i am he whose table at the wine-house is the khaneqah,
and prayer for the magian elder is my dawn rosary.
if morning does not bring the harp’s melody- so what,
my dawn’s music is my sighing petition of thanks!
i am free of king and beggar at last- praise god!
the meanest beggar at the friend’s door is my king.
my interest in mosque and wine-house is union with you-
i have no thought apart from this, as god is my witness!
from the moment i placed my head on the threshold,
my refuge has rested upon the sun’s throne!
maybe by the sword of death i will strike camp, or not-
to flee by the door of fortune is not my way and custom.
although the blame was not our choice, hafez
strive in the way of adab, and say “the fault is mine”.
notes: khaneqah= sufi center. adab= ritual politeness.
magian elder= zorastrian elder: hafez has a fascination
for zorastrian imagery. zorastrianism was the dominant
pre islamic religious faith of iran. the zorastrian elder
is a mysterious and spiritual person. this ghazal appears
to refer to hafez losing his court position, but not
regretting it.
