- If that smoke should beat upon a new pot, the traces of it would show, though it were (only as much as) a barley-corn,
- گر زند آن دود بر دیگ نوی ** آن اثر بنماید ار باشد جوی
- Because everything is made manifest by (its) contrary: upon a white object the black becomes conspicuous;
- ز انکه هر چیزی به ضد پیدا شود ** بر سپیدی آن سیه رسوا شود
- (But) when the pot has been blackened, then after this who will at once perceive the effect of the smoke upon it?
- چون سیه شد دیگ پس تاثیر دود ** بعد از این بروی که بیند زود زود
- The ironsmith who is an Ethiopian—the smoke is of the same colour as his face; 3375
- مرد آهنگر که او زنگی بود ** دود را با روش هم رنگی بود
- The Greek who does the work of an ironsmith—his face, from gathering smoke, becomes piebald (spotted with black).
- مرد رومی کاو کند آهنگری ** رویش ابلق گردد از دود آوری
- Therefore he will quickly recognise the effect of sin, so that he will soon lament (and) say, “O God!”
- پس بداند زود تاثیر گناه ** تا بنالد زود گوید ای اله
- (But) when he persists (in sin) and makes a practice of evil, and puts dust in the eye of meditation,
- چون کند اصرار و بد پیشه کند ** خاک اندر چشم اندیشه کند
- He thinks of penitence no more: that sin becomes so sweet to his heart that (in the end) he comes to be without the Faith (he turns infidel).
- توبه نندیشد دگر شیرین شود ** بر دلش آن جرم تا بیدین شود
- That repenting and (crying) “O Lord!” are gone from him: fivefold rust has settled on the mirror (of his heart). 3380
- آن پشیمانی و یا رب رفت از او ** شست بر آیینه زنگ پنج تو
- The coats of rust have began to eat his iron (mirror): the rust has begun to lessen its sheen.
- آهنش را زنگها خوردن گرفت ** گوهرش را زنگ کم کردن گرفت