M6:2038 — دشمن آبست پیش او مجنب / ورنه سنگ جهل او بشکست خنب

Translation: He is an enemy of water; do not stir before him; Otherwise, the stone of his ignorance will shatter the jar. Meaning: Mowlana warns against engaging with those who are hostile to truth and knowledge. Remaining silent in their presence is crucial, as their ignorance can destroy the vessel of one's wisdom or the sacredness of the truths one holds.

Mowlana delivers here a lesson that, while challenging for many of us, is profoundly vital. He teaches us that in the presence of certain individuals, one should not only refrain from speaking but must remain absolutely silent and make no move, even one that hints at knowledge or gnosis. He says: He is an enemy of water; do not stir before him; Otherwise, the stone of his ignorance will shatter the jar.

This verse is situated within Mowlana's broader discussion of encountering the mashk-e pur-makr-o-majāz — those who present a polished, pretentious exterior, yet whose insides are filled with lies, deceit, hypocrisy, and discord. These are not seekers of truth; they consider themselves already satiated, even hostile to the āb (water), which represents truth. They wish all the thirsty to flock to them, not to the water itself. They are not merely un-thirsty; they are enemies of water.

In such a situation, Mowlana advocates silence: Close your lips and make yourself like a jar. That is, sit quietly, like an earthenware jar from which no sound emerges. Why? Because if you utter a word of truth or make a move indicative of it before such an ignorant person, the stone of his ignorance will shatter the jar. His ignorance is a stone that will break the vessel of your secrets and gnosis. This shattering does not merely mean damage to the jar; it can lead to the squandering of truth and even spiritual harm to the speaker.

This counsel from Mowlana can be likened to the concept of taqiyya (dissimulation) in religious traditions, where truth is concealed to preserve it or to prevent greater harm. This indicates that the material world and the common mind impose limitations on the expression of truth; hence, one must exercise patience with the policies of the ignorant. The wisdom here is that patience with the unworthy is clear to the worthy.

Ultimately, this silence is not born of fear, but of an understanding of the depth and subtlety of truth. Profound truths, as Mowlana himself states, are such that words grow without letters. They cannot be articulated in ordinary language, and offering them to the unworthy is not only futile but harmful. Do not string this jewel around the neck of a swine. This approach safeguards the jewel of inner knowledge and prevents its desecration by those who neither appreciate nor intend anything but destruction.

Key takeaways

• In the face of hostile ignorance, silence and quietude are a profound form of wisdom.
• One who is an enemy of truth will never thirst for it; attempts to teach them are futile.
• Expressing truth to the unworthy is not only useless but leads to the degradation of truth and the speaker's wisdom.
• The khomb (jar) is a metaphor for one's being, spiritual capacity, and inner secrets, which must be protected.
• Patience and forbearance with the ignorant demonstrate the insight and steadfastness of the people of truth.
• This approach is a form of gnostic taqiyya; protecting spiritual jewels from the destruction wrought by the ignorant.