For eight years I did not inquire after thee at all, because I saw thee (to be) full of ignorance, fold on fold.
هشت سالت زان نپرسیدم به هیچ ** که پرت دیدم ز جهل پیچ پیچ
Why, indeed, should I inquire after one who is in t he bath-stove (of lust), and say (to him) ‘How art thou?’ when he is (plunged) headlong (in sensuality)?
خود چه پرسم آنک او باشد بتون ** که تو چونی چون بود او سرنگون
Comparison of this world to a bath-stove and of piety to the bath.
مثال دنیا چون گولخن و تقوی چون حمام
The lust of this world is like the bath-stove by which the bath, piety, is (made) resplendent;
شهوت دنیا مثال گلخنست ** که ازو حمام تقوی روشنست
But the pious man's portion from this stove is (naught but) purity, because he is in the hot-bath and in cleanliness.
لیک قسم متقی زین تون صفاست ** زانک در گرمابه است و در نقاست
The rich resemble those who carry dung for the bath-keeper's fire-making.240
اغنیا ماننده‌ی سرگین‌کشان ** بهر آتش کردن گرمابه‌بان
God hath implanted cupidity in them, in order that the bath may be hot and well-provided.
اندریشان حرص بنهاده خدا ** تا بود گرمابه گرم و با نوا
Abandon this stove and advance into the hot-bath: know that abandonment of the stove is the very essence of that bath.
ترک این تون گوی و در گرمابه ران ** ترک تون را عین آن گرمابه دان
Any one who is in the stove is as a servant to him that is self-denying and on his guard.
هر که در تونست او چون خادمست ** مر ورا که صابرست و حازمست
Whosoever has entered the bath, his (characteristic) sign is visible upon his comely face.
هر که در حمام شد سیمای او ** هست پیدا بر رخ زیبای او
The signs of the stokers are conspicuous too—in their dress and in the smoke and dust (which blacken them).245
تونیان را نیز سیما آشکار ** از لباس و از دخان و از غبار
And if you see not his (the stoker's) face, smell him; smell is (as) a staff for every one that is blind;
ور نبینی روش بویش را بگیر ** بو عصا آمد برای هر ضریر
And if you have not (the sense of) smell, induce him to speak, and from the new talk learn the old secret.
ور نداری بو در آرش در سخن ** از حدیث نو بدان راز کهن
Then a gold-possessing stoker will say, “I have brought in twenty baskets of filth, (working from dawn) till nightfall.”
پس بگوید تونیی صاحب ذهب ** بیست سله چرک بردم تا به شب
Your cupidity is like fire in the (material) world: every (flaming) tongue (thereof) has opened a hundred mouths (to swallow filthy lucre).
حرص تو چون آتشست اندر جهان ** باز کرده هر زبانه صد دهان
In the sight of Reason, this gold is foul as dung, although, like dung, it is (the cause of) the blazing of the fire.250
پیش عقل این زر چو سرگین ناخوشست ** گرچه چون سرگین فروغ آتشست
The sun, which emulates the fire, makes the moist filth fit for the fire.
آفتابی که دم از آتش زند ** چرک تر را لایق آتش کند
The sun also made the stone gold, in order that a hundred sparks might fall into the stove of cupidity.
آفتاب آن سنگ را هم کرد زر ** تا بتون حرص افتد صد شرر
He who says, “I have collected riches”—what is (the meaning of) it? It means, “I have brought in all this filth.”