"Friends who guide you"

The reflection cast from good friends is needed
until you become, without the aid of any reflector,
a drawer of water from the Sea.
Know that the reflection is at first just imitation,
but when it continues to recur,
it turns into direct realization of truth.
Until it has become direct realization,
don't part from the friends who guide you—
don't break away from the shell
if the raindrop hasn't yet become a pearl.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

`Aks chandân bâyad az yârân-e khvosh
keh shavi az bahr bi `aks âb kash
`Aks k-avval zad to ân taqlid dân
chon payâpi shod shavad tahqiq ân
Tâ na-shod tahqiq az yârân ma-bor
az sadaf ma-gosal na-gasht ân qatreh dorr

-- Mathnawi II: 566-568
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Daylight"
Threshold Books, 1994
Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra

The media:
http://tinyurl.com/y2pncp

"Friends who guide you"