I Heard God Laughing Quotes

“TRIPPING OVER JOY

What is the difference
Between your experience of Existence
And that of a saint?

The saint knows
That the spiritual path
Is a sublime chess game with God

And that the Beloved
Has just made such a Fantastic Move

That the saint is now continually
Tripping over Joy
And bursting out in Laughter
And saying, “I Surrender!”

Whereas, my dear,
I am afraid you still think
You have a thousand serious moves.”
― Hafez, I Heard God Laughing: Poems of Hope and Joy

“There is a Beautiful Creature
Living in a hole you have dug.

So at night
I set fruit and grains
And little pots of wine and milk
Besides your soft earthen mounds,

And I often sing.

But still, my dear,
You do not come out.

I have fallen in love with Someone
Who hides inside you.

We should talk about this problem--

Otherwise,
I will never leave you alone.”
― Hafiz, I Heard God Laughing: Poems of Hope and Joy

“You don’t have to act crazy anymore—
We all know you were good at that,

Now retire, my dear,
From all that hard work you do

Of bringing pain to your sweet eyes and heart.

Look in a clear mountain mirror
See the beautiful ancient warrior
And the divine elements
You always carry inside

That infused this universe with sacred life
So long ago”
― Hafiz, I Heard God Laughing: Poems of Hope and Joy

“A day of silence can be a pilgrimage in itself.”
― حافظ, I Heard God Laughing: Poems of Hope and Joy

“Come in, my dear
From that harsh world
That has rained elements of stone
Upon your tender face.

Every soul
Should receive a toast from us
For bravery!”
― Hafiz, I Heard God Laughing: Poems of Hope and Joy

“A day of Silence
Can be a pilgrimage in itself.

A day of Silence
Can help you listen
To the Soul play
Its marvelous lute and drum.

Is not most talking
A crazed defense of a crumbling fort?

I thought we came here
To surrender in Silence,

To yield to Light and Happiness,

To Dance within,
In celebration of Love's Victory”
― Hafez, I Heard God Laughing: Poems of Hope and Joy

“I am happy even before I have a reason.

I am full of Light even before the sky
Can greet the sun or the moon.

Dear companions,
We have been in love with God
For so very, very long.”
― Hafez, I Heard God Laughing: Poems of Hope and Joy

“Start seeing everything as God, But keep it a secret.”
― Hafez, I Heard God Laughing: Poems of Hope and Joy

“I have fallen in love with Someone
Who hides inside you.
We should talk about this problem—
Otherwise,
I will never leave you alone.”
― Hafez, I Heard God Laughing: Poems of Hope and Joy

“If It Is Not Too Dark Go for a walk, if it is not too dark.
Get some fresh air, try to smile.
Say something kind
To a safe-looking stranger, if one happens by.
Always exercise your heart’s knowing.
You might as well attempt something real
Along this path:
Take your spouse or lover into your arms
The way you did when you first met.
Let tenderness pour from your eyes
The way the Sun gazes warmly on the earth.
Play a game with some children.
Extend yourself to a friend.
Sing a few ribald songs to your pets and plants—
Why not let them get drunk and wild!
Let’s toast
Every rung we’ve climbed on Evolution’s ladder.
Whisper, “I love you! I love you!”
To the whole mad world.
Let’s stop reading about God—
We will never understand Him.
Jump to your feet, wave your fists,
Threaten and warn the whole Universe
That your heart can no longer live
Without real love!”
― Hafez, I Heard God Laughing: Poems of Hope and Joy

“The moon is most happy
When it is full.
And the sun always looks
Like a perfectly minted gold coin
That was just Polished
And placed in flight
By God’s playful Kiss.
And so many varieties of fruit
Hang plump and round
From branches that seem like a Sculptor’s hands.
I see the beautiful curve of a pregnant belly
Shaped by a soul within,”
― Hafez, I Heard God Laughing: Poems of Hope and Joy

“Someone Should Start Laughing I have a thousand brilliant lies
For the question:
How are you? I have a thousand brilliant lies
For the question:
What is God? If you think that the Truth can be known
From words, If you think that the Sun and the Ocean Can pass through that tiny opening
Called the mouth,
O someone should start laughing!
Someone should start wildly Laughing—
Now!”
― Hafez, I Heard God Laughing: Poems of Hope and Joy

“Would You Think It Odd? Would you think it odd if Hafiz said,
“I am in love with every church
And mosque
And temple
And any kind of shrine
Because I know it is there
That people say the different names
Of the One God.”
Would you tell your friends
I was a bit strange if I admitted I am indeed in love with every mind
And heart and body.
O I am sincerely
Plumb crazy
About your every thought and yearning
And limb Because, my dear,
I know
That it is through these
That you search for Him.”
― Hafez, I Heard God Laughing: Poems of Hope and Joy

