Poem #435
English Translation
Persian
Speak not to pretenders of the secrets of the wine and Love,
Let them die in self-worship's pain, ignorant of above.
با مدّعی مگویید، اسرارِ عشق و مستی
تا بی‌خبر بمیرد، در دردِ خودپرستی
Become a lover! Or the world will end its fleeting day,
And you'll have missed the Master's plan before you pass away.
عاشق شو اَر نَهْ روزی، کارِ جهان سرآید
ناخوانده نقشِ مقصود، از کارگاهِ هستی
Last night, in the Magians' circle, thus spoke my Idol fair:
'Why deal with infidels, if for the Idol you don't care?'
دوش آن صنم چه خوش گفت، در مجلسِ مُغانَم
«با کافران چه کارت؟ گر بت نمی‌پرستی»
My Sultan, for the love of God, your tresses break my heart!
How long will this dark tyranny play its oppressive part?
سلطانِ من خدا را، زُلفَت شکست ما را
تا کِی کُنَد سیاهی، چندین درازدستی؟
How can I stay in safety's nook, hidden and secure,
When your Narcissus eyes reveal Love's secrets, deep and pure?
در گوشهٔ سلامت، مستور چون توان بود
تا نرگسِ تو با ما، گوید رموزِ مستی
I saw the tumult rising up, I knew it from the start,
When in your pride you turned away and sat from us apart.
آن روز دیده بودم، این فتنه‌ها که برخاست
کز سرکشی، زمانی، با ما نمی‌نشستی
O Hafez, Love will cast you down into the storm's wild deep,
You thought you'd escaped like lightning? 'Twas a dream in sleep.
عشقت، به دستِ طوفان، خواهد سپرد حافظ
چون برق، از این کشاکش، پنداشتی که جستی
Cultural Context
US Interest Rank: 8/10. This poem expresses wisdom and warning. The verse about the idol saying 'what work do you have with the infidels? If you did not worship the idol' in 'the assembly of the Magians' is a powerful statement. The observation that Hafez asks 'until when does blackness do such long-handedness' when 'the tress broke us' is a striking statement. The poem's combination of wisdom and warning makes it very engaging.