Hafez · In the beginning, Your beauty's ray
در ازل پرتو حسنت ز تجلی دم زدعشق پیدا شد و آتش به همه عالم زد
جلوه ای کرد رخت دید ملک عشق نداشتعین آتش شد از این غیرت و بر آدم زد
عقل می خواست کز آن شعله چراغ افروزدبرق غیرت بدرخشید و جهان برهم زد
مدعی خواست که آید به تماشاگه رازدست غیب آمد و بر سینه نامحرم زد
دیگران قرعه قسمت همه بر عیش زدنددل غمدیده ما بود که هم بر غم زد
جان علوی هوس چاه زنخدان تو داشتدست در حلقه آن زلف خم اندر خم زد
حافظ آن روز طربنامه عشق تو نوشتکه قلم بر سر اسباب دل خرم زد
This ghazal speaks of a love older than the world, a fire that reason cannot tame and that refuses to be handled by those who only pretend. What troubles you now may feel like the heavier lot, as if others drew pleasure while you drew grief. Hafez suggests that such a heart is not unlucky but chosen: its sorrow is the measure of its depth. Do not try to reason your way through every feeling, and keep what is precious away from careless eyes. Hold to the curl, coil upon coil; what you love so deeply is not wasted.
In pre-eternity the ray of Your beauty breathed forth in radiance;
love appeared, and set fire to the whole world.
Your face showed itself and saw the angel had no love;
from this jealousy it turned to very fire and struck at Adam.
Reason wished to light its lamp from that flame;
the lightning of jealousy flashed and threw the world into turmoil.
The pretender wished to enter the spectacle of the secret;
the hand of the Unseen came and struck the stranger's breast.
Others cast the lot of their portion all on pleasure;
it was our grief-worn heart that cast it, too, on grief.
The lofty soul longed for the well of your chin;
it laid its hand on the ring of that curl, coil upon coil.
Hafez wrote the joy-book of your love on that day
he drew the pen through every means of a carefree heart.