Number 5

RubāʿīIraqi style
English

Number 5

A lover who cannot walk through fire like the salamander is just a beast of burden; a Sufi who is not a free-spirited wanderer is worthless. A rogue who is not also pure at heart is no true man; an ascetic who has no beloved to witness is nothing but an owl in a ruin.
Explanation: The salamander was believed to live in fire, a symbol of a lover who endures passion's flames. The owl in ruins is a Persian image of desolation and emptiness.

Original · Persian

شمارهٔ ۵

عاشق که سمندر نبود خر کوفست صوفی که قلندر نبود موقوفست
رندی که نه پارسا بود نامردست زاهد که نه شاهدیش باشد بوفست