In Poem 66 of Chapter 47 in the Mokhtar Nameh, Attar utilizes the anatomy and origin of a candle as a multi-layered metaphor for the hazards of self-assertion and outward speech:

• Separation from Sweetness: The wax of the candle, having been separated from the sweet honey of the beehive, experiences a transition into a state of 'a hundred bitternesses' (burning and melting). This represents the soul's painful separation from its divine, sweet source.
• The Extended Tongue as Self-Assertion: The candle's flame or wick is conceptualized as an 'extended tongue.' By stretching its tongue into the fire (shining, speaking, or asserting itself), the candle brings about its own destruction.
• Biting the Tongue: Biting one's tongue is an idiom for silence or regret. The poem suggests it is fitting for the candle to bite its tongue in its mouth to avoid the painful consequences of its outward exposure and prideful display in the fire.