M1:193 — اسپ تازی برنشست و شاد تاخت / خونبهای خویش را خلعت شناخت

Translation: He mounted the swift Arab horse and rode happily; / He took his own blood-money for a robe of honor. Meaning: This verse depicts the deceived goldsmith, unaware of the king's plot, who interprets the deadly gifts as symbols of his honor and prestige.

This verse portrays a critical scene in the story of the goldsmith, who, deceived by the king, rides towards his own demise. The goldsmith, formerly the beloved of the ailing slave girl, has been summoned by the king under the pretense of 'curing' her. However, this summons is not for healing, but for his elimination. The king dispatches messengers with a 'khalʿat' (robe of honor) and gold and silver to flatter the goldsmith with promises of status and position. The poor goldsmith, oblivious to the hidden plot, interprets these offerings as a sign of his esteem and 'rode happily' towards what is, in truth, his 'khun-bahā' (blood-money); a payment for his life, not a gift of honor.

I have often reiterated that in this world, 'one thing arises from another' (kār az kār khīzad dar jahān). Every event, intertwined with others, pursues hidden aims and purposes that often remain obscure to us. The king's possessive love for the slave girl ultimately leads to the divine physician, who, for the girl's complete recovery, deems the presence of her former lover, the goldsmith, necessary. This chain of 'events' propels the goldsmith towards a 'sūʾ al-qaẓā' (evil destiny). The goldsmith willingly, with his own feet, goes towards this ill fate, because his gaze is fixed on the alluring exterior of the world, on deceptive robes of honor and false promises. This is precisely the 'kiss of death' alluded to in Christian literature; a kiss that marks the path to death, not an expression of affection.

This anecdote serves as a profound warning from Mowlana about 'loves of color' (ʿishq-hā-yi rangī); affections and attachments that are bound not to the essence of truths, but to their 'color'—to appearances, wealth, status, and the ephemeral beauties of the world. The goldsmith falls prey to the allure of riches, position, and prestige, failing to see that these 'colors' are merely a veil over death. Mowlana later clarifies in this very narrative that 'loves that were for the sake of color / were not love, but ultimately shame' (ʿishq-hā-yī k-az pay-i rangī būd / ʿishq nabūd ʿāqibat nangī būd). This ignorance of the inner reality and reliance on outward appearances leads humans to ruin, transforming what was perceived as a 'khalʿat' into 'khun-bahā.' This holds true not only for the goldsmith but for anyone who allows themselves to be ensnared by the 'colors' of the world. Through such narratives, Mowlana addresses not history, but the universal 'human condition' and its destiny in the face of worldly deceptions.

Key takeaways

• The goldsmith's self-deception and ignorance of the king's plot illustrate humanity's susceptibility to alluring appearances.
• The stark contrast between 'blood-money' (khun-bahā) and 'robe of honor' (khalʿat): what appears as reward and prestige can secretly be the price of life.
• The concept of 'one thing arises from another' (kār az kār khīzad): worldly events unfold within a complex, often hidden, chain of causes and effects.
• Humans willingly walk towards 'evil destiny' (sūʾ al-qaẓā) by their own feet, driven by greed and attachment to wealth and status.
• The goldsmith's story serves as a potent warning against 'loves of color' (ʿishq-hā-yi rangī) and the dire consequences of attachment to transient, superficial matters.