In Book 3 of the Masnavi, during the story of the townsman and the countryman, Rumi introduces the critical spiritual hazard of flattery (tamalluq) destroying caution or prudence (hazm). Rumi describes how the villager's persistent invitations and sweet talk gradually dazed the master, clouding his clear judgment (zalal-e hazm). In Sufi psychology, hazm represents the spiritual foresight and vigilance required to detect worldly traps. When a seeker succumbs to flattery, this inner vigilance is compromised, leading them to abandon their safe spiritual state and walk into deception.

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## Original content
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شد ز حد هین باز گرد ای یار گرد 
روستایی خواجه را بین خانه برد
قصهٔ اهل سبا یک گوشه نه 
آن بگو کان خواجه چون آمد به ده
روستایی در تملق شیوه کرد 
تا که حزم خواجه را کالیوه کرد
از پیام اندر پیام او خیره شد 
تا زلال حزم خواجه تیره شد
هم ازینجا کودکانش در پسند 
نرتع و نلعب بشادی می‌زدند
همچو یوسف کش ز تقدیر عجب 
نرتع و نلعب ببرد از ظل اَب
آن نه بازی بلک جانبازیست آن 
حیله و مکر و دغاسازیست آن
هرچه از یارت جدا اندازد آن 
مشنو آن را کان زیان دارد زیان
گر بود آن سود صد در صد مگیر 
بهر زر مگسل ز گنجور ای فقیر
این شنو که چند یزدان زجر کرد 
گفت اصحاب نبی را گرم و سرد
زانک بر بانگ دهل در سال تنگ 
جمعه را کردند باطل بی درنگ
تا نباید دیگران ارزان خرند 
زان جلب صرفه ز ما ایشان برند
ماند پیغامبر بخلوت در نماز 
با دو سه درویش ثابت پر نیاز
گفت طبل و لهو و بازرگانیی 
چونتان ببرید از ربانیی
قد فضضتم نحو قمح هائما 
ثم خلیتم نبیا قائما
بهر گندم تخم باطل کاشتید 
و آن رسول حق را بگذاشتید
صحبت او خیر من لهوست و مال 
بین کرا بگذاشتی چشمی بمال
خود نشد حرص شما را این یقین 
که منم رزاق و خیر الرازقین
آنک گندم را ز خود روزی دهد 
کی توکلهات را ضایع نهد
از پی گندم جدا گشتی از آن 
که فرستادست گندم ز آسمان

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## English translation
It has gone beyond measure — heed! Turn back, O wandering friend;
The peasant took the master home.

Set the story of the people of Saba aside for now;
Tell how the master came to the village.

The peasant practiced the art of flattery
Until he left the master's prudence bewildered.

Message upon message bewildered him,
Until the clear waters of the master's prudence were muddied.

From here, too, his children, with delight,
Were joyfully chanting: "Let us roam and play!"

Like Joseph, whom by wondrous decree
"Let us roam and play" drew away from his father's shade.

That is not play — rather it is the staking of life;
It is cunning, deceit, and the weaving of fraud.

Whatever throws you far from your Friend —
Do not heed it, for it bears harm, genuine harm.

Even if it were profit a hundredfold, do not take it;
For the sake of gold, do not cut yourself from the treasurer, O poor one.

Hear this: how many times did God rebuke?
He spoke to the companions of the Prophet, hot and cold.

For, at the sound of the drum, in a year of hardship,
They made the Friday prayer void without delay —

Lest others should buy cheaply
And take the profit of that trade from us.

The Prophet remained alone in prayer
With two or three steadfast, supplicating dervishes.

He said: "A drum, amusement, and commerce —
How did they take you away from the Divine?"

"You dispersed, wandering toward wheat,
Then left a standing prophet behind."

For the sake of wheat you sowed the seed of vanity,
And you abandoned the Messenger of Truth.

His company is better than amusement and wealth;
See whom you have left — rub your eyes and look!

Did this not become certainty for your greed:
That I am the Provider and the best of providers?

He who provides wheat as sustenance from Himself —
How would He ever waste your acts of trust in Him?

For the sake of wheat you separated yourself from Him
Who sends wheat down from heaven.

دفتر سوم - بخش ۱۲ - بقیهٔ داستان رفتن خواجه به دعوت روستایی سوی ده / Book Three - Section 12 - The Rest of the Story of the Master Going to the Village at the Villager's Invitation

In Book 3 of the Masnavi, Rumi narrates the story of a townsman who, lured by the promises of a countryman, visits his village only to face great hardship and regret. This tale serves as a major allegory warning spiritual seekers against blind trust in worldly illusions and outward hospitality. Rumi nested several digressive allegories within this frame story, including the tale of Majnun and Layla's dog, to contrast worldly delusion with true spiritual vision.

