BRING THE MAN TO ME

A Perfect One was traveling Through the desert.
He was stretched out around the fire one night
And said to one of his close once,

"There is a slave who is not far from us.
He escaped today from a cruel master.
His hands are still bound behind his back,
His feet are also shackled.

I can see him right now praying for God's help.
Go to him.
Ride to that distant hill;
About a hundred feet up and to the right
You will find a small cave.
He is there.

Do not say a single word to him
Bring the man to me.
God requests that I personally untie his body
And press my lips to his wounds."

The disciple mounts his horse and within two hours
Arrives at the small mountain cave.

The slave sees him coming, the slave looks frightened.
The disciple, on order not to speak,
Gestures toward the sky, pantomiming:

God saw you in prayer,
please come with me,
A great MURSHID* has used his heart's divine eye
To know your whereabouts.

The slave cannot believe this story,
And begins to shout at the man and tries to run

But trips from his bindings.
The disciple becomes to subdue him.

Think of this picture as they now travel:

The million candles in the sky are lit and singing
Every particle of existence is a dancing alter
That some mysterious force worships.

The earth is a church floor whereupon
In the middle of a glorious night
Walks a slave, weeping, tied to a rope behind a horse,
With a speechless rider
Taking him toward the unknown.

Several times with all of his might the slave
Tries to break free,
Feeling he is being returned to captivity.
The rider stops, dismount-bring his eyes
Near the prisoner's eyes.

A deep kindness there communicates an unbelievable hope.
The rider motions-soon, soon you will be free.
Tears roll down from the rider's cheeks
In happiness for this man.

Anger, all this fighting and tormenting want,
MASHUQ*
God has seen you and sent a close one.

MASHUQ
God has sent your heart in prayer
And sent Hafiz.


MURSHID: Teacher (Persian)
MASHUQ:sweetheart (Persian)

HAFIZ

REFERENCE:THE GIFT POEMS BY HAFIZ
TRANSLATIONS BY DANIEL LADINSKY