Poem #320
English Translation
Persian
Last night with flooding tears I struck at sleep's elusive shore
drawing designs in memory of your down upon the water's floor.
دیشب به سیلِ اشک رَهِ خواب می‌زدم
نقشی به یادِ خَطِّ تو بر آب می‌زدم
Your eyebrow in my view, my cloak burned up in flame
I raised a cup remembering the prayer-niche's holy name.
ابرویِ یار در نظر و خرقه سوخته
جامی به یادِ گوشهٔ محراب می‌زدم
Each thought-bird that took wing from speech's lofty bough
I plucked it back with your dark tresses as my prow.
هر مرغِ فکر کز سرِ شاخِ سخن بِجَست
بازش ز طُرِّهٔ تو به مِضراب می‌زدم
Your Beloved's face appeared before my longing sight
And from afar I kissed the cheek of silver moonlight.
رویِ نگار در نظرم جلوه می‌نمود
وز دور بوسه بر رخِ مهتاب می‌زدم
My eye on the Cupbearer's face, my ear to the harp's sweet sound
I struck an omen with these senses, where joy and wine abound.
چشمم به رویِ ساقی و گوشم به قولِ چنگ
فالی به چشم و گوش در این باب می‌زدم
Your face's image I impressed until the break of dawn
upon my sleepless eye's dark workshop, drawn and drawn.
نقشِ خیالِ رویِ تو تا وقتِ صبحدم
بر کارگاهِ دیدهٔ بی‌خواب می‌زدم
The Cupbearer filled cups to my ghazal's sweet refrain
I sang this song and struck pure wine again, again.
ساقی به صوتِ این غزلم کاسه می‌گرفت
می‌گفتم این سرود و مِیِ ناب می‌زدم
Sweet was Hafez's time, with omens of desire's bloom
I struck them for long life and fortune for dear friends in that room.
خوش بود وقتِ حافظ و فالِ مراد و کام
بر نامِ عمر و دولتِ احباب می‌زدم
Cultural Context
US Interest Rank: 8/10. This poem contains beautiful imagery of a night of longing. The verse about striking 'a design to the memory of your line on water' with 'the flood of tears' is a striking image. The observation that Hafez was striking 'the design of the image of your face on the workshop of the sleepless eye until dawn' is a powerful statement. The poem's combination of imagery and emotional expression makes it very engaging.