Poem #257
English Translation
Persian
Show me your face and take my heart away
tell the moth's fire: 'Consume the soul today!'
روی بِنْما و مرا گو که ز جان دل برگیر
پیشِ شمع آتشِ پروانه به جان گو درگیر
Look on my thirsty lip, deny no rain
come to your victim, ease the dying pain.
در لبِ تشنهٔ ما بین و مدار آب دریغ
بر سَرِ کُشتهٔ خویش آی و ز خاکَش برگیر
Abandon not the dervish, poor and old
count tears as silver, and his face as gold.
تَرکِ درویش مگیر ار نَبُوَد سیم و زَرَش
در غَمَت سیمْ شُمار اشک و رُخَش را زر گیر
Play harp and lute! If instruments be mute
my heart's the lute, my love the fire's fruit.
چنگ بِنْواز و بساز ار نَبُوَد عود چه باک؟
آتشم عشق و دلم عود و تَنَم مِجمَر گیر
Come dance in ecstasy, cast off the cloak
or sit apart and bear the heavy yoke.
در سَماع آی و ز سر خرقه برانداز و برقص
ور نه با گوشه رو و خرقهٔ ما در سر گیر
Tear off the wool, drink wine that's pure and bright
spend silver now, embrace the gold of light.
صوف بَرکَش ز سر و بادهٔ صافی دَرکَش
سیم در باز و به زر سیمبَری در بر گیر
If the Friend loves, let all the world be foe
if Fortune smiles, let armies strike the blow.
دوست گو یار شو و هر دو جهان دشمن باش
بخت گو پشت مَکُن، رویِ زمین لشکر گیر
Stay yet a while, O Friend, do not depart
by the stream's lip, bring joy to this sad heart.
میل رفتن مَکُن ای دوست دَمی با ما باش
بر لبِ جوی، طرب جوی و به کف ساغر گیر
Consider me as gone, consumed by fire
my cheek is yellow, burnt by deep desire.
رفته گیر از بَرَم و زآتش و آبِ دل و چشم
گونه‌ام زرد و لبم خشک و کنارم تَر گیر
Hafez, adorn the feast and tell the priest
'Leave the high pulpit, come and join the feast!'
حافظ آراسته کن بزم و بگو واعظ را
که ببین مجلسم و تَرکِ سَرِ منبر گیر
Cultural Context
US Interest Rank: 8/10. This poem contains requests and advice. The verse about not taking 'the leaving of the dervish' even if he doesn't have 'silver and gold' and counting 'tears as silver' and taking 'the face as gold' is a profound statement. The observation that Hafez's 'fire is love' and his 'heart is the lute' and his 'body is the brazier' is a striking image. The poem's combination of requests and wisdom makes it very engaging.
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