نیم عمرت در پریشانی رود ** نیم دیگر در پشیمانی رود
One half of thy life will pass in distraction and the other half will pass in repentance.
ترک این فکر و پریشانی بگو ** حال و یار و کار نیکوتر بجو
Take leave of this (anxious) thought and repentance: seek a better (spiritual) state and friend and work.
ور نداری کار نیکوتر به دست ** پس پشیمانیت بر فوت چه است
And if thou hast no better work in hand, then for the omission of what (work) is thy repentance?
گر همی دانی ره نیکو پرست ** ور ندانی چون بدانی کین به دست
If thou knowest the good way, worship (God); and if thou dost not know (it), how dost thou know that this way (in which thou art going) is evil?
بد ندانی تا ندانی نیک را ** ضد را از ضد توان دید ای فتی1345
Thou dost not know evil till thou knowest good: (only) from (one) contrary is it possible to discern (the other) contrary, O youth.
چون ز ترک فکر این عاجز شدی ** از گناه آنگاه هم عاجز بدی
Since (as thou sayest) thou wert rendered impotent to abandon the thought of this (repentance), at that time thou wert also impotent to commit sin.
چون بدی عاجز پشیمانی ز چیست ** عاجزی را باز جو کز جذب کیست
Since thou wert impotent (to commit sin), on account of what is thy repentance? Inquire concerning impotence, by whose pull (exertion of power) is it (produced)?
عاجزی بی‌قادری اندر جهان ** کس ندیدست و نباشد این بدان
No one has seen impotence in the world without power, nor will it (ever) be (so). Know this (for sure).
همچنین هر آرزو که می‌بری ** تو ز عیب آن حجابی اندری
Similarly, (with) every desire that thou cherishest, thou art debarred from (perceiving) its faultiness;
ور نمودی علت آن آرزو ** خود رمیدی جان تو زان جست و جو1350
And if the viciousness of that desire had been shown, thy soul of its own accord would have recoiled from seeking (to gratify it).