Quote by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Tell a wise person, or else keep silent,because the mass man will mock it right away.I praise what is truly alive,what longs to be burned to death.In the calm water of the love-nights,where you were begotten, where you have begotten,a strange feeling comes over you,when you see the silent candle burning.Now you are no longer caughtin the obsession with darkness,and a desire for higher love-makingsweeps you upward.Distance does not make you falter.Now, arriving in magic, flying,and finally, insane for the light,you are the butterfly and you are gone.And so long as you haven't experienced this: to die and so to grow,you are only a troubled gueston the dark earth.
Summary
This quote by Rumi highlights the importance of seeking wisdom from those who can truly understand and appreciate it. The mass of people, or the "mass man," tends to mock or dismiss wisdom immediately. Rumi praises the vitality and passion that arises from being consumed by a burning desire. When one is freed from the obsession with darkness and discovers a longing for a higher love, a transformative experience occurs. In this state, distance and obstacles no longer discourage, but instead, fuel the journey towards enlightenment. Without experiencing this cycle of dying and growing, one remains a restless visitor on this earth.
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