Ghazal 1

O beautiful wine-bearer, bring forth the cup and put it to my lips

Path of love seemed easy at first, what came was many hardships.

With its perfume, the morning breeze unlocks those beautiful locks

The curl of those dark ringlets, many hearts to shreds strips.

In the house of my Beloved, how can I enjoy the feast

Since the church bells call the call that for pilgrimage equips.

With wine color your robe, one of the old Magi’s best tips

Trust in this traveler’s tips, who knows of many paths and trips.

The dark midnight, fearful waves, and the tempestuous whirlpool

How can he know of our state, while ports house his unladen ships.

I followed my own path of love, and now I am in bad repute

How can a secret remain veiled, if from every tongue it drips?

If His presence you seek, Hafiz, then why yourself eclipse?

Stick to the One you know, let go of imaginary trips.



Ghazal 2

I pine away. Sages, plead with God for my woe

Alas, my secret pain, the world is soon to know

Our bark has stranded; O gentle breeze, arise!

That we may visit the friend we so dearly prize

The ten-day favor of the sphere is a tale untrue

Friend! Goodness to friends is a trait to pursue!

Yester eve, in festivity, the bulbul tuned a song'

'Saki! Bring wine! Come to life! O drunken throng! '

Noble soul! God blessed you with rigor and grace

So, seek - at least - to cheer up this dervish's face

Peace in the two worlds, these remarks clearly show

'Love to every friend and civility to every foe.'

Upon the path of honor, denied was my range

Should you not approve it, seek my fate to change

That bitter wine known to the Sufi a sin to be

Tastes much sweeter than a maiden kiss to me

In times of distress, rejoice and trouble not to learn

This alchemy of life can beggar to Croesus turn

Be mild! Burn as a taper from jealousy overmuch

Adamant melts like wax under the beloved's touch

Alexander's mirror is the same wine bowl. Behold

Everything in Darab's kingdom reflected in its mold

Speakers of sweet Persian, the water of life dispense

Saki! Hasten and give this word to pious men of sense

Hafiz declined to don this wine-stained cowl

O upright Master! Hold us innocent of this foul

Ghazal 3

That beautiful Shirazi Turk, took control and my heart stole,
I'll give Samarkand & Bukhara, for her Hindu beauty mole.
O wine-bearer bring me wine, such wine not found in Heavens
By running brooks,  in flowery fields, spend your days and stroll.
Alas, these sweet gypsy clowns, these agitators of our town
Took the patience of my heart, like looting Turks take their toll.
Such unfinished love as ours, the Beloved has no need,
For the Perfect Beauty, frills and adornments play no role.
I came to know Joseph's goodness, that daily would increase
Even the chaste Mistress succumbed to the love she would extol.
Whether profane or even cursed, I'll reply only in praise
Sweetness of tongue and the lips, even bitterness would enthrall.
Heed the advice of the wise, make your most endeared goal,
The fortunate blessed youth, listen to the old wise soul.
Tell tales of song and wine, seek not secrets of the world,
None has found and no-one will, knowledge leaves this riddle whole.
You composed poems and sang, Hafiz, you spent your days well
Venus wedded to your songs, in the firmaments' inverted bowl.
…..

…..

Die beeldschone Turkse uit Shirazi

Nam de touwtjes in handen en stal mijn hart;

Ik geef Samarkand en Bokhara voor die

Hindoe schoonheidsvlek waar ze mij steeds mee tart.

…..

Ghazal 11

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.

O wijndrager, verblijdt mijn kelk met wijn, gezwind!

O minstreel, breng me het lot, mij goed gezind.

Het aangezicht van mijn Geliefde flonkert in mijn kelk,

Je kunt haast niet bevatten waarom ik de wijn omhels.

Eeuwig leeft hij wiens hart voor de Liefde is ontwaakt

Zo zullen de Eeuwigheidsboeken mijn balans hebben opgemaakt.
…..

Ghazal 46

Amidst flowers, wine in hand, my lover I embrace

King of the world is my slave on such a day in such a place.

Bring no candles to this, our festive feast, tonight

Full moon is pale beside the light of my lover's face.

Drinking of wine, our creed has sanctified

Yet without you, drinking wine is disgrace.

My ears only hear the song of the harp and the reed

My eyes see your ruby lips, and the cup chase.

Keep perfumes away from our feast tonight

The fragrance of your hair, our feast will grace.

Speak not to me of sweetness of candy and sugar;

Since my lips, sweetness of your lips, did once trace.

Your treasures are hidden in the ruins of my heart

And my path to the tavern has now become sacred space.

Speak not of disgrace; that's my fame and my base

And fame and high place, I despise and debase.

Drunk and disconcerted and demented and deceived

Show me one who's not, within our town and our race.

Fault not the pious one, because he, also, like us,

Is seeking love and grace, in his own way, at his own pace.

Hafiz, wine in hand, always your lover embrace

'Cause flowers and joy fill this festive time and space.