Do not look for water. Be thirsty.

What it means

Rumi says the real need comes first and the answer follows it. A hungry heart is already halfway to being fed. Do not fake fullness; let yourself want what you truly need.

The source

"Do not look for water. Be thirsty." Rumi said it in Masnavi II, Whatever God gave He created for a need. Translated by E. H. Whinfield, 1898.

"Seek not water, only show you are thirsty, That water may spring up all around you."

E. H. Whinfield, 1898, Masnavi II, Whatever God gave He created for a need. Text read at archive.org.

Who said it

Rumi (1207–1273). Persian poet and Sufi teacher, born near Balkh and settled in Konya. His Masnavi, six books of rhyming couplets, opens with the song of a reed flute.

Questions

What does "Do not look for water. Be thirsty." mean?

Rumi says the real need comes first and the answer follows it. A hungry heart is already halfway to being fed. Do not fake fullness; let yourself want what you truly need.

Who said "Do not look for water. Be thirsty."?

Rumi (1207–1273). Source: Masnavi II, Whatever God gave He created for a need.

What is the original wording?

Seek not water, only show you are thirsty, That water may spring up all around you (E. H. Whinfield, 1898). Translated by E. H. Whinfield, 1898.

Is "Do not look for water. Be thirsty." on a shirt?

Yes. We print it to order on our tees in 7 illustrated looks, from $44, with free US shipping.

"Do not look for water. Be thirsty." (Rumi, Masnavi II, Whatever God gave He created for a need, trans. E. H. Whinfield, 1898). https://spartansurfers.com/quotes/do-not-look-for-water-be-thirsty