Ghazal 212

A cup or two had chanced to be mine at dawn yesterday,

and from the cupbearer's lip, wine had fallen upon my palate.

From the head of drunkenness, I sought a return

to the witness of youth's time — but the divorce had fallen.

In every station of the path where we journeyed,

well-being and gazing had fallen into separation.

Cupbearer, give cup after cup, for on the journey of the path,

whoever did not come as a lover had fallen into hypocrisy.

O interpreter, give glad tidings — for last night the sun

had fallen into the same sweet sleep of the dawn-drinker.

I was scheming to seize a corner of that drunken eye —

but patience and endurance from the curve of her brow had fled.

If Shah Yahya had not, from generosity, aided the faith,

the work of realm and religion had fallen from order and harmony.

Hafez, at the hour he was writing this scattered verse,

the bird of his thought had fallen into the snare of longing.