“A Divine Invitation You have been invited to meet The Friend. No one can resist a Divine Invitation. That narrows down all our choices To just two: We can come to God Dressed for Dancing, Or Be carried on a stretcher To God’s Ward.”
― حافظ, I Heard God Laughing: Poems of Hope and Joy

“Silence A day of Silence
Can be a pilgrimage in itself.
A day of Silence
Can help you listen
To the Soul play
Its marvelous lute and drum.
Is not most talking
A crazed defense of a crumbling fort?”
― Hafez, I Heard God Laughing: Poems of Hope and Joy

“I wish I could show you,
When you are lonely or in darkness,
The Astonishing Light
Of your own Being!”
― Hafez, I Heard God Laughing: Poems of Hope and Joy

“Zero
Is where the Real Fun starts.
There’s too much counting
Everywhere else!”
― Hafez, I Heard God Laughing: Poems of Hope and Joy

“Laughter What is laughter? What is laughter?
It is God waking up! O it is God waking up!
It is the sun poking its sweet head out
From behind a cloud
You have been carrying too long,
Veiling your eyes and heart.
It is Light breaking ground for a great Structure
That is your Real body—called Truth.
It is happiness applauding itself and then taking flight
To embrace everyone and everything in this world.
Laughter is the polestar
Held in the sky by our Beloved,
Who eternally says,
“Yes, dear ones, come this way,
Come this way toward Me and Love!”
― Hafez, I Heard God Laughing: Poems of Hope and Joy

“I am happy even before I have a reason.”
― Hafez, I Heard God Laughing: Poems of Hope and Joy

“I Am Determined One regret, dear world,
That I am determined not to have
When I am lying on my deathbed
Is that
I did not kiss you enough.”
― Hafez, I Heard God Laughing: Poems of Hope and Joy

“The Great Secret God was full of Wine last night,
So full of Wine That He let a great secret slip.
He said:
There is no man on this earth
Who needs a pardon from Me—
For there is really no such thing,
No such thing
As Sin!”
― Hafez, I Heard God Laughing: Poems of Hope and Joy

“Why Carry? Hafiz,
Why carry a whole load of books
Upon your back
Climbing this mountain,
When tonight,
Just a few thoughts of God
Will light the holy fire.”
― Hafez, I Heard God Laughing: Poems of Hope and Joy

“Hafiz tells us that Love’s Journey unfolds through every process of life. Divine principles are constantly being demonstrated all around us. We cannot learn them through words or books or limited systems of human values. Hafiz says God is fully known only through love, which accepts everything. Love reveals the Universe as a cosmic playground where every thing and being participates in a single, magnificent Game.”
― Hafez, I Heard God Laughing: Poems of Hope and Joy

“The idea that a human being can achieve “perfect love” or “perfect knowing” may seem extraordinary, yet it is a belief shared by most spiritual systems.”
― Hafez, I Heard God Laughing: Poems of Hope and Joy

“Wayfarer Wayfarer,
Your whole mind and body have been tied
To the foot of the Divine Elephant
With a thousand golden chains. Now, begin to rain intelligence and compassion
Upon all your tender, wounded cells
And realize the profound absurdity
Of thinking
That you can ever go Anywhere
Or do Anything
Without God’s will.”
― Hafez, I Heard God Laughing: Poems of Hope and Joy

“My Brilliant Image One day the sun admitted,
I am just a shadow.
I wish I could show you
The Infinite Incandescence (Tej)
That has cast my brilliant image!
I wish I could show you,
When you are lonely or in darkness,
The Astonishing Light
Of your own Being!”
― Hafez, I Heard God Laughing: Poems of Hope and Joy

“At daybreak on the fortieth day, the archangel Gabriel appeared before Hafiz and told him to ask for whatever he wished. Hafiz had never seen such a glorious, radiant being as Gabriel. He found himself thinking, “If God’s messenger is so beautiful, how much more beautiful must God be!” Gazing on the unimaginable splendor of God’s angel, Hafiz forgot all about the girl, his wish, everything. He said, “I want God!”
― Hafez, I Heard God Laughing: Poems of Hope and Joy

“The Only Sin I Know If someone sits with me
And we talk about the Beloved, If I cannot give his heart comfort,
If I cannot make him feel better
About himself and this world,
Then, Hafiz,
Quickly run to the mosque and pray—
For you have just committed
The only sin I know.”
― Hafez, I Heard God Laughing: Poems of Hope and Joy

“Am Determined One regret, dear world,
That I am determined not to have
When I am lying on my deathbed
Is that
I did not kiss you enough.”
― Hafez, I Heard God Laughing: Poems of Hope and Joy

“That is why all the Great Ones speak of
The vital need
To keep Remembering God,
So you will come to know and see Him
As being so Playful
And Wanting,
Just Wanting to help.”
― Hafez, I Heard God Laughing: Poems of Hope and Joy