The Tale of the Townsman and the Countryman in the Masnavi

In the *Masnavi*, Rumi defines *Hazm* (prudence or foresight) as the essential spiritual vigilance required to navigate the uncertainties and deceptions of the worldly path. Abstracted from his parables in Book 3, Section 130, Hazm involves always preparing for the worst-case spiritual scenario—just as a wise traveler carries water even when told a route might have springs. This caution protects the seeker's soul from the traps of the ego (*nafs*), greed, and external flattery, ensuring they remain on the path of salvation.

The Spiritual Definition of Hazm (Prudence) in the Masnavi

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In Book 3 of Jalaluddin Rumi's Masnavi, the narrative of the deceitful villager and the hospitable townsman reaches a painful climax when the townsman finally visits the village. Despite having exploited the townsman's generosity for years, the villager feigns complete ignorance, aggressively denying their friendship and shutting his door. Rumi describes the villager's hypocritical face as guarded by demons, serving as a warning against associating with such vile nature. The townsman and his family are forced to endure five agonizing days of exposure to harsh cold and burning sun outside the villager's home. Rumi emphasizes that their persistence stems from sheer necessity and lack of resources, rather than stupidity or heedlessness, comparing their desperate situation to a starving lion forced to eat carrion. This episode starkly illustrates the profound betrayal inherent in worldly attachments and the harsh reality of relying on false, superficial promises.

The Villager's Betrayal and the Townsman's Ordeal in the Masnavi

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خواجه در کار آمد و تجهیز ساخت 
مرغ عزمش سوی ده اشتاب تاخت
اهل و فرزندان سفر را ساختند 
رخت را بر گاو عزم انداختند
شادمانان و شتابان سوی ده 
که بری خوردیم از ده مژده ده
مقصد ما را چراگاه خوشست 
یار ما آنجا کریم و دلکشست
با هزاران آرزومان خوانده است 
بهر ما غرس کرم بنشانده است
ما ذخیرهٔ ده زمستان دراز 
از بر او سوی شهر آریم باز
بلک باغ ایثار راه ما کند 
در میان جان خودمان جا کند
عجلوا اصحابنا کی تربحوا 
عقل می‌گفت از درون لا تفرحوا
من رباح الله کونوا رابحین 
ان ربی لا یحب الفرحین
افرحوا هونا بما آتاکم 
کل آت مشغل الهاکم
شاد از وی شو مشو از غیر وی 
او بهارست و دگرها ماه دی
هر چه غیر اوست استدراج تست 
گرچه تخت و ملکتست و تاج تست
شاد از غم شو که غم دام لقاست 
اندرین ره سوی پستی ارتقاست
غم یکی گنجیست و رنج تو چو کان 
لیک کی در گیرد این در کودکان
کودکان چون نام بازی بشنوند 
جمله با خر گور هم تگ می‌دوند
ای خران کور این سو دامهاست 
در کمین این سوی خون‌آشامهاست
تیرها پران کمان پنهان ز غیب 
بر جوانی می‌رسد صد تیر شیب
گام در صحرای دل باید نهاد 
زانک در صحرای گل نبود گشاد
ایمن آبادست دل ای دوستان 
چشمه‌ها و گلستان در گلستان
عج الی القلب و سر یا ساریه 
فیه اشجار و عین جاریه
ده مرو ده مرد را احمق کند 
عقل را بی نور و بی رونق کند
قول پیغامبر شنو ای مجتبی 
گور عقل آمد وطن در روستا
هر که را در رستا بود روزی و شام 
تا بماهی عقل او نبود تمام
تا بماهی احمقی با او بود 
از حشیش ده جز اینها چه درود
وانک ماهی باشد اندر روستا 
روزگاری باشدش جهل و عمی
ده چه باشد شیخ واصل ناشده 
دست در تقلید و حجت در زده
پیش شهر عقل کلی این حواس 
چون خران چشم‌بسته در خراس
این رها کن صورت افسانه گیر 
هل تو دردانه تو گندم‌دانه گیر
گر بدر ره نیست هین بر می‌ستان 
گر بدان ره نیستت این سو بران
ظاهرش گیر ار چه ظاهر کژ پرد 
عاقبت ظاهر سوی باطن برد
اول هر آدمی خود صورتست 
بعد از آن جان کو جمال سیرتست
اول هر میوه جز صورت کیست 
بعد از آن لذت که معنی ویست
اولا خرگاه سازند و خرند 
ترک را زان پس به مهمان آورند
صورتت خرگاه دان معنیت ترک 
معنیت ملاح دان صورت چو فلک
بهر حق این را رها کن یک نفس 
تا خر خواجه بجنباند جرس

