I am reading Hafiz’s Little Book of Life, poetry by Hafiz-e Shirazi. He is challenging me to become more comfortable with ambiguity. I will share his poem and some of my thoughts on his poem (sometimes with the help of experts when the concepts are too hard for me), followed by a poem and some art inspired by his poem.

Hafiz’s Poem 22:

Whether I’m good or evil

Mind your own business

Everyone will harvest

What they’ve sowed

Eventually

Some thoughts:

This one is self-explanatory. There doesn’t seem to be much symbolism that needs to be uncovered. The metaphor of a harvest from what people have sowed in life is a rather tried and true example most people are familiar with. Sow/do evil, evil will reap you eventually. Shakespeare said, “These violent delights have violent ends.” The Bible in the book of Matthew says some version of, “Live by the sword, die by the sword.” People doing messy things will eventually get pulled under by that messiness. Mind your business.

I absolutely do not think Hafiz was up to no good. But that is his whole point. His destiny and relationship status with God is no one’s business but his. If everyone was focused on their own spiritual walk, they would not have time to be busy bodies. He’s saying, “You do you,” nearly 700 years ago. And it is sage advice that still holds up.

My Poem 22:

Mind your business
when everyone’s busy
getting themselves in trouble.
Mind your business
when other people seem
to be having more fun than you.
Mind your business
when the gossip gets juicy
and you’re tempted to share.
Mind your business
when your magnificent opinion
has not been requested.
Mind your business
when it doesn’t concern
you or yours in any way.
Mind your business
when you’re bored or looking
for dramatic entertainment.
Mind your business
when to be in the middle
don’t make no sense.
Mind your business
when you don’t know
the whole story nohow.

Hafiz. Hafiz’s Little Book of Life. Translated by Erfan Mojib and Gary Gach, Hampton Roads Publishing, 2023.