M6:3269 — یاد ناورده که از مالم چه رفت / سقف قصد همتت هرگز نکفت

Translation: You never recalled what had departed from your wealth, The roof of your high resolve never cracked. Meaning: This verse describes an overflowing, unconditional generosity where the giver neither counts nor regrets what has been bestowed, and their noble ambition for giving remains unbroken.

This verse portrays a figure standing in the station of boundless generosity, a station where financial accounting holds no sway. When Rumi says, "You never recalled what had departed from your wealth," he means that you gave and bestowed without ever remembering how much you had given or what had been lost from your possessions. You were unconcerned, never pausing to think, "How much have I given?" This immeasurability is the pinnacle of magnanimity and benevolence. Such giving flows from the very core of one's being, from an inner sufficiency, not from an expectation of reciprocation or a miserly calculation.

The phrase, "The roof of your high resolve never cracked," is profoundly expressive. "Kofat" here signifies cracking or splitting. It means that the high ambition and noble resolve for giving never suffered weakness, defect, or rupture. This 'roof' symbolizes a steadfast and enduring determination that, far from crumbling in the face of continuous giving, remains unwavering and firm. This implies that the source of such munificence is inexhaustible, whether it stems from a divine fount or from a perfection of the soul rooted in the realization of divine unity.

In subsequent verses, Rumi continues to extol this individual, stating that they were so generous as to be "One like a thousand in battle and generosity / A hundred like Hatam at the time of bestowing bounties." Hatam Ta'i is the legendary symbol of generosity in our culture; yet Rumi finds this insufficient, declaring this individual to be "a hundred Hatams." This is not to suggest that we should act for fame or a good name (nām-e nīk). Rather, a good name is a natural, unmediated consequence of virtuous deeds and sincere acts of giving. To work for fame is itself a trap, but if a good name arises spontaneously from good work, it is blessed, for it will encourage others as well. This verse, in essence, praises the elevated human station of one who, liberated from material calculations and with a boundless resolve, is immersed in the infinite ocean of giving.

Key takeaways

• True generosity is immeasurable, stemming from an exalted and unwavering resolve.
• High ambition in giving never falters or cracks; it flows ceaselessly and without impediment.
• This verse describes an attribute of the truly generous, or even the Divine, who bestow without calculation or remembrance.
• A good reputation (nām-e nīk) is a natural outcome of virtuous action, not its primary goal; one should not act for fame.