پس دروغ آمد ز سر تا پای خویش ** که دروغش کرد هم اعضای خویش
Therefore he is a lie from head to foot, for even his own members give him the lie,
آنچنان که در نماز با فروغ ** از گواهی خصیه شد زرقش دروغ
Just as, in (the case of) the specious prayers (performed by the ascetic), their fine appearance was proved to be false testimonio testiculi. [Just as, in (the case of) the specious prayers (performed by the ascetic), their fine appearance was proved to be false by the testimony of the (soiled) testicles.]
پس چنان کن فعل که آن خود بی‌زبان ** باشد اشهد گفتن و عین بیان
Act, then, in such wise that the action itself, without (your) tongue (uttering a word), will be (equivalent to) saying “I testify” and (to making) the most explicit declaration,
تا همه تن عضو عضوت ای پسر ** گفته باشد اشهد اندر نفع و ضر
So that your whole body, limb by limb, O son, will have said “I testify” as regards both good and ill.
رفتن بنده پی خواجه گواست ** که منم محکوم و این مولای ماست 2220
The slave's walking behind his master is a testimony (equivalent to saying), “I am subject to authority and this man is my lord.”
گر سیه کردی تو نامه‌ی عمر خویش ** توبه کن زانها که کردستی تو پیش
If you have blackened the scroll (record) of your life, repent of the deeds you did formerly.
عمر اگر بگذشت بیخش این دمست ** آب توبه‌ش ده اگر او بی‌نمست
Though your life has (almost) passed, this (present) moment is its root: water it with repentance if it lacks moisture.
بیخ عمرت را بده آب حیات ** تا درخت عمر گردد با نبات
Give the Living Water to the root of your life, in order that the tree of your life may become verdant.
By this (Water) all past (sins) are made good: by this (Water) last year's poison is made (sweet) as sugar.
سیاتت را مبدل کرد حق ** تا همه طاعت شود آن ما سبق 2225
God hath changed your evil deeds (to good), in order that what has preceded may become wholly (acts of) piety.
خواجه بر توبه‌ی نصوحی خوش به تن ** کوششی کن هم به جان و هم به تن
O master, cleave bravely to a repentance (like that) of Nasúh: strive earnestly both with body and spirit.
شرح این توبه‌ی نصوح از من شنو ** بگرویدستی و لیک از نو گرو
Hear from me the description of this repentance of Nasúh: (if) you have believed (in it before), (yet now) believe afresh.
حکایت در بیان توبه‌ی نصوح کی چنانک شیر از پستان بیرون آید باز در پستان نرود آنک توبه نصوحی کرد هرگز از آن گناه یاد نکند به طریق رغبت بلک هر دم نفرتش افزون باشد و آن نفرت دلیل آن بود کی لذت قبول یافت آن شهوت اول بی‌لذت شد این به جای آن نشست نبرد عشق را جز عشق دیگر چرا یاری نجویی زو نکوتر وانک دلش باز بدان گناه رغبت می‌کند علامت آنست کی لذت قبول نیافته است و لذت قبول به جای آن لذت گناه ننشسته است سنیسره للیسری نشده است لذت و نیسره للعسری باقیست بر وی
Story explaining the repentance of Nasúh. As milk that flows from the teat never returns to the teat, so he who has repented like Nasúh will never think of that sin in the way of desire; nay, his loathing will increase continually, and that loathing is a proof that he has experienced the delight of being accepted (as a sincere penitent), and that the old lust has ceased to give delight, and that the former (delight) has established itself in the place of the latter, as it has been said (in verse): “Nothing breaks off (one) love except another love: why don't you take a friend (who is) fairer than he?” And when his (the penitent's) heart desires to sin again, it is a sign that he has not experienced the delight of acceptance, and that the delight of acceptance has not superseded the delight of sin, and that he has not (yet) become (like the righteous of whom God saith), “We will surely dispose him to ease,” but that the (sinful) delight (spoken) of (in the text), “We will surely dispose him to hardship,” is still remaining in him.
بود مردی پیش ازین نامش نصوح ** بد ز دلاکی زن او را فتوح
There was aforetime a man named Nasúh: he earned his livelihood by shampooing women.
بود روی او چو رخسار زنان ** مردی خود را همی‌کرد او نهان
His face resembled a female countenance: he was disguising his manliness.
او به حمام زنان دلاک بود ** در دغا و حیله بس چالاک بود 2230
He was a shampooer in the women's bath, and very active in (contriving) fraud and deceit.
سالها می‌کرد دلاکی و کس ** بو نبرد از حال و سر آن هوس
For (many) years he went on shampooing, and no one suspected the (real) nature and secret of his fondness (for that employment).
زانک آواز و رخش زن‌وار بود ** لیک شهوت کامل و بیدار بود
(’Twas) because, (though) his voice and countenance were woman-like, yet his lust was at full strength and wide-awake.
چادر و سربند پوشیده و نقاب ** مرد شهوانی و در غره‌ی شباب
He wore the chádar and snood and veil, (but he was) a man lustful and in the prime of youth.
دختران خسروان را زین طریق ** خوش همی‌مالید و می‌شست آن عشیق
In this fashion that enamoured man was massaging and washing the daughters of emperors,
توبه‌ها می‌کرد و پا در می‌کشید ** نفس کافر توبه‌اش را می‌درید 2235
(And though) he often resolved on repentance and was turning his back (on sin), the miscreant carnal soul would always tear his repentance to pieces.
رفت پیش عارفی آن زشت‌کار ** گفت ما را در دعایی یاد دار
That evil-doer (Nasúh) went to a gnostic and said, “Remember me in a prayer.”
سر او دانست آن آزادمرد ** لیک چون حلم خدا پیدا نکرد
The holy man knew his secret but, (acting) like the forbearance of God, he did not divulge it;
بر لبش قفلست و در دل رازها ** لب خموش و دل پر از آوازها
(For) on his (the gnostic's) lips is a lock, while his heart is full of mysteries: his lips are silent, though his heart is filled with voices.
عارفان که جام حق نوشیده‌اند ** رازها دانسته و پوشیده‌اند
Gnostics, who have drunk of the cup of God, have known the mysteries and kept them hidden.
هر کرا اسرار کار آموختند ** مهر کردند و دهانش دوختند 2240
Whosoever has been taught the mysteries of the (Divine) action, his lips are sealed and closed.