M6:4268 — ورنه کین جمله را از تو کشم / تا شود آمن زر هر محتشم

Translation: Otherwise, I will exact vengeance for all these [crimes] from you, So that the gold of every notable person may become safe. Meaning: The night watchman threatens the poor man, stating that if he does not reveal his accomplices, he will be held accountable for all recent thefts, and vengeance will be taken from him to ensure the security of the wealthy.

This couplet represents the explicit threat leveled by the asass (night watchman or policeman) against the innocent dervish. During a nightly curfew imposed due to widespread thievery, this blameless dervish is apprehended in the streets. The asass, himself under immense pressure from higher authorities, subjects the man to a beating. The watchman declares, 'If you do not reveal your accomplices, I will extract the resentment and fury stemming from all these recent thefts from you, and you alone, so that the wealth and possessions of every esteemed and affluent individual (mohtasham) may remain secure.'

As I have often pointed out, this scene vividly portrays the often harsh and ruthless logic of power in addressing social issues. The asass himself is a victim of top-down pressure; the caliph had warned him, 'Why should you be merciful to thieves?' and commanded him to ruthlessly sever the hands of robbers, even if they were his own kin. Now, to demonstrate his efficacy and appease the government's wrath, and indeed 'to secure the gold of every notable person,' he is prepared to sacrifice an innocent individual. He will exact vengeance for all the thefts from this one man. This echoes the metaphor of the asbaʿ-e maldūgh (the bitten finger) that Mowlana employs in this very tale: the bitten finger (the particular, the individual) must be sacrificed for the health of the entire body (the general populace). The particular must be sacrificed for the general, the part for the whole. While this argument is often framed in terms of protecting the vulnerable and the common people, here, Mowlana, by emphasizing 'the gold of every notable person,' implicitly alludes to the class-based dimensions of this approach. It suggests that the financial security of the wealthy is the primary concern, and the life and honor of an unknown dervish are of lesser consequence.

This beyt occurs before the dervish recounts his true story — his dream of a treasure in Baghdad. His truth has not yet been revealed, and the asass, relying on mere suspicion, perceives him as a brigand. Later in the narrative, we will witness how 'truthfulness' (sidq) ultimately softens the asass's heart. However, at this particular moment, the language of threat and a policy of 'utmost severity' prevail.

Key takeaways

• The Logic of Force: Power, to maintain apparent order, is willing to sacrifice innocent individuals.
• Pressure from Above: The asass himself is merely an enforcer of harsh decrees, a victim of governmental pressure.
• Class Priorities: The financial security of the wealthy is prioritized over the life and honor of an innocent dervish.
• The Part for the Whole: The metaphor of the bitten finger (asbaʿ-e maldūgh) is used here to justify sacrificing an individual for the greater (perceived) good.
• The Power of Truth: This beyt precedes the dervish's revelation of his truth; ultimately, truth softens the asass's heart.