Persian Poetry. "Poems of Hafez"

1- O Saqi, pass around the bowl 

 and offer the wine

 For Love at first appeared easy,

 but difficulties have occurred

2- By reason of the scent of the musk, 

sabashall display from that fore-lock

     By the twist of its musky curl, 

what blood befell the hearts

3- In the abode of the beloveds, 

what assurance of pleasure have I?

 When every moment,

     The gong sounds, saying: 

pick up your chattels of existence

4- Stain the prayer-matt with wine, 

if you are told by the old Magi’s

     For the holy traveller is not

 without the knowledge of existence

5- The dark night, the fear of the wave, 

and whirlpool so fearful,

     How can the light-burdened of the shore

 know our state?

6- By following my own desires,

 I led myself to ill fame

     How can a secret remain a mystery, 

when it is spoken in assemblies?

 7- Hafez! If you seek the presence of the beloved,

 from it do not be absent

      Once you reach the beloved, 

abandon the world and let it go.

Ghazal 2

1- The rectitude of work where?

 And, I the ruined where?

     Look! The distance of such path,

 from whence to where!

2- My heart is wearied of the Church, 

and of the robe of hypocrisy

     Where is the abode of the Magi?

 The pure wine where?

3- What connection has piety and 

rectitude with profligacy?

      The hearing of the exhortation where?

 The melody of stringed instrument where?

4- From the Friend’s face, 

what does the heart of enemies gain?

     The lifeless lamp, where? 

The candle of the Sun, where?

5- The dust of your threshold is

 like the Kuhl of our vision

     Where do we go from here? 

Order: Hence, where?

6- Look not at the apple of the chin; 

for in the path there is a pit

     O heart! Where do you go

 in such a hurry? Where?

7- It is gone! To the beloved, 

may the time of union be a pleasant memory

     Where is that glance gone?

 And that reproof, where?

8- O friend! From Hafez, 

seek neither ease nor patience

     What ease? What patience?

 Sleep, where?

   

Ghazal 3

1- If that Turk of Shiraz gains our heart

     For its Hindu’s mole, 

I shall give away Samarqand and Bokhara

2- Saqi! Give the remaining of the wine, 

for, in paradise you will not find

     The bank of the water of Ruknabad or

 the rose garden of Musalla

3- Alas! These tumultuary,

 sweet, and witty gypsies,

     Took away the patience from heart in such a way

 as the Turks did to khan-e yaghma 

4- The beauty of the beloved has 

no need for our imperfect love!

     Of colour, mole, tricked line,

 and making up; what need has the lovely face?

5- Of the daily increasing beauty

 that Yusef had, I know

     That love for him would bring

 Zuleikha forth from the veil of chastity

6- You spoke ill of me; and I am happy. 

God most high forgive you as you spoke well

     The bitter reply suits the sweet ruby lip

7- O dear one! Hear the advice,

 for, dearer than the soul

     Take happy youths the 

counsel of the wise old man

8- Speak the tale of minstrel and wine;

 little seek the mystery of time

     For this mystery, 

none solved and shall not solve

9- You uttered ghazal, and threaded pearl,

 O Hafez! Come and sweetly sing

     That, on your versification, 

the sky will wed its stars

Ghazal 4

  

1- O Saba! With kindness 

speak to that beautiful gazelle

     Saying: You have given us desire

 for the mountain and the desert

2- The sugar-seller, 

may his life be long! Why?

     Does he make no inquiry of the welfare

 of the sugar-loving parrot?

3- O rose! Perhaps the pride of your goodness

 has not given you permission

     That you make no inquiry 

as to the distraught state of the nightingale

4- By kindness and good behaviour, 

people of vision one can captivate

     Not by snare and net, 

can they take the wise bird

5- I do not know why the colour of constancy,

 there is not

     Those straight of stature,

dark-eye, Moon-face?

