Page:The Spirit Of Oriental Poetry.pdf/48

 38 THE SPIRIT OF ORIENTAL POETRY

THOUGHTS FROM HAFIZ (Freely Translated)

1 When I ask, do you love me? Your angry lips purse up like a flower, my love! And you rebuke me, the word comes as a stinging bee! It stings: You rebuke is my fortune, It is Heaven itself blessing me, From your ruby-red, honey-sweet mouth, The bitter reply but sets off your loveliness. 2 If love says, dunk! My soul rise and drench with ied wine all your white robes, And question not, For your entire destiny is in the Hands of Love, And Love alone knows 8 I knew not love is both life and death, Now I am caught in the dangers of its depths. O Sakı ! Initiate me into the mystery of your cup of wine, And teach me the secret of eternal joy! If that beautiful Turk of Shiraz would but let me call her mine, I would cast away the kingdom of Samarkand and Bokhara, For the beauty of that tiny mole upon her blushing cheek,