View source for (Boylove Documentary Sourcebook) - The Conventional Pederastic Classical Persian Lyrical Motif of the Given Age of a Young Male Beloved Being 14 Years Old, as Featured in a Poem by Ḥáfiz̤ of Shíráz

[[File:Khwāja Shams-ud-Dīn Muḥammad Ḥāfeẓ-e Shīrāzī (Hafez or Hafiz). Miniature painting.png|thumb|center|Khwāja Shams-ud-Dīn Muḥammad Ḥāfeẓ-e Shīrāzī (1315–1390), known as Hafez or Hafiz (حافظ <i>Ḥāfeẓ</i>, "the memorizer; the [safe] keeper"). Miniature painting held in the National Museum of Damascus, Syria.]]


From <i>Ḥáfiz̤ of Shíráz: Selections from His Poems</i>, translated from the Persian by Herman Bicknell, edited by Algernon Sidney Bicknell (London: Trübner & Co., 1875). Footnotes omitted.

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<center><big>CXXXIV.</big></center>

[...]

Although upon his moon-like cheek delight and beauty glow,<br>
Nor constancy nor love is there: O Lord! these gifts bestow.

A child makes war against my heart; and he in sport one day<br>
Will put me to a cruel death, and law shall not gainsay.

What seems for my own good is this: my heart from him to guard;<br>
For one who knows not good from ill its guardianship were hard.

Agile and sweet of fourteen years that idol whom I praise:<br>
His ear-rings in her soul retains the moon of fourteen days,

A breath as the sweet smell of milk comes from those sugary lips;<br>
But from those black and roguish eyes behold what blood there drips!

My heart to find that new-born rose has gone upon its way;<br>
But where can it be found, O Lord? I’ve lost it many a day.

If the young friend who owns my heart my centre thus can break,<br>
The Páshá will command him soon the lifeguard’s rank to take.

<blockquote>
I’d sacrifice my life in thanks,<br>
If once that pearl of sheen<br>
Would make the shell of ḤÁFIZ̤’ eye<br>
Its place of rest serene.
</blockquote>
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[[File:Reclining Youth. Persian miniature painting. Iran, first third of the 17th century.png|thumb|center|<i>Reclining Youth</i>. [[Persian Empire|Persian]] miniature painting. Iran, first third of the 17th century. Gouache and gold. Saint Petersburg, State Hermitage Museum, VР-706.]]

==See also==
*[[Adult friend (dictionary)]]
*[[Age of attraction (dictionary)]]
*[[Boylove]]
*[[Ephebophilia]]
*[[Ghilman]]
*[[Köçek]]
*[[Loved boy (dictionary)]]
*[[Minor-attracted person (dictionary)]]
*[[Pederasty in the Middle East and Central Asia]]
*[[Pedophilia]]
*[[Sufism]]
*[[Tellak]]
*[[Young friend (dictionary)]]

==External links==
*[https://archive.org/details/fizshrz00unkngoog/page/n218 Ḥáfiz̤ of Shíráz (Internet Archive)]
*[https://greek-love.com/near-east-north-africa/persia/introduction-to-persia GREEK LOVE IN MEDIAEVAL AND MODERN PERSIA (Greek Love Through the Ages)]

[[Category:Boylove Documentary Sourcebook]]
[[Category:Persian Empire]]
[[Category:Persian literature]]
[[Category:Boylove in literature]]
[[Category:Poetry]]
[[Category:LGBT articles]]