6- When you sit with the beloved; 

and drink wine

      Remember the beloved ones,

 wind-travellers

7- Of defect in your beauty, 

one can not speak to this degree

     That the way of fidelity and love 

belongs not with the lovely-face

8- Wonder not! If in the sky,

 of Hafez’s utterance

      Zuhreh’s singing brings

 to dancing the Masiha

  

Ghazal 5

1- For God’s sake! O pious ones!

 Away from my hand, goes my heart

     O the pain that the hidden

 mystery should be disclosed

2- We are boat-stranded ones!

 O fair breeze! Arise:

     It maybe that, again,

 we may behold the face of the Beloved

3- For the space of ten days, 

the sphere’s favour is magic and sorcery:

    O friend! Regard as booty, 

goodness in friends

4- Last night in the assembly of the rose and of wine,

 the nightingale sweetly sang:

    O Saqi! Give wine:

 O intoxicated ones! Come to life!

5- O generous one! 

In thanks for your own health

     One day, make inquiry of the welfare

 of the destitute Dervish

6- The ease of the two worlds 

is the definition of these two words:

     Kindness, with friends; 

courtesy, with enemies

7- In the street of good name, 

they gave us no admission:

     If you do not approve,

 change our fate

8- The bitter wine, which the Sufi called 

“The mother of iniquities”

     To us, is more pleasant and sweeter 

than the kisses of virgins

9- In the time of poverty,

 strive in pleasure and in intoxication:

    For, this elixir of existence 

turns the beggar to Qarun 

10- Give up arrogance 

in the presence of the Beloved:

       Or you might be consumed like candle!

11- The cup of wine

 is the Alexandra’s mirror. Behold,

       For it may reveal to you

 the state of Dara’s  kingdom

12- Life-givers are the lovely ones,

 Persian-prattling

      O Saqi! This news,

 give to the old men of Fars

13- On himself, Hafez did not wear

 this patched, wine-stained garment

      O Sheikh! Pure-mannered!

 Have us excused

    

 

