My dear heart, never think you are better than others. Listen to their sorrows with compassion. If you want peace, don't harbor bad thoughts, do not gossip and don't teach what you do not know.
RumiRead
There's no one with intelligence in this town except that man over there playing with the children, the one riding the stick horse. He has keen, fiery insight and vast dignity like the night sky, but he conceals it in the madness of child's play.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote highlights the hidden depth and intelligence in seemingly simple or playful behavior.
In this quote, Rumi emphasizes the idea that true intelligence and insight can often be found in those who engage in childlike playfulness. The man playing with children represents a profound understanding of life, masked by the simplicity of his actions. Rumi suggests that societal norms often overlook the wisdom present in those who appear to be 'mad' or childish, thereby encouraging a reevaluation of what true wisdom looks like.
Themes
IntelligenceWisdomChild'S PlayInsightSociety
In practice
Example use cases
This quote could be shared during a community gathering to spark discussions on valuing diverse perspectives.
More from Rumi
All quotes →The Law of Wonder rules my life at last, _x000D_ ...I burn each second of my life to Love _x000D_ Each second of my life burns out in Love _x000D_ In each leaping second Love lives afresh.
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Lovers have heartaches _x000D_ That can't be cured by drugs _x000D_ Or sleep, _x000D_ Or games, _x000D_ But only by seeing their beloved.
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Every fragile beauty, every perfect forgotten sentence, you grieve their going away, but that is not how it is. Where they come from never goes dry. It is an always flowing spring.
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Whatever you keep hidden in your heart, God _x000D_ manifests in you outwardly. Whatever the root of _x000D_ the tree feeds on in secret, affects the bough and _x000D_ the leaf.
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Come on sweetheart let's adore one another before there is no more of you and me
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