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Hafez Ghazal 112: ⁧آن که رخسار تو را رنگ گل و نسرین داد⁩

Hafez poetry book, pomegranate and candle in a Persian garden at night.

Ghazal 112 of Hafez (7 couplets), in the original Persian as on Ganjoor, with a transliteration, a plain English translation, the meanings of key words and the traditional fâl-e Hâfez reading.

Read it word by wordTake your own fâl

COUPLET 1
آن که رخسارِ تو را رنگِ گل و نسرین دادصبر و آرام توانَد به منِ مسکین داد
ân ke rokhsâr-e to râ rang-e gol o nasrin dâd / sabr o ârâm tavânad be man-e meskin dâd
The One who gave your cheeks the color of rose and eglantine can also give patience and peace to poor me.
COUPLET 2
وان که گیسویِ تو را رسمِ تَطاول آموختهم تواند کَرَمَش دادِ منِ غمگین داد
v-ân ke gisu-ye to râ rasm-e tatâvol âmukht / ham tavânad karamash dâd-e man-e ghamgin dâd
And the One who taught your tresses the ways of tyranny, His generosity can also give justice to sad me.
COUPLET 3
من همان روز ز فرهاد طمع بُبریدمکه عنانِ دلِ شیدا به لبِ شیرین داد
man hamân ruz ze farhâd tama' bobridam / ke enân-e del-e sheydâ be lab-e shirin dâd
I gave up hope for Farhad on the very day he handed the reins of his crazed heart to Shirin's sweet lips.
COUPLET 4
گنجِ زر گر نَبُوَد، کُنجِ قناعت باقیستآن که آن داد به شاهان، به گدایان این داد
ganj-e zar gar nabovad konj-e ghanâ'at bâghi-st / ân ke ân dâd be shâhân be gedâyân in dâd
If there is no treasure of gold, the corner of contentment remains: the One who gave kings that gave beggars this.
COUPLET 5
خوش عروسیست جهان از رهِ صورت لیکنهر که پیوست بدو، عمرِ خودش کاوین داد
khosh arusi-st jahân az rah-e surat likan / har ke peyvast bedu omr-e khodash kâbin dâd
The world is a lovely bride to look at, but whoever married her paid with his own life as the dowry.
COUPLET 6
بعد از این دستِ من و دامنِ سرو و لبِ جویخاصه اکنون که صبا مژده فروردین داد
ba'd az in dast-e man o dâman-e sarv o lab-e juy / khâsse aknun ke sabâ mozhde-ye farvardin dâd
From now on, my hand will hold the hem of the cypress by the stream's edge, especially now that the breeze has brought news of spring.
COUPLET 7
در کفِ غصه دوران، دلِ حافظ خون شداز فراقِ رُخَت ای خواجه قوامُ الدین، داد
dar kaf-e ghosse-ye dowrân del-e Hâfez khun shod / az ferâgh-e rokhat ey khâje ghavâmoddin dâd
In the grip of the world's sorrows, Hafez's heart has turned to blood. Help! from being parted from your face, O Khaje Qavam al-Din!

What this fâl tells you

Whoever gave beauty to the world can also give you peace of mind. Tradition reads this fal as reassurance: if riches are not yours, contentment is a treasure no one can take, and spring is on its way. Go and sit by the stream; good news is coming.

A traditional-style reading for reflection and enjoyment.

How this ghazal is built

radif: dâd ("gave"; in the last line also "justice!, help!"). qâfiye: -in (nasrin, meskin, ghamgin, shirin, in, kâbin, farvardin, ghavâmoddin).

Key words

WordSay itMeaning (modern Persian)
ânthat dictionary
rokhsârcheek, face dictionary
toyou dictionary
rangcolor dictionary
گلgolrose; flower dictionary
وva / oand dictionary
dâdgave dictionary
sabrpatience dictionary
tavânadcan, is able dictionary
beto; for; with; in, by dictionary
منmanI, me dictionary
مسکینmeskinpoor, wretched dictionary
وانv-ânand the one (= va ân) (و آن) dictionary
rasmcustom, way dictionary
âmukhttaught dictionary
همhamalso, too dictionary
کرمشkaramashHis generosity dictionary
ghamginsad dictionary
همانhamânthat very, the same dictionary
ruzday dictionary
zefrom, of (= az) (از)
tama'expectation; greed dictionary
bobridamI cut off; tama' boridan = to give up hope dictionary
delheart dictionary
sheydâmadly in love dictionary
لبlablip dictionary
گنجganjtreasure dictionary
zargold dictionary
گرgarif (= agar) (اگر) dictionary
نبودnabvadis not (old form) (نیست / نباشد) dictionary
کنجkonjcorner dictionary
shâhânkings dictionary
گدایانgedâyânbeggars dictionary
inthis dictionary
khoshwell, sweetly; pleasant dictionary
arusi-stis a bride (= arusi ast) dictionary
jahânworld dictionary
rahroad, way (short for râh) (راه)
suratoutward appearance, form dictionary
لیکنlikanbut (ولی)
هرharevery dictionary
پیوستpeyvastjoined, was united dictionary
beduto her (= be u) (به او)
omrlife, lifetime dictionary
khodashhis own dictionary
کاوینkâbinmarriage portion, dowry (مهریه)
ba'dafter; ba'd az in = from now on dictionary
dasthand dictionary
sarvcypress (image of a tall beloved) dictionary
justream (جوی)
khâsseespecially (به‌ویژه)
aknunnow (حالا) dictionary
sabâthe morning breeze, which carries messages between lovers in poetry (نسیم صبح)
darin; door dictionary
کفkafpalm (of the hand) dictionary
ghossesorrow, worry dictionary
HâfezHafez, the poet's pen name (takhallos); literally "one who knows the Quran by heart" dictionary
khunblood dictionary
shodbecome (with khâhad: will become); became dictionary
rokhatyour face dictionary
eyO (vocative) dictionary
khâjemaster, lord dictionary

Persian text: Ganjoor (ganjoor.net), Hafez, ghazal 112. Transliteration, translation, glosses and reading: Learn Persian Online.

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