By Love The King Is Made Slave

Whatever food they brought to him (Luqmán's master), he would send some one to Luqmán after (receiving it),
That Luqmán might put his hand to (partake of) it, on purpose that the master might eat his (Luqmán's) leavings. He would eat his remnants and be enraptured: any food that he (Luqmán) did not taste, he (the master) would throw away; Or if he ate (of it), (’twould be) without heart and without appetite: this is (the sign of) an affinity without end.
They had brought a melon as a present. “Go,” said he, “call (hither) my son, Luqmán.”  When he cut it and gave him a slice, he ate it as if it were sugar and honey. On account of the pleasure with which he ate (it), he gave him a second (slice), (and went on) till the slices (given him) reached the seventeenth. One slice remained. He said, “I will eat this (myself), so that I may see what a sweet melon this is. He (Luqmán) eats it with such pleasure that from his delight (all) natures have become eager and craving the morsel.” As soon as he (the master) ate it, by its sourness there was kindled fire (which) blistered his tongue and burnt his throat.
He became beside himself for a while on account of its sourness; after that, he said to him, “O (you who are) soul and world, How did you make all this poison an antidote? How did you deem this cruelty to be kindness? What patience is this? For what reason is this great fortitude? Or, perchance, in your opinion this life of yours is an enemy (which you would fain destroy). Why did not you cunningly bring (forward) a plea, saying, ‘I have an excuse (for declining to eat): desist for a while’.”
Luqmán said, “From thy munificent hand I have eaten so much that I am (bent) double with shame. I was ashamed not to eat one bitter thing from thy hand, O thou who art possessed of knowledge. Since all parts of me have grown from thy bounty and are plunged in thy bait and snare— If I make outcry and complaint because of one bitter thing, may the dust of a hundred roads be on (all) parts of me! It (the melon) had the enjoyment of thy sugar-bestowing hand: how could it (such enjoyment) leave any bitterness in this melon?” By love bitter things become sweet; by love pieces of copper become golden;
By love dregs become clear; by love pains become healing; By love the dead is made living; by love the king is made a slave.
This love, moreover, is the result of knowledge: who (ever) sat in foolishness on such a throne? On what occasion did deficient knowledge give birth to this love? Deficient (knowledge) gives birth to love, but (only love) for that which is (really) lifeless. When it sees in a lifeless being the colour (appearance) of a desired one, (’tis as though) it heard the voice of a beloved in a whistle.

The Masnawi - Volume 2, 1510-1530