Poems of Life & Death

Life & Death

{

look at love

how it tangles

with the one fallen in love

look at spirit

how it fuses with earth

giving it new life

why are you so busy

with this or that or good or bad

pay attention to how things blend

why talk about all

the known and the unknown

see how the unknown merges into the known

why think seperately

of this life and the next

when one is born from the last

look at your heart and tongue

one feels but deaf and dumb

the other speaks in words and signs

look at water and fire

earth and wind

enemies and friends all at once

the wolf and the lamb

the lion and the deer

far away yet together

look at the unity of this

spring and winter

manifested in the equinox

you too must mingle my friends

since the earth and the sky

are mingled just for you and me

be like sugarcane

sweet yet silent

don't get mixed up with bitter words

my beloved grows

right out of my own heart

how much more union can there be

{

come on sweetheart

let's adore one another

before there is no more

of you and me

a mirror tells the truth

look at your grim face

brighten up and cast away

your bitter smile

a generous friend

gives life for a friend

let's rise above this

animalistic behavior

and be kind to one another

spite darkens friendships

why not cast away

malice from our heart

once you think of me

dead and gone

you will make up with me

you will miss me

you may even adore me

why be a worshiper of the dead

think of me as a goner

come and make up now

since you will come

and throw kisses

at my tombstone later

why not give them to me now

this is me

that same person

i may talk too much

but my heart is silence

what else can i do

i am condemned to live this life

{

i've come again

like a new year

to crash the gate

of this old prison

i've come again

to break the teeth and claws

of this man-eating

monster we call life

i've come again

to puncture the

glory of the cosmos

who mercilessly

destroys humans

i am the falcon

hunting down the birds

of black omen

before their flights

i gave my word

at the outset to

give my life

with no qualms

i pray to the Lord

to break my back

before i break my word

how do you dare to

let someone like me

intoxicated with love

enter your house

you must know better

if i enter

i'll break all this and

destroy all that

if the sheriff arrives

i'll throw the wine

in his face

if your gatekeeper

pulls my hand

i'll break his arm

if the heavens don't go round

to my heart's desire

i'll crush its wheels and

pull out its roots

you have set up

a colorful table

calling it life and

asked me to your feast

but punish me if

i enjoy myself

what tyranny is this

{

you mustn't be afraid of death

you're a deathless soul

you can't be kept in a dark grave

you're filled with God's glow

be happy with your beloved

you can't find any better

the world will shimmer

because of the diamond you hold

when your heart is immersed

in this blissful love

you can easily endure

any bitter face around

in the absence of malice

there is nothing but

happiness and good times

don't dwell in sorrow my friend

Translated by Nader Khalili "Rumi, Fountain of Fire"

Cal-Earth Press, 1994

{

Remember me.

I will be with you in the grave

on the night you leave behind 

your shop and your family.

When you hear my soft voice 

echoing in your tomb, 

you will realize

that you were never hidden from my eyes.

I am the pure awareness within your heart,

with you during joy and celebration, 

suffering and despair.

On that strange and fateful night 

you will hear a familar voice -- 

you'll be rescued from the fangs of snakes 

and the searing sting of scorpions.

The euphoria of love will sweep over your grave;

it will bring wine and friends, candles and food.

When the light of realization dawns, 

shouting and upheaval 

will rise up from the graves! 

The dust of ages will be stirred 

by the cities of ecstasy, 

by the banging of drums, 

by the clamor of revolt!

Dead bodies will tear off their shrouds 

and stuff their ears in fright--

What use are the senses and the ears 

before the blast of that Trumpet?

Look and you will see my form 

whether you are looking at yourself 

or toward that noise and confusion.

Don't be blurry-eyed,

See me clearly-

See my beauty without the old eyes of delusion.

Beware! Beware!

Don't mistake me for this human form. 

The soul is not obscured by forms.

Even if it were wrapped in a hundred folds of felt 

the rays of the soul's light 

would still shine through.

Beat the drum,

Follow the minstrels of the city.

It's a day of renewal

when every young man

walks boldly on the path of love.

Had everyone sought God

Instead of crumbs and copper coins

T'hey would not be sitting on the edge of the moat

in darkness and regret.

What kind of gossip-house

have you opened in our city?

Close your lips

and shine on the world 

like loving sunlight.

Shine like the Sun of Tabriz rising in the East.

Shine like the star of victory.

Shine like the whole universe is yours!

translated by Jonathan Star 

"Rumi - In the Arms of the Beloved" 

{

HOW SHOULD THE SOUL not take wings

when from the Glory of God

It hears a sweet, kindly call:

"Why are you here, soul? Arise!"

How should a fish not leap fast

into the sea from dry land

When from the ocean so cool

the sound of the waves reaches its

How should the falcon not fly

back to his king from the hunt

When from the falconer's drum

it hears to call: "Oh, come back"?

Why should not every Sufi

begin to dance atom-like

Around the Sun of duration

that saves from impermanence?

What graciousness and what beauty?

What life-bestowing! What grace!

If anyone does without that, woe-

what err, what suffering!

Oh fly , of fly, O my soul-bird,

fly to your primordial home!

You have escaped from the cage now-

your wings are spread in the air.

Oh travel from brackish water

now to the fountain of life!

Return from the place of the sandals

now to the high seat of souls!

Go on! Go on! we are going,

and we are coming, O soul, 

From this world of separation

to union, a world beyond worlds!

How long shall we here in the dust-world

like children fill our skirts

With earth and with stones without value,

with broken shards without worth?

Let's take our hand from the dust grove,

let's fly to the heavens' high,

Let's fly from our childish behaviour

and join the banquet of men!

Call out, O soul, to proclaim now

that you are rules and king!

You have the grace of the answer,

you know the question as well!

{

HE SAID: "Who's knocking at my door?"

Said I: "Your humble servant!"

Said He: "What business have you got?"

Said I: "I came to greet You!"

