Discourse 58

Rumi related: A certain Gnostic once said, “I went to the baths to expand my heart, since the baths had become the place of retreat for certain saints. I saw that the master of the bath stove had an apprentice. The master was telling the apprentice, ‘Do this and do that.’ The apprentice was working briskly, and the stove gave off good heat because of how nimbly the orders were obeyed.

“‘Fine,’ said the master. ‘Be nimble like this. If you are always energetic and mind your manners, I will give you my own position, and appoint you to my own place.’

“I was overcome with laughter,” said the Gnostic, “and my inner knot was resolved, for I saw that bosses of this world all behave like this with their apprentices.”