Hafez · Whoever keeps faith with God's people
هر آن که جانب اهل خدا نگه داردخداش در همه حال از بلا نگه دارد
حدیث دوست نگویم مگر به حضرت دوستکه آشنا سخن آشنا نگه دارد
دلا معاش چنان کن که گر بلغزد پایفرشته ات به دو دست دعا نگه دارد
گرت هواست که معشوق نگسلد پیماننگاه دار سر رشته تا نگه دارد
صبا بر آن سر زلف ار دل مرا بینیز روی لطف بگویش که جا نگه دارد
چو گفتمش که دلم را نگاه دار چه گفتز دست بنده چه خیزد خدا نگه دارد
سر و زر و دل و جانم فدای آن یاریکه حق صحبت مهر و وفا نگه دارد
غبار راهگذارت کجاست تا حافظبه یادگار نسیم صبا نگه دارد
The word that returns in every line of this ghazal is "keep". Hafez is telling you that what you protect protects you in turn. Care for others, keep confidences, and live so kindly that if you stumble, there will be hands, and prayers, to hold you up. If you fear a bond may break, hold your end of the thread faithfully. Some things lie beyond your power; entrust those to God, as the beloved does in the poem, and let your worry rest.
Whoever keeps watch over the people of God,
God keeps him from misfortune in every state.
I will not speak of the Friend except in the Friend's presence,
for a familiar keeps the familiar's words safe.
O heart, live in such a way that if your foot should slip,
your angel will hold you up with both hands of prayer.
If you wish that the beloved should not break the pact,
keep hold of the end of the thread, so that she keeps it.
O breeze, if you see my heart on the tip of that curl,
tell it, kindly, to keep its place.
When I said to her, "Keep my heart safe," what did she say?
"What can come from a servant's hand? May God keep it."
My head and gold, my heart and soul, are an offering for the friend
who keeps the due of companionship, love and faith.
Where is the dust of your path, so that Hafez
may keep it as a keepsake of the morning breeze?