In Section 19 of Book One of the Masnavi, Rumi explores the concept of spiritual discernment (sahib-i dhawq) through a series of vivid metaphors that illustrate the danger of deceptive appearances:

* **Sugar-Coated Poison:** The vizier's discourse is compared to poison dissolved in sugar syrup (jallab-i qand), where the outward sweetness conceals a lethal substance.
* **Tarnishing Silver:** Though silver appears bright and clean, handling it leaves hands and garments blackened, representing how superficially pure speech can corrupt the soul.
* **The Redness of Fire:** Fire's vibrant red embers and sparks are visually enticing, but its true action is destructive and blackening.
* **Blinding Lightning:** Lightning offers a momentary burst of bright light, yet its ultimate effect is to steal the observer's vision (duzd-i basar).

Through these allegories, Rumi emphasizes that only individuals possessing genuine spiritual taste and awareness can look past outward sweetness to perceive ...

Metaphors of Deceptive Appearances and Spiritual Discernment in the Masnavi

In Section 9 of the *Hadiqat al-Haqiqah*, Sanai critiques human susceptibility to outward physical beauty, warning that it often masks spiritual ugliness. He asserts that lust clouds spiritual discernment, leaving a person unable to distinguish true virtue from vulgarity. Sanai encapsulates this warning through the metaphor of a 'peacock-faced snake' (مار طاوس روی)—illustrating that captivating external forms can conceal deadly inner spiritual peril.

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## Original content
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خوب را از برای دست فراخ 
جاودان شاخ شاخ ریزد شاخ
زشت را از برای حسرت چیز 
دست و دل تنگ چون گذرگه تیز
گلخنی را کشیده اندر پوست 
تو گهش جان لقب کنی گه دوست
آن چنان کرد شهوتت محجوب 
که ندانی تو خوک را از خوب
کرد بادام دید سیم تنت 
دل بریان چو پسته در دهنت
هرکه در دست این چنین دل ماند 
تا ابد پای او فرو گل ماند
آن بت ماه روی سیم اندام 
چون زرت کرد خوش رو و خوش نام
چون برافشاند زلف مشکین را 
بچه دارد چنان دل و دین را
مار طاوس روی و موی آراست 
عافیت آدم است و دل حواست
مار و طاوس کامدند بهم 
هم به حوا بدند و هم بادم
و آن غلام شگرف زیبا رخ 
بت زنجیر زلف دیبا رخ
بشکند مشک جعد او پشتت 
دست عشقش کند چو انگشتت
تا تو آن روی چون گلش یابی 
خار پشتت کند ز بی خوابی
گرچه پی برگرفت از سر دست 
گردنت دست او چو پای شکست
گرچه باشد ز روی و موی نکو 
نان بی نان خورش خورد بدخو
ببرد گوش و بینی اندر کوی 
سیهی چشمشان سپیدی روی
خوش ترش از درون او کینه 
شد گل از عکس رویش آیینه
زان دل همچو سنگش اندر تن 
دل تو خون گرسنه چون آهن
چون شود چشم تو چو ابر ازرق 
لب خود او کند به خنده چو برق

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## English translation
The beautiful, for the sake of an open hand,
Eternally spreads branch after branch.
The ugly, out of covetousness for things,
Is tight of hand and heart like a sharp pass.
You have pulled a furnace-stoker into your skin,
Sometimes you title him 'soul', sometimes 'friend'.
Lust has so thoroughly veiled you,
That you do not know a pig from the beautiful.
The almond eye made your vision of the silver-bodied one,
Your heart roasted like a pistachio in your mouth.
Whoever leaves their heart in such hands,
His foot will remain stuck in the mud for eternity.
That idol with a moon-like face and silver body,
Made you cheerful and well-reputed like gold.
When she scatters her musky tresses,
She treats heart and faith like a child.
The snake adorned with the face and hair of a peacock,
Well-being is Adam, and the heart is Eve.
The snake and the peacock that came together,
Were harmful to both Eve and Adam.
And that wonderful slave-boy with a beautiful face,
The idol with chained tresses and brocade-like cheeks,
The musk of his curls will break your back,
The hand of his love will make you thin like a finger.
Until you attain that rose-like face of his,
He makes your back like a porcupine's from sleeplessness.
Even if he removed the nerve from the forearm,
His hand broke your neck like a foot.
Even if he is beautiful in face and hair,
The ill-natured one eats bread without a side dish.
He takes away the ear and nose in the street,
The blackness of their eyes, the whiteness of the face.
More sour than his inner malice,
The mirror became mud from the reflection of his face.
From his stone-like heart inside the body,
Your heart is hungry for blood like iron.
When your eye becomes like a dark blue weeping cloud,
He makes his own lip smile like lightning.

بخش ۹ - اندر شرح خوب و زشت گوید / Section 9 - He Speaks on the Description of the Beautiful and the Ugly

Root URL: https://ganjoor.net/
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