Said He: "How long are you to push?"

Said I: "Until You'll call me!"

Said He: "How long are you to boil?"

Said I: "Till resurrection!"

I claimed I was a lover true

and I took may oaths

That for the sake of love I lost

my kingdom and my wealth!

He said: "You make a claim - the judge

needs witness for your cause!"

Said I: "My witness is my tears,

my proof my yellow face!"

Said He: "The witness is corrupt,

your eye is wet and ill!"

Said I: "No, by Your eminence:

My eye is sinless clear!"

He said: "And what do you intend?"

Said I: "Just faithful friendships!"

Said He: "What do you want from me?"

Said I: "Your grace abundant!"

Said He: "Who travelled here with you?"

Said I: "Your dream and phantom!"

Said He: "And what led you to me?"

Said I: "Your goblet's fragrance!"

Said He: "What is most pleasant, say?"

Said I: "The ruler's presence!"

Said He: "What did you see there, friend?"

Said I: "A hundred wonders!"

Said He: "Why is it empty now?"

Said I: "From fear of brigands!"

Said He: "The brigand, who is that?"

Said I: "IT is the blaming!"

Said He: "And where is safety then?"

Said: "In renunciation."

Said He: "Renunciation? That's ... ?"

Said I: "The path to safety!"

Said He: "And where is danger, then?"

Said I: "In Your love's quarters!"

Said He: "And how do you fare there?"

Said I: "Steadfast and happy."

I tested you and tested you,

but it availed to nothing -

Who tests the one who was once tried,

he will repent forever!

Be silent! If I'd utter here

the secrets fine he told me,

You would go out all of yourself,

no door nor roof could hold you!

{

OH HAPPY DAY when in you presence,

my ruler, I shall die!

When near the sugar-treasure melting

like sugar I shall die!

Out of my dust will grow a thousand

of centrifolias

When in the shade of yonder cypress

in gardens I shall die.

And when you pour into my goblet

the bitter drink of death,

I'll kiss the goblet full of joy, dear,

and drunken I shall die.

I may turn yellow like the autumn

when people speak of death,

Thanks to your smiling lip: like springtime

and smiling shall I die.

I have died many times, but your breath 

made me alive again,

Should I die thus a hundred more times

I happily shall die!

A child that dies in mother's bosom,

that's how I am, my friend,

For in the bosom of His Mercy

and kindness, I shall die.

Say: Where would death be for the lovers?

Impossible is that!

For in the fountain of the Water

of Life - there I shall die!

translated by Annemarie Schimmel, 'Look! This is Love'

{

WHY CLING

Why cling to one life

till it is soiled and ragged?

The sun dies and dies

squandering a hundred lived

every instant

God has decreed life for you

and He will give 

another and another and another

(translated by Daniel Liebert)

Mathnawi V. 411-414 (translated by Kabir Helminski)

The Rumi Collection, Edited by Kabir Helminski

{

At the twilight, a moon appeared in the sky;

Then it landed on earth to look at me.

Like a hawk stealing a bird at the time of prey;

That moon stole me and rushed back into the sky.

I looked at myself, I did not see me anymore;

For in that moon, my body turned as fine as soul.

The nine spheres disappeared in that moon;

The ship of my existence drowned in that sea.

Divan, 649:1-3,5

{

Now sleeping, now awake, my hart is in constant fervor.

It is a covered saucepan, placed on fire.

O you! who have offered us from a cup a silencing wine;

Each moment a new tale is shouting to be told in silence.

In his wrath there are a hundred kindnesess, in his meanness a hundred generosities;

In his ignorance immeasurable gnosis, silently speaking like the mind.

The words of those whom you have silenced, cannot hear

but those whom you have made unconscious;

I am both silent and fermenting for you like the sea of Aden!

Divan, 1808:6-9

Translated by Fatemeh Keshavarz, 

'Reading Mystical Lyric: The Case of Jalal al-Din Rumi

University of South Carolina Press, 1998.