Since the world loves the Beloved,. I must Love the world. If Heaven too is in Love, then how can Hafiz be a sinner? Hafiz, your poetry makes Heaven shine,.
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Gates of Wisdom: The Poems of Hafiz page 1 Table of Contents The Life of Hafiz. ..3 How to Read Hafiz. 4 Pass around the cup fair maiden.. .5 If the Shirazi Turk would only grant my heart’s des ire 6 Zephyr, reach my charming gazelle and say. ..7 My heart is going wild.. ..8 Come, fair maiden. .9 Good news, lovely nightingale. 10 Brother believers. ..11 Fair maiden, make bright our cups with wine.. .12 The beauty of your face, my Beloved. ..13 The Friend’s Love sets my heart afire.. .14 Morning Wind, take me to the Friend. .15 Do not look at the Lovers and say ..16 Beloved, I think of you always 17 Uncombed hair, smiling lips and drunkenness.. 18 I swear by all Hafiz’s Truth.. .19 When I long for you, I don’t want wine. ..20 The dark of my eye is your resting place.. ..21 Come now, don’t depend on the house of chance .22 Allah be praised, the tavern door is still open. ..23 The warm wind blows seeds through the air. .24 The rose looks like dark wine. .25 The book of poetry and the cup of wine. .26 I have sworn to always love all beauty. 27 I wish the priest good luck with his morning prayer s.. ..28 My poor heart is the sanctuary of Allah’s Love.. ..29 Warm wind, if you blow through the lands of my Belo ved .30 Enjoy good company, in the garden in spring.. .31 Hey Nightingale .32 The pridefully religious do not know me .33 Love isn’t safe, its a dangerous road.. 34 The nightingale held a rose in its beak .35 Now that the sweet-smelling breeze.. 36 Pious priests.. .37
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Gates of Wisdom: The Poems of Hafiz page 2 Copyright (c) 2007 by Swami Anand Nisarg. All right s reserved. This copyright protects Swami Anand Nis arg’s right to publication of this work. Nonprofit, activ ist, and educational groups may circulate this work (forward it, reprint it, translate it, post it, or reproduce it) for nonprofit uses. Please do not change any part of it without permission.
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Gates of Wisdom: The Poems of Hafiz page 3 The Life of Hafiz Hafiz was born some time around 1320, in Shiraz. At an early age, he demonstrated prodigious ability with poetry, both writing and with memorizi ng. It is said he had memorized the entire Koran, as well as the works of Sufi masters Farid a nd Rumi by the time he was in his teens. At the age of 21, Hafiz was initiated into the Sufi school of Attar. After this, the quality of his poetry had become such that he went from being a po or baker to serving as the court poet of the Shah. However, his controversial writings and teach ings led him to fall out of favour, earning the wrath of both the Shah and the orthodox Muslim cler gy, and in his late fourties Hafiz was forced to flee for his life to Isfahan. Eventually, howeve r, the public demand for his return was such that the Shah pardoned him and he was allowed to return to the city of his birth. At the age of 60, determined to become Awakened, Hafiz drew a circle in the ground and remained within that circle for fourty days. At the end of this time, an d on the fortieth anniversary of his initiation, Hafiz attained Awakening. For the next nine years u ntil his death, Hafiz wrote more than half of his total body of poetic work (these are the poems which are considered to be the true core of his teaching), and taught students of his own as a Sufi Master. When Hafiz died, his enemies in the Muslim clergy r efused to grant him a Muslim burial. But again, the public outcry from the people of Shiraz was so great that the Muslim clergy agreed to undertake a test to see if Allah deemed Hafiz worth y. Hafiz’s poems were divided into two-line couplets, and all of these couplets were put together in a bunch. A young boy was chosen who would draw a si ngle couplet at random, and the Priests and Hafiz’s followers agreed that if the couplet bo re a clear message that demonstrated divine favour, Hafiz would be given a Muslim burial. If no t, he would be buried as a heretic. The couplet that was drawn said: “Neither Hafiz’s body nor his life can deny, For all his mischief, only heaven awaits him” Hafiz was buried in a shrine in Shiraz, where he is still venerated as a Sufi master to this day.
