In this poem from Chapter 23 of the Mokhtar Nameh, Attar explores the inherent volatility of the human spiritual condition. The verses acknowledge that a seeker often oscillates between states of obedience and helplessness in the face of sin. The central teaching is a warning against both absolute despair and complacent hope. Instead, the poem advocates for a state of vigilant patience, emphasizing that one's true spiritual standing and the ultimate outcome of their affairs can only be determined at the 'last breath' or the final moment of life.