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again, it is a sign that he has not experienced the delight of acceptance, and that the delight of acceptance has not superseded the delight of sin, and that he has not (yet) become (like the righteous of whom God saith), “We will surely dispose him to ease,” but that the (sinful)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
There was aforetime a man named Nasúh: he earned his livelihood by shampooing women.
بود مردی پیش ازین نامش نصوح ** بد ز دلاکی زن او را فتوح
His face resembled a female countenance: he was disguising his manliness.
بود روی او چو رخسار زنان ** مردی خود را همی‌کرد او نهان
He was a shampooer in the women's bath, and very active in (contriving) fraud and deceit.2230
او به حمام زنان دلاک بود ** در دغا و حیله بس چالاک بود
For (many) years he went on shampooing, and no one suspected the (real) nature and secret of his fondness (for that employment).
سالها می‌کرد دلاکی و کس ** بو نبرد از حال و سر آن هوس
(’Twas) because, (though) his voice and countenance were woman-like, yet his lust was at full strength and wide-awake.
زانک آواز و رخش زن‌وار بود ** لیک شهوت کامل و بیدار بود
He wore the chádar and snood and veil, (but he was) a man lustful and in the prime of youth.
چادر و سربند پوشیده و نقاب ** مرد شهوانی و در غره‌ی شباب
In this fashion that enamoured man was massaging and washing the daughters of emperors,
دختران خسروان را زین طریق ** خوش همی‌مالید و می‌شست آن عشیق
(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.2235
توبه‌ها می‌کرد و پا در می‌کشید ** نفس کافر توبه‌اش را می‌درید
That evil-doer (Nasúh) went to a gnostic and said, “Remember me in a prayer.”
رفت پیش عارفی آن زشت‌کار ** گفت ما را در دعایی یاد دار