Beauty Radiated in Eternity

by Hafiz

English version by Mahmood Jamal
Original Language Persian/Farsi

Beauty radiated in eternity
With its light;
Love was born
And set the worlds alight.

It revealed itself to angels
Who knew not how to love;
It turned shyly towards man
And set fire to his heart.

Reason ventured to light
Its own flame and wear the crown,
But Your radiance
Turned the world
Of reason upside down.

Others got pleasure
As was their fate.
My heart was
Towards sadness inclined;
For me, sorrow was destined.

Beauty yearned to see itself;
It turned to man to sing its praise.

Hafiz wrote this song
Drunk with Love,
From a heart
Carrying a happy secret.

-- from Islamic Mystical Poetry: Sufi Verse from the Early Mystics to Rumi, Translated by Mahmood Jamal

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