The outwardly pious know nothing of our state: Ghazal 71 by Hafez

The outwardly pious know nothing of our state: Ghazal 71 by Hafez

By @hamed | poet: Hafez Shirazi

Description:

English Translation:

The outwardly pious know nothing of our state,
Whatever they say about us is of no consequence.

Whatever comes to the seeker on the path is good for them,
On the straight path, O heart, no one is lost.

Let's see what game fate will play, we'll move the pawn,
In the chessboard of the revelers, there's no room for a king.

What is this high, simple ceiling with so many designs?
No wise person in the world knows the answer to this riddle.

O Lord, what is this self-sufficiency and what is this all-powerful wisdom,
That there are so many hidden wounds and no room for a sigh?

The owner of our book, it seems, doesn't know the calculation,
That in this seal, there's no sign of "for the sake of God."

Let whoever wants to come, and say whatever they want,
There's no pride, arrogance, doorkeeper, or porter at this gate.

Going to the winehouse is the work of the sincere,
The self-serving have no way to the sellers of wine.

Whatever there is, is from our ill-formed, awkward stature,
Otherwise, your stature would not be lowered for anyone.

I am the old servant of the tavern whose kindness is constant,
Otherwise, the kindness of the sheikh and the ascetic comes and goes.

If Hafez doesn't sit on the throne, it's because of his noble character,
A lovesick sufferer isn't bound by wealth and status.