Let us pass along the tavern street

بگذار تا ز شارع میخانه بگذریم

Let us pass along the tavern street,

کز بهر جرعه‌ای همه محتاج این دریم

for we all have need of this door for a single sip.

روز نخست چون دم رندی زدیم و عشق

On the first day, when we spoke of rendi and of love,

شرط آن بود که جز ره آن شیوه نسپریم

the condition was that we would walk no road but that way.

جایی که تخت و مسند جم می‌رود به باد

Where the throne and seat of Jamshid are swept away by the wind,

گر غم خوریم خوش نبود به که می خوریم

it is not good to drink sorrow; better that we drink wine.

تا بو که دست در کمر او توان زدن

In hope that one day a hand might reach around his waist,

در خون دل نشسته چو یاقوت احمریم

we sit in the heart's blood like the red ruby.

واعظ مکن نصیحت شوریدگان که ما

Preacher, do not counsel the love-crazed, for we,

با خاک کوی دوست به فردوس ننگریم

with the dust of the friend's street, do not even look at paradise.

چون صوفیان به حالت و رقصند مقتدا

Since the Sufis are the leaders in rapture and dance,

ما نیز هم به شعبده دستی برآوریم

we too will raise our hands in a conjuror's trick.

از جرعه تو خاک زمین در و لعل یافت

From your draught the dust of the earth found pearls and rubies;

بیچاره ما که پیش تو از خاک کمتریم

poor us, who are less than dust before you.

حافظ چو ره به کنگره کاخ وصل نیست

Hafez, since there is no way to the battlements of union's palace,

با خاک آستانه این در به سر بریم

let us live out our days with the dust of this threshold.