M6:2705 — ای که من زشت و خصالم جمله زشت / چون شوم گل چون مرا او خار کشت

Translation: O You, I am ugly, and all my traits are ugly; How can I become a rose when You Yourself planted me as a thorn? Meaning: This verse expresses the lover's confession of their inherent flaws and ugliness, yet simultaneously holds out hope for the Beloved's boundless grace to transform them from an undesirable state into a beautiful rose.

This verse is one of those profound expressions that displays the depth of gnostic self-awareness with utmost humility, yet simultaneously reaches the pinnacle of hope. Here, Rumi speaks in the peak of passionate utterance, fully in the voice of the 'amorous mouse' or, more aptly, the 'absolute lover.' Prior to this verse, in the tale of the mouse and the frog, he presents an extensive allegory of divine 'universal grace' (لطف عام) and God's alchemy. He explains how the sun shines upon ḥadath (filth or excrement); not only is the sun's light undiminished, but this ḥadath dries, becomes fuel, and in the golkhān (furnace of a bathhouse), transforms into light and warmth. It then returns to the earth, from which plants, narcissus, and jasmine sprout. This is the sun's 'spell' (افسون) that turns impurity into adornment and utility. This, in Rumi's words, is how 'God erases evil deeds' (hakadhā yamḥū al-ilāhu al-sayyi'āt); He obliterates sins and transforms them into good deeds.

Following this monumental allegory of divine transformation and alchemy, this verse arrives, blending the lover's ultimate humility with their ultimate hope. The lover perceives themselves as 'ugly' (زشت) and all their traits as 'entirely ugly.' They consider themselves akin to the 'ḥadath' or 'thorn' in the preceding allegory. They ask, 'How can I become a rose when You Yourself planted me as a thorn?' This question is not one of complaint, but rather an admission of their current state, combined with a plea to the Beloved's transformative power. The phrase 'You planted me as a thorn' (مرا او خار کشت) implies 'You created me as a thorn,' meaning this initial state originates from divine decree. However, since 'Your universal grace seeks no justification' (لطف عام تو سند نمی‌جوید), meaning divine grace is not conditional upon worthiness, the power to transform this 'thorn' into a 'rose' also rests solely in His hands. This is a request for the 'transformation of evil deeds into good deeds' (تبدیل سیئات به حسنات) within one's own being. Rumi clearly demonstrates here that the gnostic's path is neither to deny one's existence nor to blame destiny, but to surrender oneself to the Beloved's transformative power. The sun shines upon all and bestows life and purity upon all; it even shines upon filth and transmutes it. Therefore, if I, ugly and thorn-like, come under the radiance of His grace, I will undoubtedly be transformed into a rose.

Key takeaways

• Divine grace is boundless and unconditional, not contingent on the creature's worthiness; it shines on all, like the sun.
• In Rumi's view, even existential ugliness and flaws possess the potential for transformation into beauty and perfection through the alchemy of divine love.
• Acknowledging one's weaknesses does not lead to despair or complaint, but rather opens the door to seeking transformation from the Beloved.
• This verse symbolizes gnostic self-awareness, where one humbles oneself but places absolute hope in the Beloved's supreme power.
• Rumi explains the process of transforming evil deeds into good deeds through a natural allegory (filth to plants and light) and extends it to the lover's spiritual state.