In this poem from Chapter 47 of the Mokhtar Nameh, Attar explores the themes of personal dignity, self-reliance, and the refusal to accept favors from base or unworthy people (siflah).

Core Themes

• Rejection of Ignoble Favors: Sitting at the table of an unworthy person is depicted as deeply humiliating. The poet prefers enduring hardships over compromising his honor.
• The Metaphor of the Candle: The candle serves as a powerful symbol of self-sufficiency. Rather than relying on others, the candle burns its own wax and sustains itself. Similarly, the poet would rather consume his own soul than rely on the charity of the ignoble.