The Place Where You Are Now
by Hafiz
This place where you are right now
God circled on a map for you.
God circled on a map for you.
Wherever your eyes and arms and heart can move
Against the earth and the sky,
The Beloved has bowed there—
Against the earth and the sky,
The Beloved has bowed there—
Our Beloved has bowed there knowing
You were coming.
You were coming.
I could tell you a priceless secret about
Your real worth, dear pilgrim,
Your real worth, dear pilgrim,
But any unkindness to yourself,
Any confusion about others,
Any confusion about others,
Will keep one
From accepting the grace, the love,
From accepting the grace, the love,
The sublime freedom
Divine knowledge always offers to you.
Divine knowledge always offers to you.
Never mind, Hafiz, about
The great requirements this path demands
Of the wayfarers,
The great requirements this path demands
Of the wayfarers,
For your soul is too full of wine tonight
To withhold the wondrous Truth from this world.
To withhold the wondrous Truth from this world.
But because I am so clever and generous,
I have already clearly woven a resplendent lock
Of his tresses
I have already clearly woven a resplendent lock
Of his tresses
As a remarkable truth and gift
In this poem for you.
In this poem for you.
//
Translated by Daniel Ladinsky, in the book, The Subject Tonight Is Love: 60 Wild and Sweet Poems of Hafiz
