In Book 3 of Jalaluddin Rumi's Masnavi, following Prophet David's revelation of the plaintiff's hidden crime, Rumi expounds on how the nafs (carnal ego) inevitably betrays itself. He explains that an oppressor's inward state does not remain a secret; rather, during moments of intense anger or argument, their own hands, feet, and tongue involuntarily bear witness to their spiritual corruption. Rumi likens the ungrateful plaintiff—who stubbornly demanded justice for a slaughtered cow while hiding his own murderous past—to the nafs. Instead of showing humility or seeking forgiveness, the ego throws off sparks that reveal its fiery, destructive nature. The poet warns the spiritual seeker to sever ties with this unrepentant ego, noting that just as a stone cannot produce a pearl, the corrupted nafs is incapable of genuine repentance or crying out to God.