Heard a familiar tale from a beloved friend.
ای شاهِ حُسن، چَشم به حالِ گدا فِکَن
کـاین گوش بس حکایتِ شاه و گدا شنید
O sovereign of beauty, cast your gaze upon the beggar,
For these ears have heard many tales of kings and paupers.
خوش میکنم به بادهٔ مُشکین مَشامِ جان
کز دلقپوشِ صومعه بویِ ریا شنید
I perfume my soul with the musk-scented wine,
For the ascetic’s cloak reeks only of hypocrisy.
سِرِّ خدا که عارفِ سالِک به کَس نگفت
در حیرتم که بادهفروش از کجا شنید
The secret of God was never spoken by the wise mystic,
Yet I wonder—how did the wine-seller come to know it?
یا رب کجاست محرمِ رازی که یک زمان
دل شرحِ آن دهد که چه گفت و چهها شنید
O Lord, where is one who shares the heart’s hidden truths?
Who can tell what was spoken and what was heard?
اینَش سزا نبود دلِ حقگُزارِ من
کز غمگسارِ خود سخنِ ناسزا شنید
My grateful heart did not deserve this fate,
To hear such harsh words from its own comforter.
محروم اگر شدم ز سرِ کویِ او چه شد؟
از گلشنِ زمانه که بویِ وفا شنید؟
And if I am barred from my beloved’s street, so be it—
Who has ever found the fragrance of loyalty in this world’s garden?
ساقی بیا که عشق ندا میکند بلند
کان کس که گفت قصهٔ ما هم ز ما شنید
Come, cupbearer, for love calls out aloud,
And the one who told our story first heard it from us.
ما باده زیرِ خرقه نه امروز میخوریم
صد بار پیرِ میکده این ماجرا شنید
We have not hidden our wine under the robe just today—
The tavern’s elder has witnessed this for ages.
ما مِی به بانگِ چنگ نه امروز میکشیم
بس دور شد که گنبدِ چرخ این صدا شنید
We have not drawn wine to the sound of the harp just today—
For many cycles, the celestial dome has echoed this song.
پندِ حکیمْ محضِ صَواب است و عینِ خیر
فرخنده آن کسی که به سَمعِ رضا شنید
The sage’s advice is pure wisdom and true goodness,
Blessed is the one who listens with an open heart.
حافظ، وظیفهٔ تو دعا گفتن است و بس
در بَندِ آن مباش که نشنید یا شنید
Hafiz, your duty is only to supplicate (do do’a)—nothing more.
Do not be concerned with whether they are heard or ignored.
Some thoughts
Hafez’s poetry is deeply infused with Sufi symbolism, where seemingly worldly elements—such as wine, the cupbearer, the tavern, and intoxication—serve as metaphors for divine love, spiritual enlightenment, and the mystical journey. This poem is no exception; it weaves themes of love, wisdom, hypocrisy, longing, and surrender into a rich tapestry of Sufi thought.
The Divine Fragrance and Familiar Voice
بویِ خوشِ تو هر که ز بادِ صبا شنید
از یارِ آشنا سخنِ آشنا شنید
"Whoever heard your sweet fragrance carried by the morning breeze, heard a familiar tale from a beloved friend."
Here, the fragrance carried by the morning breeze is not just a pleasant scent—it represents divine presence and spiritual inspiration. In Sufi thought, the "beloved" (یارِ آشنا) is often God or the divine guide. The one who recognizes this fragrance is someone whose heart is already inclined toward the truth, as if hearing an old, familiar voice calling him home.
The Plea for Divine Attention
ای شاهِ حُسن، چَشم به حالِ گدا فِکَن
کـاین گوش بس حکایتِ شاه و گدا شنید
"O sovereign of beauty, cast your gaze upon the beggar, for these ears have heard many tales of kings and paupers."
Here, Hafez adopts the persona of a spiritual seeker ("the beggar"), longing for a glimpse of divine grace. The "king" is the Beloved (God), while the "beggar" symbolizes the soul yearning for divine mercy. The phrase implies that worldly status is an illusion—true kingship lies in spiritual fulfillment.
The Mystical Wine as a Cure for Hypocrisy
خوش میکنم به بادهٔ مُشکین مَشامِ جان
کز دلقپوشِ صومعه بویِ ریا شنید
"I perfume my soul with the musk-scented wine, for the ascetic’s cloak reeks only of hypocrisy."
Wine in Hafez’s poetry is a Sufi symbol for divine knowledge, ecstasy, and annihilation of the ego (fanā). Here, he contrasts the intoxicating truth of mystical experience with the hollow rituals of hypocritical ascetics. The “scent of hypocrisy” refers to religious figures who outwardly display piety but lack inner sincerity. Instead of seeking salvation in their ways, Hafez turns to wine (gnosis, divine love) as his true source of spiritual awakening.
