Translation: Awake, awake, the time has come, awake! Without union with him, forsake yourself, forsake! The heavenly decree has arrived, the healer of lovers has arrived, If you want him to visit you, become sick, become sick! Without a trace, without a doubt, he’ll make you rosy-faced He’ll pluck out the thorn from you hand,…
What is this drunkeness?
A current favorite Ghazal of Hafez, a sublime wedding of melody and meanings Translation: I known not what this drunkenness is that to us he brought and who is the Saqi and from where is this wine that he brought? What tune is this musician playing so skillfully that in the midst of his song,…
Loving TaHa is Delightful
One of my favorite poems in praise of the Prophet, from Mauritania: Translation (a bit of liberty taken to approximate the metre of the original poem): Loving TaHa is delightful…How lovely is that Great Noble! He’s the treasure of creation, and to all goodness, a doorway And he’s peace and our protection, and he’s food…
Thank God the tavern is open
One of Hafez’s most musical and delightful ghazals: Translation: Thank God the tavern door is finally open for I’ve pressed my face to its door in need The wine vats are gushing and roaring drunk And that wine here is real and not metaphorical He is all drunkenness, pride, and arrogance we are all…