Ghazal 434: O heart, do not be for one moment empty of love and drunkenness
ای دل مباش یک دم خالی ز عشق و مستی
وآنگه برو که رستی از نیستی و هستی
گر جان به تن ببینی مشغول کار او شو
هر قبلهای که بینی بهتر ز خودپرستی
با ضعف و ناتوانی همچون نسیم خوش باش
بیماری اندر این ره بهتر ز تندرستی
در مذهب طریقت خامی نشان کفر است
آری طریق دولت چالاکی است و چستی
تا فضل و عقل بینی بیمعرفت نشینی
یک نکتهات بگویم خود را مبین که رستی
در آستان جانان از آسمان میندیش
کز اوج سربلندی افتی به خاک پستی
خار ارچه جان بکاهد گل عذر آن بخواهد
سهل است تلخی می در جنب ذوق مستی
صوفی پیالهپیما حافظ قرابهپرهیز
ای کوتهآستینان تا کی درازدستی؟
O heart, do not be for one moment empty of love and drunkenness,
and then go, for you are freed from non-being and being.
If you see life in your body, busy yourself with his work;
any direction of prayer you see is better than worship of the self.
In weakness and frailty be glad, like the breeze;
on this road sickness is better than sound health.
In the creed of the Path, rawness is the mark of unbelief;
yes, the way of fortune is nimbleness and quickness.
While you look to learning and reason, you sit without true knowledge;
I will tell you one point: do not look at yourself, and you are free.
On the threshold of the beloved do not think of the sky,
lest from the height of pride you fall to the dust of lowness.
Though the thorn wears down the soul, the rose makes amends for it;
the bitterness of wine is slight beside the delight of drunkenness.
The Sufi measures out the cup, and Hafez keeps from the flagon;
O you of short sleeves, how long this long reach?
Interpretation of the fal
Do not leave your heart empty of love and fervour for a moment: your release lies in this. The greatest obstacle is self-regard: any path is better than worship of the self. Do not rely on your own learning and cleverness, and do not stay unripe: be nimble and ready. Stay humble, so as not to fall from a height. The hardship of the road is small beside the sweetness of its end.