Hafiz: The Rubaiyat

1

The only vision I have is your sight
The only thing I follow is your light.
Everyone finds his repose in sleep,
Sleep from my eyes has taken flight.

2

Pick up the joy giving wine and come hither.
Temptations of mean foes decline and come hither.
Don’t listen to the one who says sit down and stay;
Listen to me, pick up the line and come hither.

3

I said, your lips said, your lips we revive;
I said, your mouth said, sweetness we derive;
I said your words, he said, Hafiz said;
May all sweet lips be joyous and alive.

4

One, beautiful and full of grace
Mirror in hand, grooming her face
My handkerchief I offered, she smiled,
Is this gift also part of the chase?

5

I put my arms around your waist,
A lover’s embrace to taste.
From your resolve it’s obvious
All my efforts will go to waste.

6

You are the moon and the sun is your slave;
As your slave, it like you must behave.
It is only your luminosity and light
That light of sun and moon can save.

7

A new challenge everyday
You keep away and delay;
When I act to close the gap
Fate says there is a bigger play.

8

My beloved is brighter than the sun,
Put in the heavens, my only one.
Placed the hearts upon the earth
To watch the sun’s daily run.

9

My broken heart’s sorrows are deep.
Painful, disturbed, broken my sleep.
If you don’t believe, send me your thoughts
And you will see how in sleep I weep.

10

Candle’s story how can I tell?
Of the broken heart’s living hell?
My sorrow is in how I can find
Another who knows these sorrows well.

Khwaja Shamsu d-Din Muhammad Hafez-e Shirazi
[1325/1326 – 1389/1390]

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The Rubaiyat of Hafiz by Khwaja Shamsuddin Mohammad,
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