge in the boundless ocean of His grace.

Key takeaways

• Apparently alluring concepts (like promises of status and wealth) can mask sinister intentions; not every 'robe of honor' signifies true distinction.
• The term ghorūr in classical literature means to be deceived; the goldsmith was not proud, but rather beguiled by empty promises.
• The principle of 'one action gives rise to another' (kār az kār khīzad) in the Masnavi implies that an act can have unintended and hidden consequences, sometimes catalyzing further actions.
• Often, humans 'go willingly to their evil fate' (khud ba pāy-i khvīsh tā sū’ al-qazā), meaning they eagerly bring themselves towards an unfortunate destiny.
• Rumi contrasts loves based on 'color' (fleeting appearances) as 'shameful' (nang) with love for 'The Living One,' who is the absolute Ever-Living.
• Hope in divine generosity and grace stands as a counterpoint to worldly deceptions; 'with the Generous, tasks are not difficult,' and God, unlike humans, neither deceives nor attaches Himself to appearances.