M6:2028 — خس نه‌ای دور از تو رشک گوهری / در میان موج و بحر اولی‌تری

Translation: You are not a mere straw; far be it from you, you are the envy of a jewel. In the midst of the wave and the ocean, you are more fitting (or primary/superior). Meaning: Rumi addresses humanity, reminding us that our true worth transcends all transient material phenomena, and our rightful place lies within the boundless ocean of existence and divine unity.

I maintain that this verse is Rumi’s clarion call to humanity to awaken to its true, exalted station. It is an unequivocal and emphatic rejection of self-abasement and the trivialization of the human spirit.

Rumi begins by declaring with certainty: “You are not a mere straw.” You are not a worthless piece of chaff to be tossed by every wind. This is an invitation for you to shed your bonds, relinquish earthly attachments, and refrain from selling your soul cheap. But he goes further, stating: “far be it from you, you are the envy of a jewel.” This means, God forbid you be a straw; you are so valuable and noble that even a jewel envies you. This is the zenith of praise for the essence of humanity, whose soul is infinitely superior to precious stones and everything else in this material world. The question then arises: why does such a jewel-like existence cling to transient things like a piece of straw?

It is here that Rumi extends his profound invitation: “In the midst of the wave and the ocean, you are more fitting.” This means: Go to the sea! Of course, Rumi's “sea” (bahr) is not merely a geographical body of water. For Rumi, and indeed for many mystics, this “sea” is a symbol for absolute existence, the essence of the Divine, and the perfect manifestation of the principle of “Unity” (waḥdat). Rumi repeatedly uses the sea metaphor in the Mathnawi and the Divan of Shams, describing prophets and mystics as fish of this sea, who drink and eat only from its waters, needing nothing else; they are ever-awake and require no guardians.

The nature of the sea, in Rumi's view, is one of absolute unity. It is not that the sea is a collection of parts; the sea is indivisible and simple, like water, which was considered a simple element by ancients. This simplicity and oneness symbolize the simplicity and unity of God's existence. Numbers and oppositions have no place in the sea, unlike the material world, which is a realm of multiplicity and contraries. This sea is a keeper of secrets, hiding its pearls in its depths, revealing them only to divers—to people of gnosis and true seekers.

The story of the “Grammarian and the Boatman” (Mathnawi 1:2849), with which Rumi emphasizes “effacement (maḥw) is needed here, not grammar (naḥw),” finds its meaning precisely in this context. We must learn to swim, to dare to cast ourselves into the sea and become effaced. Grammatical knowledge—meaning superficial sciences and material attachments—draws us to the shore, not to the depths of the sea. Rumi implores us to have the courage to plunge into this sea, to become intimate with its secrets, and to comprehend its signs.

And now, the central point regarding the “unity of existence” for which this verse lays the groundwork: “Its jewel and its fish are not other than its wave” (the verse immediately following this one). Rumi beautifully explains that the fish and the jewel, though seemingly distinct, are not separate from the ocean’s wave. They are themselves the undulation and manifestation of the sea. Our existence bears a similar relation to absolute existence. My thoughts are not separate from me; they are me, the thinker. Thus, our existence is not separate from the essence of the ocean of being. We are the waves of this ocean. For this reason, you, O human, are “more fitting” (awla-tar) amidst these waves and in this very ocean; that is to say, you are more primordial, and your most rightful place is here, not on the dry land of attachments and multiplicities.

Key takeaways

• An invitation to self-knowledge and the recognition of humanity's exalted station, beyond any self-abasement.
• An emphatic rejection of attachment to transient, material things; humanity is a jewel worthy of its essence.
• The 'sea' (bahr) symbolizes the absolute unity of existence and the divine essence, not merely a natural phenomenon.
• An encouragement towards 'effacement' (maḥw) and swimming in the ocean of meaning, rather than mere 'grammar' (naḥw) or superficial knowledge.
• A deep understanding of the 'unity of existence' (waḥdat al-wujūd): every being is a wave of the ocean of existence and its manifestation, not a separate entity.