M3:3282 — زان غنا و زان غنی مردود شد / که ز قدرت صبرها بدرود شد

This couplet is Rumi's direct commentary on the story of the man who demands that Moses teach him the language of the animals. The man's insistence is a form of spiritual greed; he desires a power (qudrat) he is not equipped to handle. Rumi uses this moment to make a broader point about the dangers of unearned capacity.

He equates this dangerous knowledge with a kind of wealth (ghanā) that, instead of enriching the soul, makes it arrogant and impatient. The moment this power is granted, patience (ṣabr)—the cornerstone of spiritual discipline—is lost. Without patience, the man cannot endure the difficult truths his new ability reveals, leading inevitably to his ruin. The couplet argues that true spiritual safety lies not in gaining power, but in the humble recognition of one's limits, a state Rumi calls 'poverty' (faqr) and 'incapacity' (ʿajz) in the surrounding verses.