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,
پس چنان کن فعل که آن خود بی‌زبان ** باشد اشهد گفتن و عین بیان
So that your whole body, limb by limb, O son, will have said “I testify” as regards both good and ill.
تا همه تن عضو عضوت ای پسر ** گفته باشد اشهد اندر نفع و ضر
The slave's walking behind his master is a testimony (equivalent to saying), “I am subject to authority and this man is my lord.”2220
رفتن بنده پی خواجه گواست ** که منم محکوم و این مولای ماست
If you have blackened the scroll (record) of your life, repent of the deeds you did formerly.
گر سیه کردی تو نامه‌ی عمر خویش ** توبه کن زانها که کردستی تو پیش
Though your life has (almost) passed, this (present) moment is its root: water it with repentance if it lacks moisture.
عمر اگر بگذشت بیخش این دمست ** آب توبه‌ش ده اگر او بی‌نمست
Give the Living Water to the root of your life, in order that the tree of your life may become verdant.
بیخ عمرت را بده آب حیات ** تا درخت عمر گردد با نبات
By this (Water) all past (sins) are made good: by this (Water) last year's poison is made (sweet) as sugar.
God hath changed your evil deeds (to good), in order that what has preceded may become wholly (acts of) piety.2225
سیاتت را مبدل کرد حق ** تا همه طاعت شود آن ما سبق
O master, cleave bravely to a repentance (like that) of Nasúh: strive earnestly both with body and spirit.
خواجه بر توبه‌ی نصوحی خوش به تن ** کوششی کن هم به جان و هم به تن
Hear from me the description of this repentance of Nasúh: (if) you have believed (in it before), (yet now) believe afresh.
شرح این توبه‌ی نصوح از من شنو ** بگرویدستی و لیک از نو گرو
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again, it is a sign that he has not experienced the delight of acceptance, and that the delight of acceptance has not superseded the delight of sin, and that he has not (yet) become (like the righteous of whom God saith), “We will surely dispose him to ease,” but that the (sinful)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.
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