"True repentance flashes inside and rains tears"

Beware! Don't allow yourself to do
what you know is wrong, relying on the thought,
"Later I will repent and ask God's forgiveness. "
True repentence flashes inside and rains tears.
Such lightning and clouds are needed.
Without the lightning of the heart
and the rain storms of the eyes,
how shall the fire of Divine wrath be calmed?
How shall the greenery grow
and fountains of clear waters pour forth?

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Hin be-posht ân ma-kon jorm o gonâh
keh konam tawbeh dar âyam dar panâh
Mi biyâyad tâb o âbi tawbeh-râ
shart shod barq o sahâbi tawbeh-râ
آtesh o âbi biyâyad miveh-râ
vâjeb âyad abr o barq in shiveh-râ
Tâ na-bâshad barq-e del o abr-e do chashm
kay neshinad âtesh-e tahdid o khashm
Kay be-ruyad sabzeh-ye zawq-e vesâl
kay be-jushad chashm-hâ ze âb-e zolâl

-- Mathnawi II: 1652-1656
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
"Rumi: Daylight"
Threshold Books, 1994
Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyل Monastra

The media:
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"True repentance flashes inside and rains tears"