Gyric poems of Ha'fez

[Asalbanoo]

With clear wine, a wise one washed his behind
Early morning in tavern, who had homage on his mind.
When the golden cup of sun, descended from the skies
Curve of the new moon, of the curved cup would remind.
Happy is the one whose prayers and needs stem from his pain
With tears of his eyes and blood of his veins, cleans his behind.
The head priest leading prayers should be the one
Whose shrinking gown, blood of the daughter of vine defined.
My heart bought upheavals for the locks of that flowing hair
I know not that in this trade, what profit it could ever find.
If the head priest asks for me and my kind
Tell him Hafiz, with wine, is baptizing his behind

[Asalbanoo]

Dervish laid a trap with slight of hands and trick of the eyes
With the help of this trickster merry-go-round mystifies.
Tricks of his fate will keep the rabbit in his hat
How can you trick those whom to secrets are wise?
Come hither wine-bearer, the Sufi's beautiful lover
Came with full grace, and evaded their many, many tries.
O minstrel, with what tune was inspired to head for Iraq
Longingly sang to return to the Arabian Hejaz?
Come O heart, let's commend ourselves unto the Lord
Keep from rolled up sleeve that outstretched arm belies.
Undeceived, whoever lost himself in compassion
In the Spirit of Love, his soul upward flies.
In the court of the Truth, at the time of our demise
Shame on he, who permissible never defies.
Where to now, O proud partridge, halt and pause
Your delusions, prayers of the pious cat, never ever identifies.
Hafiz, mad Dervishes upon the path, don't criticize
Freedom from false piety for eternity is our prize.

[Asalbanoo]

O heart, the pain of love burned once again
Beloved departed and drove the lover insane.
O flowers, you played your magic tricks
Alas that the drunk the sober shall reign.
My tears were my friends, since Beloved stayed away
My unkind fate from helping would refrain.
At dawn Beloved's house's bright glow
The lover's wounded heart would strain and pain.
O bearer give me a cup, since the hidden hand that writes
Has plans, access to which nobody can gain.
The artist of firmaments, earth and spheres
Nobody knows what plans it would feign.
Burning love, Hafiz's heart would entertain
Beloved from old times this poor lover has slain.

[Asalbanoo]

O friends, repented from drunkenness, daughter of vine
Began enforcing the law, became a preacher of divine.
From beyond entered our midst, let her now rest
And protests of others for separation decline.
Bring good news O heart, for the musician of love
Played in drunkenness, and found a cure for this wine.
Neither wash away its color, nor with a hundred fires burn
The stain of that wine which is the mystic’s gown’s design.
The flower of union with the breath of life bloomed
And the singing bird of joy, to the petal sang a joyous line.
In the face of jealousy, with humbleness yourself refine
Honor and wealth, desire, creed, with pride your head align.

[Asalbanoo]

For years my heart was in search of the Grail
What was inside me, it searched for, on the trail

That pearl that transcends time and place
Sought of divers whom oceans sail

My quest to the Magi my path trace
One glance solved the riddles that I Braille

Found him wine in hand and happy face
In the mirror of his cup would watch a hundred detail

I asked, "when did God give you this Holy Grail?"
Said, "on the day He hammered the world’s first nail!"

Even the unbeliever had the support of God
Though he could not see, God’s name would always hail.

All the tricks of the mind would make God seem like fraud
Yet the Golden Calf beside Moses’ rod would just pale.

And the one put on the cross by his race
His crime, secrets of God would unveil

Anyone who is touched by God’s grace
Can do what Christ did, without fail.

And what of this curly lock that’s my jail
Said this is for Hafiz to tell his tale

[Asalbanoo]

The radiance of your goodness manifested in eternity
Love appeared and set fire to the mountain, earth and sea
Your face radiated, and still saw angels were loveless
Setting this fire on man, was then your zealous decree
Mind wanted to turn this fire to its own guiding light
You set the world in chaos with your ardent, radiant glee
False seeker sought to witness the secrets of the world
Hidden hand came and kept away his undeserving plea
To others fate brought a lot, filled with pleasure and joy
My sad heart's lot was to be saddened on its knee
My sublime soul was longing for a glimpse of your face
My hand running through the locks of your hair lovingly
Hafiz wrote his love poems only on the day that he
Let the pen write from the heart that is joyous and free.

[Asalbanoo]

Morning breeze, its fragrance will exhale
The old world will once again youthfully sail.
Tulip will bring a red cup to the meadows
Narcissus' eyes from poppy will grow pale.
When would nightingale put up with such abuse
In the chamber of the rose cry and wail.
I traded the temple for the tavern, fault me not
Prayer is long and stale, time is frail.
Leave not joy of the now till the morrow
Who can vouch that the morrow, the now shall trail?
Month of Sha'aban put not down the jug of wine
Till the end of Ramadan you'll miss this Holy Grail.
Hold dear all the flowers and commune
Came to be and will whither with a breeze or a gale.
This feast is for friends, O minstrel, play and sing
Sing again, it came thus and went thus, to what avail?
Hafiz, for your sake, entered this tale
Walk with him, say farewell, he'll tear the veil.

[Asalbanoo]

I see no friends around, whatever happened to every friend?
I see no-one I love, when did come to an end?
Water of life has turned dark, where is glorious Elias?
Flowers are all bleeding, whence the breeze which branches bend?
Nobody says that a friend has got the right to befriend
What has come of loyalty? Whatever happened to every friend?
For years no gem has been dug from the mine of loyalty
What happened to sunshine? And what about wind and rain’s trend?
This was the home of the Kings, and the land of the Kind-hearted
When did kindness end, and since when Kings pretend?
The ball of compassion and joy is now inside the field
Why is it that in this game still no players will attend?
Thousands of flowers are in full bloom, yet not a song
What happened to nightingales? Where did those thousands descend?
Venus is not making music any more, did all her instruments burn?
Nobody is in the mood, to whom do the wine-sellers tend?
Hafiz, secrets divine nobody knows, stay silent
Whom do you ask, why isn’t our turning fate now on the mend?

[Asalbanoo]

From now on, that tall spruce has my command
Whose graceful stature uprooted me from the land.
I wish not for song and wine, unveil your face
Cause your beauty my passion's fire has fanned.
No face can be the mirror of bridal chamber of Fate
Except one upon which stallion hooves stand.
I spoke of my secrets, said just be with your sorrows
My patience has run out, do you hear what I demand?
O hunter, leave my deer and let it live
Be ashamed of its eyes, with that rope in your hand.
My earthly life is feeble, weak, impotent
How can I kiss those lips, majestic, grand?
Hafiz, let your heart be tied by a hair strand
Madmen better remain in chain and band.

[Asalbanoo]

O wine-bearer brighten my cup with the wine
O minstrel say good fortune is now mine.
The face of my Beloved is reflected in my cup
Little you know why with wine, I always myself align.
Eternal is the one whose heart has awakened to Love
This is how Eternal Records my life define.
So proud are the tall beauties of the world
Outshines all the others this handsome spruce of mine.
O breeze if by chance you pass through friendly gardens
From me to my Beloved, please give a sign;
Ask why you choose to forget my name?
Will come the one to whom an audience you decline.
Intoxication pleases my Beloved and my Lord
To the wine, they would assign, my life's design.
What if on Judgment Day, no favor would be gained
From eating bread and leaving a forbidden water so fine?
Hafiz, let a tear drop or two leave your eyes,
May we ensnare the Bird of Union, divine.
The sea of the skies and the gondola of the moon
With the grace of the Master, radiantly shine.