Hafez · Ghazal 400 · My tall, coquettish one
بالابلند عشوه‌گر نقش‌باز منکوتاه کرد قصه زهد دراز من
دیدی دلا که آخر پیری و زهد و علمبا من چه کرد دیده معشوقه‌باز من؟
می‌ترسم از خرابی ایمان که می‌بردمحراب ابروی تو، حضور نماز من
گفتم به دلق زرق بپوشم نشان عشقغماز بود اشک و عیان کرد راز من
مست است یار و یاد حریفان نمی‌کندذکرش به خیر، ساقی مسکین‌نواز من
یا رب کی آن صبا بوزد کز نسیم آنگردد شمامه کرمش، کارساز من؟
نقشی بر آب می‌زنم از گریه، حالیاتا کی شود قرین حقیقت، مجاز من
بر خود، چو شمع، خنده‌زنان، گریه می‌کنمتا با تو سنگ‌دل چه کند سوز و ساز من؟
زاهد؛ چو از نماز تو کاری نمی‌رودهم مستی شبانه و راز و نیاز من
«حافظ»، ز گریه سوخت بگو حالش ای صبابا شاه دوست‌پرور دشمن‌گداز من
Love has quietly undone your careful plans, and Hafez admits the same: a single glance cut short his long tale of piety, and his tears gave his secret away. If you have been trying to hide what you feel, this ghazal suggests the truth will show itself anyway. Hafez waits, weeping and smiling like a candle, for a breeze that will set things right, and for the day when what he feels in passing becomes something real and lasting. Be honest about your heart, and trust that kindness will find its way.
My tall, coquettish, image-playing one
has cut short the long tale of my piety.
Did you see, heart, what in the end, despite my age, piety and learning,
my beloved-gazing eye has done to me?
I fear for the ruin of my faith, for the prayer-niche
of your eyebrow carries off the presence of my prayer.
I said I would hide the sign of love beneath the cloak of pretence;
but my tears were tale-bearers and revealed my secret.
The friend is drunk and does not remember his companions;
may he be spoken of kindly, my saqi who cares for the poor.
O Lord, when will that breeze blow by whose breath
the scent-ball of his kindness will set my affairs right?
For now I am drawing pictures on water with my weeping,
until my metaphor becomes one with the real.
Like the candle, laughing, I weep over myself,
to see what my burning and enduring will do with you, hard of heart.
Ascetic, since nothing comes of your prayer,
nothing comes either of my night's drunkenness and my pleading.
Hafez has burned away with weeping; O breeze, tell his state
to my king, who cherishes friends and melts enemies.