M1:2587 — مهر تلخان را به شیرین می‌کشد / زانک اصل مهرها باشد رشد

This couplet appears within a larger discussion of the interplay between opposites, using the imagery of sweet and bitter waters (alluding to the Quranic verse, 'He has let free the two seas meeting together; between them is a barrier which they do not transgress,' Q55:19-20). Rumi describes how these opposing forces, like waves, constantly interact. While some waves of peace remove grudges, waves of conflict can overturn affections. Here, Rumi asserts that despite this constant flux, there's an underlying principle: love inherently moves towards betterment and integration. The 'bitter ones' (تلخان) represent those who are harsh, disagreeable, or perhaps spiritually unrefined, while the 'sweet' (شیرین) symbolizes goodness, beauty, and spiritual maturity. The 'root of all loves' (اصل مهرها) is identified as roshd (رشد), which means growth, development, or spiritual maturity. This suggests that genuine love isn't static; it's a dynamic force that seeks to elevate and transform, drawing the imperfect towards perfection, and ultimately fostering spiritual evolution.