M6:4245 — لیک شرم و همتش دامن گرفت / خویش را در صبر افشردن گرفت

Translation: But shame and his noble spirit seized his skirt, And he began to press himself into patience. Meaning: Despite his hunger, the man's sense of shame and dignity prevented him from begging, so he resolved to endure his suffering with patience.

This verse vividly portrays the zenith of internal human struggle: a conflict between self-dignity and the dire necessity of hunger. The Baghdad merchant, once a patron and provider, now finds himself in the foreign land of Egypt, seized by the pangs of starvation. But as Rumi so exquisitely puts it, "But shame and his noble spirit seized his skirt." This shame is not a superficial embarrassment; it is the manifestation of a lofty himmat (noble spirit) and inherent dignity that prevents the soul from succumbing to ignominy.

This is a critical juncture. Faced with overwhelming need, a person has two paths: to yield to degradation or to seek refuge in patience. And this man, "began to press himself into patience." The idiom of "pressing" (afshordan) is crucial here. It implies a forceful, concentrated act of self-restraint, as if at this moment, he compresses his entire being—all his pride, all his bodily needs—into the vessel of patience to preserve his inherent dignity. This is not a passive act but a conscious, heroic choice. He opts not to beg, even at the cost of extreme hunger.

His shame and himmat "seized his skirt," meaning they firmly held him back, preventing him from straying from the path of honor. This internal resistance sets the stage for his subsequent decision: "I will go out at night, gently." Even in this eventual resolve to beg, shame persists, drawing him into the cloak of darkness. This testifies to the exalted status of himmat and shame in Rumi's thought and in human psychology: that even in the throes of desperation, the spirit can safeguard its dignity.

Key takeaways

• The verse depicts the apex of inner conflict between self-dignity and the necessity of survival.
• Shame, in this context, is not weakness, but a manifestation of high spirit (himmat) and inherent human dignity.
• The phrase "to press oneself into patience" indicates a strong, deliberate act of self-compression in the face of hardship.
• Preserving self-dignity, even in moments of extreme need and hunger, is a high priority in Rumi's humanistic spiritual path.
• The decision to beg at night reveals that even when forced into an unpleasant act, a person strives to conceal their shame and maintain dignity.