M6:3539 — در فلان طاقیش مدفون کرده‌ام / من غم آن یار پیشین خورده‌ام

Translation: In such-and-such an arch, I have buried it; / For I had already suffered the grief of that former concern. Meaning: Speaking from a dream, a deceased wealthy man informs a messenger that he has hidden treasure to cover the debts of a friend, a concern he had already borne and addressed in his lifetime.

This verse emerges from a deeply meaningful dream sequence in Book Six of the Masnavi. A benevolent deceased merchant (the Khwāja) appears in a dream to a living intermediary (pāymard), revealing the location of a hidden treasure and providing instructions for his will and the disposition of these funds. The central point is that the Khwāja explicitly states these hidden treasures are specifically intended to settle the debts of his impoverished friend.

I emphasize a crucial linguistic detail here, one that often goes unnoticed: the phrase "man gham-e ān yār-e pīshīn khurde'am" (I have grieved for that former beloved). Most readers might interpret "yār-e pīshīn" as a "former beloved" in a romantic or mystical sense, drawing the entire verse into the realm of amorous separation and longing. However, considering the narrative context and Mawlānā's lexicon, this reading is imprecise.

I contend that "pīshīn" (پیشین) here functions as "already" or "pre-existing," akin to the French "déjà." The correct reading, therefore, is not "I have grieved for that former beloved," but rather "I have already consumed/suffered that grief" (i.e., the grief or concern for my indebted friend). The emphasis is on the sorrow and worry that the Khwāja had already experienced and internalized regarding his friend's plight, which led him to make provisions for it. This interpretation shifts the focus from a lament about a lost person to a pragmatic and deeply compassionate act of generosity stemming from an already processed internal state.

The Khwāja is not complaining about the grief; rather, he is stating that he has already dealt with it, and this prior emotional work is precisely what motivated his meticulous preparations for his friend's welfare, even after his own death. This approach is entirely consistent with Mawlānā's broader philosophical stance, which I frequently highlight: the Masnavi is not a book of complaint, but a narrative of journey, self-knowledge, and joyful ascent. Even when Mawlānā speaks of sorrow, he frames it not as a debilitating lament but as a catalyst for action or a state to be transcended. Here too, the Khwāja, despite "consuming grief," acts with foresight and generosity rather than complaint, demonstrating that grief, if fully processed, can become a driving force for noble deeds and self-sacrifice.

Key takeaways

• The term pīshīn means 'already' or 'pre-existing,' not 'former beloved.'
• The Khwāja's grief and concern transformed into an act of generosity and foresight.
• The will was founded on the Khwāja's pre-processed care for his friend.
• The Masnavi, even when addressing sorrow, channels it into action rather than complaint.
• Financial stewardship and foresight are depicted as integral to spiritual and ethical life in the Masnavi.