The Hidden Knowledge of the Tavern
سِرِّ خدا که عارفِ سالِک به کَس نگفت
در حیرتم که بادهفروش از کجا شنید
"The secret of God was never spoken by the wise mystic, yet I wonder—how did the wine-seller come to know it?"
The "wise mystic" (عارف سالک) is the one who has experienced divine truth but keeps it hidden, following the Sufi belief that true gnosis cannot be openly expressed. Yet, paradoxically, the "wine-seller" (the tavern keeper, symbolic of a spiritual guide or even the divine itself) seems to dispense this hidden wisdom freely. This irony reflects the mystical idea that truth is often found in the most unexpected places, even among those considered "heretical" by orthodox standards.
The Search for a True Companion
یا رب کجاست محرمِ رازی که یک زمان
دل شرحِ آن دهد که چه گفت و چهها شنید
"O Lord, where is one who shares the heart’s hidden truths? Who can tell what was spoken and what was heard?"
This is the classic Sufi lament—the seeker longs for someone who truly understands the depth of spiritual experiences. The "hidden truths" refer to the ineffable nature of divine knowledge, which cannot be conveyed through words alone.
The Pain of Harsh Words from the Beloved
اینَش سزا نبود دلِ حقگُزارِ من
کز غمگسارِ خود سخنِ ناسزا شنید
"My grateful heart did not deserve this fate, to hear such harsh words from its own comforter."
This expresses the paradox of divine love—even when the seeker is devoted, the journey is filled with hardship and moments of apparent rejection. In Sufism, the Beloved (God) tests the seeker’s sincerity through trials and suffering.
The Question of Loyalty in a Faithless World
محروم اگر شدم ز سرِ کویِ او چه شد؟
از گلشنِ زمانه که بویِ وفا شنید؟
"And if I am barred from my beloved’s street, so be it—who has ever found the fragrance of loyalty in this world’s garden?"
Here, Hafez resigns himself to his fate, acknowledging that true loyalty and faithfulness are rare in the temporal world. The "garden of the world" is ephemeral, filled with fleeting attachments, while divine love is eternal.
Love’s Call and the Transmission of Mystical Truth
ساقی بیا که عشق ندا میکند بلند
کان کس که گفت قصهٔ ما هم ز ما شنید
"Come, cupbearer, for love calls out aloud, and the one who told our story first heard it from us."
The "cupbearer" (ساقی) is a key Sufi figure, often representing a spiritual guide who dispenses divine wisdom (the wine). Love itself announces its presence, and those who claim to tell the seeker’s story ultimately receive their wisdom from the seekers themselves—a reflection of the cyclical nature of spiritual knowledge.
Wine as an Ancient Tradition
ما باده زیرِ خرقه نه امروز میخوریم
صد بار پیرِ میکده این ماجرا شنید
"We have not hidden our wine under the robe just today— the tavern’s elder has witnessed this for ages."
Hafez reminds us that the pursuit of divine love is not new—many spiritual figures before him have walked this path, hiding their intoxication beneath their cloaks (representing secrecy in mystical practices).
The Echo of Devotion Through Time
ما مِی به بانگِ چنگ نه امروز میکشیم
بس دور شد که گنبدِ چرخ این صدا شنید
"We have not drawn wine to the sound of the harp just today— for many cycles, the celestial dome has echoed this song."
The music of divine love has resonated through the cosmos for ages. This verse reflects the timelessness of the mystical experience—the sound of yearning, devotion, and spiritual ecstasy has always been part of existence.
The Value of Wisdom
پندِ حکیمْ محضِ صَواب است و عینِ خیر
فرخنده آن کسی که به سَمعِ رضا شنید
"The sage’s advice is pure wisdom and true goodness, blessed is the one who listens with an open heart."
While intoxication (mysticism) is often opposed to strict wisdom (rationality), Hafez acknowledges that both have their place. True wisdom, when accepted with sincerity, leads to spiritual fulfillment.
The Final Message: Prayer and Surrender
حافظ، وظیفهٔ تو دعا گفتن است و بس
در بَندِ آن مباش که نشنید یا شنید
"Hafiz, your duty is only to offer prayers—nothing more. Do not be concerned with whether they are heard or ignored."
This closing couplet encapsulates the essence of Sufi surrender—the seeker’s role is only to pray, love, and seek truth, without attachment to the outcome. Whether the Beloved listens or remains silent is not the seeker’s concern—faith and devotion must persist regardless of response.
Final Reflection
Hafez, in this poem, urges us to seek divine love beyond rigid dogma, to find truth in unexpected places, and to persist in devotion without expecting rewards. He highlights the contrast between empty piety and genuine mystical experience, reminding us that spiritual wisdom is a path of surrender, longing, and timeless love.
