Rumi's Masnavi - And (when) that season of youth, like a garden green and fresh, is bringing (to ripeness) produce and fruit without any stint;

And (when) that season of youth, like a garden green and fresh, is bringing (to ripeness) produce and fruit without any stint;

و آن جوانی همچو باغ سبز و تر ** می‏رساند بی‏دریغی بار و بر

(When) the fountains of strength and lust (are) flowing, (so that) thereby the soil of the body is made verdant;

چشمه‏های قوت و شهوت روان ** سبز می‏گردد زمین تن بدان‏

(When he is still like) a well-kept house, with its roof very lofty, its sides (walls) symmetrical, without buttressing and clamps—

خانه‏ی معمور و سقفش بس بلند ** معتدل ارکان و بی‏تخلیط و بند

Ere the days of eld arrive and bind your neck with a halter of palm-fibres; 1220

پیش از آن که ایام پیری در رسد ** گردنت بندد به حبل من مسد

(Ere) the soil becomes nitrous (barren), crumbling, and poor —never did good herbage grow from nitrous soil;

خاک شوره گردد و ریزان و سست ** هرگز از شوره نبات خوش نرست‏

(When) the water of strength and the water of lust (is) cut off, and he has no profit from himself or others:

آب زور و آب شهوت منقطع ** او ز خویش و دیگران نامنتفع‏

The eyebrows fallen down like a crupper-strap; the eyes grown moist and dim;

ابروان چون پالدم زیر آمده ** چشم را نم آمده تاری شده‏

The face, from wrinkling, like the back of a lizard; speech and taste and teeth gone out of use;

از تشنج رو چو پشت سوسمار ** رفته نطق و طعم و دندانها ز کار

The day late, the ass lame, and the way long; the shop ruined and the business in disorder; 1225

روز بی‏گه لاشه لنگ و ره دراز ** کارگه ویران عمل رفته ز ساز

The roots of bad habit firmly set, and the power to tear them up decreased.

بیخهای خوی بد محکم شده ** قوت بر کندن آن کم شده‏

How the Governor commanded a certain man, saying, “Root up the thorn bush which you have planted on the road.”

فرمودن والی آن مرد را که این خار بن را که نشانده‏ای بر سر راه بر کن