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Gates of Wisdom: The Poems of Hafiz page 4 How to Read Hafiz These poems of Hafiz are my reworking of the poems’ literal translation. In translating literally, much would be lost, as is the case with so much hol y writing. So I go back to Hafiz and write, in English, what his writing was meant to impart in Pe rsian. To those unaccustomed to Sufi teaching, the poems m ight appear to be a “confusing” mixture. This is because they are utilizing the Sufi method of instruction, which is one that works specifically by breaking up usual patterns of thoug ht in order to provoke contemplation, and affect both the conscious and subconscious awarenes s. These teachings have complex layers of thought where one symbol might connect to another i n one way in the literal dimension, and connect in completely different ways at deeper leve ls. In other words, Hafiz’s words aren’t like a paintin g, they’re like a sculpture, they have multiple dimensions and depth. The right way to study Hafiz or other Sufi writings is to first read the poem in its literal form, without trying to analyze it for metaphor. Then rea d it again, looking at each stanza separately, trying to see the message of each stanza. Then read the poem as a whole a third time, trying to tie together the various parts to get a holistic perspe ctive. In the latter two readings, a good mental framework to have while reading, for the sake of analysis, is to imagine you would later have to tea ch or explain these meanings and insights to someone else.
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Gates of Wisdom: The Poems of Hafiz page 6 If the Shirazi Turk would only grant my heart’s des ire If the Shirazi Turk would only grant my heart’s des ire, I’d give up Samarkand and Bukhara for the poorest p art of her. Fair maiden, serve all of the old Wine now, if you wait for paradise you won’t find drinking partners such as these! The heavenly musicians play well, Like plundering Turks, they have plundered all my patience. For my poor love has been rejected by my Beloved, Before my Beloved’s beauty, my talk of “love” is like an insult. My Beloved is as beautiful as Joseph, My Beloved’s Love strong enough to enchant Zulaikha . I long for you, even as your words of rejection still sound in the air; Anything sounds sweet, if your lips say it. Enjoy Wine and Music in every moment, O fortunate young people, heed the advice of Hafiz!
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Gates of Wisdom: The Poems of Hafiz page 7 Zephyr, reach my charming gazelle and say Zephyr, reach my charming gazelle and say: because of you I’ve wandered through hill and deser t, look kindly on my excitement and awe, favour me with your sweet divine lips! You’re so proud of your roselike charm, that you will never think to ask of your nightingal e. Wise birds cannot be caught by tricks or cunning, only by gentle good-tempered Love. Anyone who harps on their beauty and charm Hides a lack of loyalty, friendship, true devotion. When you enjoy drinks with your caring friends, Remember my love, consider my true feeling. There’s no loyalty found in mere appearances. But Hafiz, your sweet sincere songs can move the Angels themselves.
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Gates of Wisdom: The Poems of Hafiz page 8 My heart is going wild My heart is going wild! Help me, o masters! My secret love becomes revealed for all time! We are broken boats, you will not help us wind, move on, perhaps you’ll be more useful to a friend. The love of this world lasts only a few days. It is all fantasy and sentiment. Be good to your friends, while you still have the chance. “how badly I want the morning’s drink”, said the nightingale last evening, while surrounded by sweet flowers. Be grateful for the blessings you have, fortunate man! Help the poor mystic as much as you’re able. There is happiness in heaven and earth, if only two creeds are followed: “Be just to your friend, make peace with your foe”. And if you have never reached the houses of fame an d fortune, Admit that you cannot change what is written. When you feel miserable and self-pitying, Drink wine, and take pleasure, in this way the pauper can find the richest secret. The cup of wine is like the mirror of Alexander, through it he took the kingdom of Darius. Forgive me o well-dressed Priest, It is the will of Allah, if my cloth is smeared wit h wine.
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Gates of Wisdom: The Poems of Hafiz page 9 Come, fair maiden Come, fair maiden! And bring us pure Wine to help us forget the sufferings of time. Help us throw off the cloak of falseness and its wa ys, I don’t care to be respected, though it does no harm to those who are truly wise. The flame of my burning heart has burnt away all poorer hearts with its bright rays of good. My love-crazy heart cries out, saying: “Who can I tell the divine secret to?” I enjoy the divine company of my Beloved, Even though my Beloved has taken away all my peace of mind. The cypress, the flowers, and all work of art, They mean nothing to me, now that my Beloved has given me this gift. O Hafiz, suffer the challenge, and be wise. You are destined to find your home.
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