Hafez · Ghazal 391 · What could be sweeter than wine?
خوش‌تر از فکر می و جام چه خواهد بودن؟تا ببینم که سرانجام چه خواهد بودن
غم دل چند توان خورد؟ که ایام نماندگو نه دل باش و نه ایام چه خواهد بودن؟
مرغ کم‌حوصله را گو غم خود خور که بر اورحم آن کس که نهد دام چه خواهد بودن؟
باده خور غم مخور و پند مقلد منیوشاعتبار سخن عام چه خواهد بودن؟
دست‌رنج تو همان به که شود صرف به کامدانی آخر که به ناکام چه خواهد بودن؟
پیر میخانه همی‌خواند معمایی دوشاز خط جام، که فرجام چه خواهد بودن؟
بردم از ره دل حافظ به دف و چنگ و غزلتا جزای من بدنام چه خواهد بودن
Hafez asks how long anyone can live on worry, when the days themselves do not last. This ghazal invites you to set down the sorrow you have been feeding on and to enjoy what is in front of you. Do not be swayed by the opinions of people who only repeat what they have heard. Let the fruit of your own effort go towards what truly gladdens you rather than holding back. The future is a riddle even the wisest elder cannot read; leave its answer to time, and live this day well.
What could be sweeter than thoughts of wine and the cup?
Let me see what the outcome will be.
How long can one feed on the heart's sorrow? The days do not last;
say: let there be no heart and no days; what will it matter?
Tell the faint-hearted bird to tend its own grief, for towards it
what pity will the one who sets the trap have?
Drink wine, do not grieve, and do not heed the imitator's advice;
what weight does the common talk carry?
Better that the fruit of your labour be spent on your desire;
you know, in the end, what comes of going without.
Last night the elder of the tavern was reading a riddle
from the lines on the cup: what will the end be?
With tambourine and harp and ghazal I led Hafez's heart off the road,
to see what the reward of ill-famed me will be.