In Jalaluddin Rumi's Masnavi, the tale of the goldsmith and the borrower of a scale illustrates the importance of foresight and anticipating ultimate consequences. When an old man asks for a scale to weigh gold, the goldsmith refuses by claiming he lacks a broom or a sieve. The goldsmith has correctly deduced that the man's trembling hands will inevitably spill the fine gold dust onto the dirt floor, requiring a broom to sweep it up and a sieve to recover the gold from the swept dirt. Through this parable, Rumi highlights the profound wisdom of a sage who sees the "end of the matter" (عاقبت کار) from the very beginning, contrasting it with the superficial understanding of those who only consider their immediate circumstances.