مرد رومی کاو کند آهنگری ** رویش ابلق گردد از دود آوری‏

The Greek who does the work of an ironsmith—his face, from gathering smoke, becomes piebald (spotted with black).

پس بداند زود تاثیر گناه ** تا بنالد زود گوید ای اله‏

Therefore he will quickly recognise the effect of sin, so that he will soon lament (and) say, “O God!”

چون کند اصرار و بد پیشه کند ** خاک اندر چشم اندیشه کند

(But) when he persists (in sin) and makes a practice of evil, and puts dust in the eye of meditation,

توبه نندیشد دگر شیرین شود ** بر دلش آن جرم تا بی‏دین شود

He thinks of penitence no more: that sin becomes so sweet to his heart that (in the end) he comes to be without the Faith (he turns infidel).

آن پشیمانی و یا رب رفت از او ** شست بر آیینه زنگ پنج تو 3380

That repenting and (crying) “O Lord!” are gone from him: fivefold rust has settled on the mirror (of his heart).

آهنش را زنگها خوردن گرفت ** گوهرش را زنگ کم کردن گرفت‏

The coats of rust have began to eat his iron (mirror): the rust has begun to lessen its sheen.

چون نویسی کاغذ اسپید بر ** آن نبشته خوانده آید در نظر

When you write upon white paper, that writing may be read at sight.

چون نویسی بر سر بنوشته خط ** فهم ناید خواندنش گردد غلط

When you write script over that which has been (already) written, it is not understood: the reading of it will be erroneous;

کان سیاهی بر سیاهی اوفتاد ** هر دو خط شد کور و معنیی نداد

For that (second) blackness has fallen (been made) upon blackness; (hence) both scripts have become obscure and have given no meaning.

ور سوم باره نویسی بر سرش ** پس سیه کردی چو جان کافرش‏ 3385

And if you write a third time on the top of it, then you make it black as a soul full of wickedness.