Hafez quotes
1315 – 1390 · Persia, 14th century · lyric poet with Sufi influence
About Hafez
Shams al-Din Muhammad Hafez is a central figure of 14th‑century Persian poetry. His Divan of ghazals treats love, spiritual longing, paradox and ecstatic devotion, often using wine and tavern imagery as poetic devices. Hafez has had lasting influence on Persian literary and spiritual life; his poems have been translated, adapted and sometimes paraphrased in many modern languages.
Works: Divan (collection of ghazals)
Quotes
“Stay close to anything that makes you glad you are alive.”
Source: no specific work is documented · Check the source
Disputed attributionWhat we know
- What is documented
- The wording is widely attributed to Hafez, but the provided evidence does not show a primary Persian source or a dated first appearance.
- What remains uncertain
- Attribution is disputed here: the phrase appears mainly in modern quote collections and lacks verification from a critical edition or original text.
The line urges you to keep close to whatever restores your sense of being alive — people, places, practices, or art that spark gratitude. Framed like a Persian lyric, it’s a practical call to favor vitality and presence over numbness.