M1:2445 — مرد زان گفتن پیشمان شد چنان / کز عوانی ساعت مردن عوان

This couplet marks a turning point in the story of the poor man and his demanding wife. After rebuking her for her lack of faith and her focus on worldly provision, the man is struck by a powerful wave of remorse. Rumi compares this regret to that of an ʿavān—an unjust official or tyrant—who only recognizes the full weight of his crimes at the moment of death, when it is too late to undo them.

The image is potent because the ʿavān represents a life spent in heedless cruelty, confident in his power. His deathbed regret is not a mild change of heart but a catastrophic realization of a wasted, harmful life. By using this simile, Rumi elevates the man's remorse from a simple marital spat to a profound spiritual crisis. The man suddenly sees his own spiritual arrogance and harshness as a form of tyranny against his wife, who, in this moment, he begins to see as a messenger from God. His regret is total, shaking the foundations of his self-perception.