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## English translation
The master set to work and made preparations; the bird of his resolve sped swiftly toward the village. His household and children prepared for the journey; they laid the baggage on the ox of resolve. Joyful and hurrying toward the village, saying: 'We have eaten fruit from the village; give glad tidings of the village. Our destination is a pleasant pasture; our friend there is generous and winsome. He has summoned us with thousands of hopes; for us he has planted the sapling of generosity. We shall bring back from him to the city stores for ten long winters. Perhaps he will make a garden of self-sacrifice our road and lodge us in the midst of his own soul.' 'Hasten, our companions, so that you may profit'; inwardly, reason was saying, 'Do not exult. Be those who profit from God's profit: my Lord does not love the exultant. Rejoice lightly in what He has given you; everything that comes distracts and diverts you. Be joyful because of Him, not because of anything other than Him. He is spring, and the others are the month of Dey. Whatever is other than Him is your gradual luring-on, even if it is your throne, kingdom, and crown. Be joyful over grief, for grief is the snare of meeting; on this path, descent is ascent. Grief is a treasure, and your suffering is like the mine; but when will this get through to children? When children hear the word play, they all run along with the wild ass. O blind asses, this way there are snares; blood-drinkers lie in ambush here. Arrows fly, while the bow is hidden in the unseen; a hundred arrows of old age strike youth. One must set foot in the desert of the heart, for in the desert of clay there is no opening. The heart is a secure city, friends: springs and gardens within gardens. Hasten to the heart and travel, O night-journeyer; in it are trees and a flowing spring. Do not go to the village; the village makes a man foolish and makes the intellect lightless and lackluster. Hear the Prophet's saying, O chosen one: residence in the countryside is the grave of the intellect. Whoever has his morning and evening in the village, for as long as a month his intellect is not complete; up to a month foolishness remains with him. From the fodder of the village, what else can be harvested? And one who stays a month in the village will have ignorance and blindness for a while. What is the village? A shaykh who has not arrived, who has put his hand into imitation and clung to argument. Before the city of Universal Intellect, these senses are like blindfolded asses in a mill. Leave this aside; take the form of the tale. Let go of the pearl; take the grain of wheat. If there is no pearl on the road, then take straw; if that road is not yours, drive on this way. Take its outward form, even if the outward form flies crookedly; in the end the outward form leads toward the inward. Every human being is at first form; after that comes the soul, which is the beauty of character. What is every fruit at first except form? After that comes the taste, which is its meaning. First they build and buy the tent; after that they bring the Turk as guest. Know your form as the tent and your meaning as the Turk; know your meaning as the sailor and the form as the ship. For God's sake, leave this for one breath, so that the master's donkey may shake its bell.'

دفتر سوم - بخش ۱۵ - روان شدن خواجه به سوی ده / Book Three - Section 15 - The Master Setting Out Toward the Village

The Destruction of Hazm (Prudence) by Flattery in the Masnavi

In Book 3 of Jalaluddin Rumi's Masnavi, as the hospitable townsman eagerly departs for the village, his inner reason issues a profound warning against worldly exultation. Rumi uses the intellect's voice to advise the townsman that true joy should only stem from the Divine, comparing God to the eternal spring and worldly things to the dead of winter. Reason cautions that rejoicing in anything other than God is a deceptive, gradual luring-on, and that true spiritual ascent is often found through grief rather than comfort. Furthermore, Rumi invokes a prophetic tradition stating that 'residence in the countryside is the grave of the intellect.' In this context, the village serves as a metaphor for the foolishness, spiritual dullness, and loss of intellectual light that results from abandoning the secure, spiritual city of the heart for worldly materialism and distraction.

The Metaphor of the Village and the Warning of Reason in the Masnavi

In Book 3 of Jalaluddin Rumi's *Masnavi*, during the tale of the hospitable townsman being lured to the village, Rumi introduces a historical parallel to warn against worldly distractions. He recounts an incident where the companions of the Prophet Muhammad abandoned him during Friday prayers, drawn away by the sound of a drum signaling the arrival of a merchant caravan selling wheat during a time of hardship. Rumi uses this event as a profound allegory for humanity's tendency to forsake the Divine—the ultimate Provider—for the sake of fleeting material profit or amusement. He warns that any pursuit that separates a seeker from God, no matter how seemingly lucrative, is fundamentally harmful and deceptive. By reminding his audience that God is the true source who "sends wheat down from heaven," Rumi emphasizes the spiritual foolishness of abandoning the Creator to desperately chase after the very sustenance He has already guaranteed.

The Allegory of the Friday Prayer and Worldly Commerce in the Masnavi

In Book 3 of Jalaluddin Rumi's Masnavi, during the tale of the hospitable townsman's ill-fated journey to the village, the narrative transitions into a profound spiritual discourse on the nature of love and attachment. Rumi observes that people gladly endure severe hardships—such as carrying heavy loads or burning in the sun—for the sake of worldly beloveds or transient goals. However, he reveals that human affection for any physical or worldly object exists only because it is temporarily 'gilded' with a ray of God's divine attributes. When this divine light inevitably returns to its source, leaving behind only the base 'copper' of the material form, human nature becomes satiated and discards the object. Through this metaphor, Rumi urges the spiritual seeker to abandon reliance on transient, borrowed companionships and instead strive for intimacy with the eternal, living God, whose divine light never fades.

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