"If you don't know the way"

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If you have a touchstone, go ahead, choose;
otherwise, go and devote yourself
to one who knows the differences.
Either you must have a touchstone
within your own soul,
or if you don't know the way,
find someone who does.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Gar mehakk dâri gozin kon var nah raw
nazd-e dânâ khvishtan-râ kon geraw
Yâ mehakk bâyad miyân-e jân-e khvish
var na-dâni rah ma-raw tanhâ to pish

-- Mathnawi II:746-747
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
Rumi: Daylight
Threshold Books, 1994
(Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra)

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"If you don't know the way"