Hafez · Ghazal 236 · If that holy bird returns
اگر آن طایر قدسی ز درم بازآیدعمر بگذشته به پیرانه سرم بازآید
دارم امید بر این اشک چو باران که دگربرق دولت که برفت از نظرم بازآید
آن که تاج سر من خاک کف پایش بوداز خدا می‌طلبم تا به سرم بازآید
خواهم اندر عقبش رفت به یاران عزیزشخصم ار بازنیاید خبرم بازآید
گر نثار قدم یار گرامی نکنمگوهر جان به چه کار دگرم بازآید؟
کوس نو دولتی از بام سعادت بزنمگر ببینم که مه نوسفرم بازآید
مانعش غلغل چنگ است و شکرخواب صبوحور نه گر بشنود آه سحرم بازآید
آرزومند رخ شاه چو ماهم حافظهمتی تا به سلامت ز درم بازآید
This ghazal is a prayer for reunion. Something precious, a person, a hope, a sense of your own youth and vigour, may seem to have flown away, and you long for the holy bird to come back to your door. Hafez believes it can. Tears are like rain, he says, and rain is followed by the flash of fortune's lightning. Whoever has not returned may simply be delayed, not lost. Keep your love generous and your prayer quiet and sincere. When the new moon reappears, you will have reason to celebrate.
If that holy bird comes back to my door,
my lost life will come back to me in my old age.
With these tears like rain, I have hope that once more
the lightning of fortune that vanished from my sight will return.
She the dust of whose feet was the crown on my head,
I pray to God that she may come back to me.
I will go after her to the dear friends;
if I myself do not come back, news of me will.
If I do not scatter the jewel of my soul before the precious friend's feet,
for what other use would it come back to me?
I will beat the drum of new fortune from the roof of happiness
if I see my new moon, my traveller, come back.
What keeps her is the harp's sound and the sweet sleep after morning wine;
otherwise, if she heard my sigh at dawn, she would return.
Hafez, I long for the face of the moonlike king;
pray that he may come back safely through my door.