M1:207 — کاش کان هم ننگ بودی یکسری / تا نرفتی بر وی آن بد داوری

Translation: Would that that initial attachment itself had been a disgrace from the very start, So that such an ill judgment/fate would not have befallen him.

Meaning: Mowlana laments that if superficial affections, based on fleeting "colors" like beauty or wealth, were recognized as shameful from their inception, they would not lead to such tragic and ill fates, as seen in the goldsmith's demise.

Here, Mowlana delves deeper into his analysis of "colored loves," meaning affections based on superficial appearances like beauty, wealth, or status. In the preceding verses, he branded such loves as a "disgrace" (nang) that ultimately leads to scandal. Now, with profound regret, he utters: "Would that that initial attachment itself had been a disgrace from the very start.". The word "that" (kān) refers precisely to the initial emotional bond that forms on the basis of these fleeting external qualities. Mowlana is voicing a wish here; a desire that humanity would, from the very beginning, perceive these kinds of attachments as a nang (a source of shame or dishonor), rather than mistaking them for genuine love. And why this wish? Because, he explains, such an early discernment would have prevented "that ill judgment/fate" (ān bad dāvarī) which ultimately befell the goldsmith.

This "ill judgment/fate" refers to the tragic destiny of the goldsmith, who, lured by greed for wealth and status, was enticed to a foreign city. There, at the king's physician's behest, he was slowly poisoned and eventually died. Mowlana himself had previously described the goldsmith's journey as going "to an evil destiny of his own accord" (khod be pāy-e khīsh tā so’ol-qazā). The gold and robes given to the goldsmith, in Mowlana's own words, were his "blood-money" (khūn-bahāy-e khīsh), effectively the price of his life. Thus, "ill judgment/fate" signifies the bitter, death-bringing destiny that awaited the goldsmith, a consequence of his "colored love."

Through this beyt, Mowlana seeks to convey that the fundamental roots of tragedies and scandals sometimes lie hidden in seemingly "loving" attachments built upon shaky and ephemeral foundations. If we could, from the outset, comprehend the superficial and impermanent nature of these bonds and label them as nang, we could then safeguard ourselves from bitter ends and the "ill judgments" of destiny. This serves as a potent warning: to avert our hearts' gaze from mere "colors" and instead anchor our affections to the "Ever-Living" (Hayy-e Lāyamūt), for love directed towards any "dead" (perishable) object will never endure. True love, as we later see in the story, must be directed towards the "Living," to that which persists and offers us the life-enhancing wine. This verse starkly illustrates how a mistaken perception of the nature of love can lead one's destiny astray, culminating not in felicity, but in so’ol-qazā.

Key takeaways

• "Colored loves" (based on superficial appearances) ultimately lead to "disgrace" (nang) and scandal.
• Recognizing the superficial nature of fleeting attachments from the outset can prevent "ill judgments" (bad dāvarī) of destiny.
• "Ill judgment" refers to the dire and irreversible consequences stemming from mistaken choices in love.
• Mowlana wishes for humanity to grasp the superficiality and grave consequences of outwardly appealing loves sooner.
• This verse serves as a warning to anchor our affections to what endures, not what perishes.