Hafez · Ghazal 315 · Apart from losing faith and learning
به غیر از آن که بشد دین و دانش از دستمبیا بگو که ز عشقت چه طرف بربستم؟
اگر چه خرمن عمرم غم تو داد به بادبه خاک‌پای عزیزت که عهد نشکستم
چو ذره گرچه حقیرم؛ ببین به دولت عشقکه در هوای رخت چون به مهر پیوستم
بیار باده که عمریست تا من از سر امنبه کنج عافیت از بهر عیش ننشستم
اگر ز مردم هشیاری ای نصیحت‌گوسخن به خاک میفکن؛ چرا که من مستم
چگونه سر ز خجالت برآورم بر دوستکه خدمتی بسزا برنیامد از دستم
بسوخت حافظ و آن یار دلنواز نگفتکه مرهمی بفرستم که خاطرش خستم
You may be asking what all your devotion has gained you, and feel you have given a great deal. Hafez asks the same question, then answers it: love has lifted a mote of dust until it joined the sun. Your faithfulness has not been wasted, even if its reward is not yet plain. Allow yourself some rest and gladness after a long stretch without it, and do not weigh yourself down with shame about what you could not do. Small as you may feel, love makes you large.
Apart from losing my faith and learning from my hand,
come, tell me, what have I gained from loving you?
Though grief for you gave the harvest of my life to the wind,
by the dust of your dear feet, I have not broken my vow.
Though I am small as a mote, see, by the fortune of love,
how in longing for your face I have joined the sun.
Bring wine, for it has been a lifetime since, feeling safe,
I sat in the corner of well-being for the sake of pleasure.
If you are one of the sober people, O counsellor,
do not throw your words into the dust, for I am drunk.
How can I raise my head for shame before the Friend,
when no fitting service has come from my hand?
Hafez burned, and that heart-soothing friend never said,
"Let me send a salve, since I have wounded his heart."