بی تف آتش نگردد نفس خوب ** تا نشد آهن چو اخگر هین مکوب
Without the glowing heat of the fire (of mortification) the carnal soul will never become goodly: hark, do not beat the iron till it has become like live coals.
بی‌مجاعت نیست تن جنبش‌کنان ** آهن سردیست می‌کوبی بدان
Without hunger the body makes no movement (towards God): ‘tis cold iron thou art beating. Know (this for sure)!
گر بگرید ور بنالد زار زار ** او نخواهد شد مسلمان هوش دار
Though it weep and wail most piteously, it will never become a true believer. Take heed!
او چو فرعونست در قحط آنچنان ** پیش موسی سر نهد لابه‌کنان 3625
It is like Pharaoh: in (the time of) famine it lays its head before Moses, as he (Pharaoh) did, making supplication;
چونک مستغنی شد او طاغی شود ** خر چو بار انداخت اسکیزه زند
(But) when it has been freed from want, it rebels (once more) when the donkey has cast off his load, he kicks.
پس فراموشش شود چون رفت پیش ** کار او زان آه و زاریهای خویش
So, when its business has gone forward (prosperously), it (the carnal soul) forgets its sighs and lamentations.
سالها مردی که در شهری بود ** یک زمان که چشم در خوابی رود
The man who lives in a city (many) years, as soon as his eye goes asleep,
شهر دیگر بیند او پر نیک و بد ** هیچ در یادش نیاید شهر خود
Beholds another city full of good and evil, and his own city comes not into his memory at all,
که من آنجا بوده‌ام این شهر نو ** نیست آن من درینجاام گرو 3630
So that (he should say), “I have lived there (so many years); this new city is not mine: here I am (only) in pawn.”
بل چنان داند که خود پیوسته او ** هم درین شهرش به دست ابداع و خو
Nay, he thinks that in sooth he has always lived in this very city and has been born and bred in it.