There can be no self-restraint when thou hast no desire; when there is no adversary, what need for thy strength?
صبر نبود چون نباشد میل تو ** خصم چون نبود چه حاجت حیل تو
Hark, do not castrate thyself, do not become a monk; for chastity is in pawn to (depends on the existence of) lust.
هین مکن خود را خصی رهبان مشو ** زانک عفت هست شهوت را گرو
Without (the existence of) sensuality ’tis impossible to forbid sensuality: heroism cannot be displayed against the dead.
بی‌هوا نهی از هوا ممکن نبود ** غازیی بر مردگان نتوان نمود
He (God) hath said ‘Spend’: therefore earn something, since there can be no expenditure without an old (previously acquired) income.
انفقوا گفتست پس کسپی بکن ** زانک نبود خرج بی‌دخل کهن
Although He used (the word) Spend absolutely, (yet) read (it as meaning) ‘Earn, then spend.’580
گر چه آورد انفقوا را مطلق او ** تو بخوان که اکسبوا ثم انفقوا
Similarly, since the King (God) has given the command ‘Refrain yourselves,’ there must be some desire from which thou shouldst avert thy face.
هم‌چنان چون شاه فرمود اصبروا ** رغبتی باید کزان تابی تو رو
Hence (the command) ‘Eat ye’ is for the sake of the snare (temptation) of appetite; after that (comes) ‘Do not exceed’: that is temperance.
پس کلوا از بهر دام شهوتست ** بعد از آن لاتسرفوا آن عفتست
When there is no ‘predicate’ (relative quality) in him (any one), the existence of the ‘subject’ (the correlative term) is impossible.
چونک محمول به نبود لدیه ** نیست ممکن بود محمول علیه
When thou hast not the pain of self-restraint, there is no protasis: therefore the apodosis (recompense) does not follow.
چونک رنج صبر نبود مر ترا ** شرط نبود پس فرو ناید جزا
How admirable is that protasis and how joyful is that apodosis (recompense), a recompense that charms the heart and increases the life of the spirit!585
حبذا آن شرط و شادا آن جزا ** آن جزای دل‌نواز جان‌فزا
Explaining that God (Himself) is the reward bestowed by Him for the (devotional) work of the lover.