speech...

Man is concealed beneath his tongue;

this tongue is the curtain over the door of the soul.

When a gust of wind has pushed aside the curtain,

the secret of the interior of the house is disclosed.

We see whether in that house there are pearls

or grains of wheat, a treasure of gold,

or all scorpions or snakes;

or whether a treasure
is there and a serpent beside it,

since a treasure of gold is never
without someone to keep watch.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

--Mevlana Jalaluddin Rumi
Mathnawi II: 846-848
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Daylight"
Threshold Books, 1994
Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra