An omen from Hafez
Ghazal 420
Suddenly you have thrown off the veil — what does it mean?
Drunk, you have galloped out of the house — what does it mean?
Your tress in the breeze's hand, your ear at the rival's command —
thus you have made terms with them all — what does it mean?
You are the king of the fair, yet made the beggars' cynosure;
you have not known the worth of this high rank — what does it mean?
Was it not you, at first, who gave your tress-tip to my hand?
Now you have felled me off my feet again — what does it mean?
Your word spoke the mouth's riddle, your girdle the waist's secret,
and from that midst you have drawn the sword on us — what does it mean?
Each one is busy with a figure from the die of your love;
in the end you have played crooked with them all — what does it mean?
Hafez — since the Friend came down into your narrow heart,
you have not cleared the house of the stranger — what does it mean?