Hafez · If that Shirazi Turk
اگر آن ترک شیرازی به دست آرد دل ما رابه خال هندویش بخشم سمرقند و بخارا را
بده ساقی می باقی که در جنت نخواهی یافتکنار آب رکن آباد و گلگشت مصلا را
فغان کاین لولیان شوخ شیرین کار شهرآشوبچنان بردند صبر از دل که ترکان خوان یغما را
ز عشق ناتمام ما جمال یار مستغنی استبه آب و رنگ و خال و خط چه حاجت روی زیبا را
من از آن حسن روزافزون که یوسف داشت دانستمکه عشق از پرده عصمت برون آرد زلیخا را
اگر دشنام فرمایی و گر نفرین دعا گویمجواب تلخ می زیبد لب لعل شکرخا را
نصیحت گوش کن جانا که از جان دوست تر دارندجوانان سعادتمند پند پیر دانا را
حدیث از مطرب و می گو و راز دهر کمتر جوکه کس نگشود و نگشاید به حکمت این معما را
غزل گفتی و در سفتی بیا و خوش بخوان حافظکه بر نظم تو افشاند فلک عقد ثریا را
Your heart is ready to give generously, perhaps more than seems sensible, for something or someone you love. Hafez blesses that generosity, but adds two gentle counsels. First, enjoy the beauty that is near at hand, the stream and garden of this life, rather than waiting for some perfect future. Second, do not exhaust yourself trying to solve the riddle of fate; no one has. Listen to wise advice from someone older, answer harshness with kindness, and let your own gifts sing.
If that Turk of Shiraz takes my heart into her hand,
for her dark mole I would give away Samarkand and Bukhara.
Give, saqi, the wine that remains, for in paradise you will not find
the banks of the Roknabad stream or the rose-walks of Mosalla.
Alas, these saucy, sweet-working, city-disturbing Luli girls
have carried patience from the heart as Turks carry off the plunder-feast.
The beauty of the beloved has no need of our imperfect love:
what need has a lovely face of lustre and colour, mole and down?
From that ever-growing beauty Joseph had, I came to know
that love brings Zuleikha out from behind the veil of chastity.
Whether you speak abuse or curse me, I will answer with a blessing:
a bitter reply becomes the ruby lip that tastes of sugar.
Heed advice, my dear, for dearer than life
do fortunate young people hold the counsel of the wise old man.
Speak of the minstrel and wine, and seek less the secret of time,
for no one has solved, nor will solve by wisdom, this riddle.
You have made a ghazal and pierced pearls, Hafez; come, sing it sweetly,
so that the heavens may scatter the Pleiades' necklace over your verse.