M6:2728 — بر لب جو من به جان می‌خوانمت / می‌نبینم از اجابت مرحمت

Translation: At the riverbank, I call You with my soul; I see no grace of response or mercy.

Meaning: The lover, standing at the edge of the river, calls out to the Beloved with all his being, yet perceives no sign of reciprocation or kindness.

In this verse, Rumi, speaking through the voice of a lover—or more precisely, the 'mouse' from the celebrated mouse and frog story—eloquently portrays the yearning and bewilderment of separation. This mouse, symbolizing the earthly seeker entangled in the confines of the body, stands at the riverbank—a metaphor for the realm of meaning and the Beloved's presence. With its entire being, 'with my soul,' it calls out to the Beloved. This soulful cry is not a mere whisper but a profound outpouring from the depths of existence, narrating the tale of separation and longing.

I interpret this verse within the framework of the 'cash vs. credit' proverb, which Rumi elevates beyond its mundane context into a divine dialogue between lover and Beloved. Where the common saying states, 'A cash slap is better than future sweets,' Rumi adds: 'Especially that slap which comes from Your hand, / For its back-of-the-neck blow and its slap are intoxicating to me.' This means that for the lover, even the bitterness or a 'slap' from the Beloved's hand is more desirable than sweet, distant promises of the future. Why? Because a slap signifies presence, a sign of attention, of connection. Thus, when the lover says, 'I see no grace of response or mercy,' it is not simply a complaint about a lack of answer; it is a fervent plea for any sign of presence, any 'cash slap' that might clear away the dust of unawareness and break the absolute silence.

This lack of 'mercy' (marhamat) signifies the absence of gentleness and kindness, not an absolute absence of presence. The lover, in the guise of the earthly mouse, cannot enter the clear waters (the realm of meaning) and calls from the shore. Here, the mouse awaits any sign, anything that might draw back the veil of absence and indicate the Beloved's presence. Rumi elsewhere states that 'The freshness of every beautiful garden / Is proof of unseen rain.' This vibrant greenery, like the 'marks on their faces' (sīmāhum fī wujūhihim) in the Quran, serves as a sign for understanding the presence of hidden rain. The lover here laments the absence of such greenery at the riverbank, the lack of a sign indicating the Beloved's rain of grace and attention.

This verse articulates a state where the seeker, in the alienation of this world, despite a deep pull towards their origin, feels that the path to union is blocked, and receives no sign of the Beloved's attention. This separation is not existential loneliness or the Beloved's absolute absence, but rather the seeker's distance and inability to perceive an ever-present and eternal presence. It is we who are veiled, otherwise, the Beloved is 'closer to us than we are to ourselves.'

Key takeaways

• The 'mouse' (earthly seeker) at the riverbank (boundary of earthly and spiritual realms) craves union.
• The absence of 'mercy' (marhamat) signifies a longing for any sign of the Beloved's presence, even if it is harsh (like the 'cash slap' of the Beloved).
• The 'call with my soul' (be jān mīkhānamat) underscores the profound depth of separation and anxiety stemming from the Beloved's silence and perceived inattention.
• This verse highlights the yearning for connection and a bridge between the earthly and spiritual realms, reflecting the seeker's inability to directly enter the realm of meaning.