In Book 1, Section 135 of the Masnavi, Rumi uses a shocking Arabic proverb—'If you commit fornication, do it with a free woman, and if you steal, steal a pearl'—as an allegory for high spiritual aspirations (Himmah). The core lesson is that human effort and desire should never be wasted on trivial, fleeting worldly attachments, which Rumi compares to chasing shadows or grasping thorns. Instead, if one is to exert effort and seek a goal, the pursuit should be directed toward the highest possible objective: the Divine and eternal truth. This metaphor challenges the seeker to recognize that the ultimate 'pearl' is spiritual realization, urging them to redirect their worldly drives toward ultimate perfection.