Ghazal 26

زلف‌آشفته و خوی‌کرده و خندان‌لب و مست
پیرهن‌چاک و غزل‌خوان و صراحی در دست

نرگسش عربده‌جوی و لبش افسوس‌کنان
نیم شب، دوش به بالین من آمد، بنشست

سر فرا گوش من آورد به آواز حزین
گفت: ای عاشق دیرینهٔ من، خوابت هست؟

عاشقی را که چنین بادهٔ شبگیر دهند
کافر عشق بود گر نشود باده پرست

برو ای زاهد و بر دردکشان خرده مگیر
که ندادند جز این تحفه به ما روز الست

آن چه او ریخت به پیمانهٔ ما نوشیدیم
اگر از خمر بهشت است وگر بادهٔ مست

خندهٔ جام می و زلف گره‌گیر نگار
ای بسا توبه که چون توبهٔ حافظ بشکست

Hair dishevelled, sweating, laughing-lipped and drunk,
shirt torn, singing ghazals, a flask in hand,

her narcissus eye looking for a quarrel, her lip full of mockery,
at midnight last night she came to my bedside and sat down.

She bent her head to my ear and in a sad voice
said: O my lover of old, are you asleep?

A lover who is given such a wine before dawn
is an infidel to love if he does not worship wine.

Go, ascetic, and do not find fault with the drinkers of dregs,
for no other gift was given us on the day of the first covenant.

What he poured into our cup we drank,
whether it was the wine of paradise or the wine of drunkenness.

The laughter of the wine cup and the knotted tress of the beloved:
how many a repentance they have broken, like the repentance of Hafez!

A sudden, unexpected happiness or visit is on its way; be ready to welcome it. What has come to you was meant for you, so accept it and do not be hard on yourself. Do not be hurt by the criticism of narrow-minded people. A resolution you made against your own heart will not survive this joy.