Go further with The Greatest Works of Persian Literature! (11 Books): $119.99, instant PDF download. See inside the book

Hafez Ghazal 115: ⁧درخت دوستی بنشان که کام دل به بار آرد⁩

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

Ghazal 115 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
درختِ دوستی بنشان که کامِ دل به بار آردنهالِ دشمنی بَرکَن که رنج بی‌شمار آرد
derakht-e dusti beneshân ke kâm-e del be bâr ârad / nahâl-e doshmani barkan ke ranj-e bishomâr ârad
Plant the tree of friendship, for it bears the fruit of the heart's desire. Pull up the sapling of hostility, for it brings endless pain.
COUPLET 2
چو مهمانِ خراباتی به عزت باش با رندانکه دردِ سر کشی جانا! گرت مستی خمار آرد
cho mehmân-e kharâbâti be ezzat bâsh bâ rendân / ke dard-e sar keshi jânâ garat masti khomâr ârad
When you are a guest at the tavern, treat its free spirits with respect, my dear: if your high turns into a hangover, it is you who will suffer the headache.
COUPLET 3
شبِ صحبت غنیمت دان که بعد از روزگارِ مابسی گردش کُنَد گردون، بسی لیل و نهار آرد
shab-e sohbat ghanimat dân ke ba'd az ruzegâr-e mâ / basi gardesh konad gardun, basi leyl o nahâr ârad
Treasure a night of good company: after our time is over, the sky will turn many times and bring many nights and days.
COUPLET 4
عَماری‌دارِ لیلی را که مَهدِ ماه در حکم استخدا را در دل اندازش که بر مجنون گذار آرد
amâri-dâr-e leyli râ ke mahd-e mâh dar hokm ast / khodâ râ dar del andâzash ke bar majnun gozâr ârad
Leyli's litter-keeper, who has the moon's cradle in his charge: for God's sake, put it into his heart to pass by Majnun.
COUPLET 5
بهارِ عمر خواه ای دل! و گر نه این چمن هر سالچو نسرین صد گل آرد بار و چون بلبل هِزار آرد
bahâr-e omr khâh ey del vagarna in chaman har sâl / cho nasrin sad gol ârad bâr o chon bolbol hezâr ârad
O heart, pray for a long spring of life: this meadow will bring out a hundred blossoms like the eglantine and a thousand nightingales every year, with or without you.
COUPLET 6
خدا را چون دلِ ریشم قراری بست با زلفتبفرما لعلِ نوشین را که زودش با قرار آرد
khodâ râ chon del-e risham gharâri bast bâ zolfat / befarmâ la'l-e nushin râ ke zudash bâ gharâr ârad
For God's sake: since my wounded heart has made a pact with your curls, tell your sweet ruby lips to bring it some peace soon.
COUPLET 7
در این باغ از خدا خواهد دگر پیرانه‌سر، حافظنشیند بر لبِ جویی و سروی در کنار آرد
dar in bâgh az khodâ khâhad degar pirâne-sar Hâfez / neshinad bar lab-e juyi o sarvi dar kenâr ârad
In this garden, now in his old age, Hafez asks God for just one more thing: to sit on the bank of a stream with a cypress in his arms.

What this fâl tells you

One of the most practical fals in the Divan: plant friendship and pull up hostility by the roots. Tradition reads it as advice to mend a relationship and enjoy good company while you can. A quiet, simple happiness, a seat beside a stream, is within reach.

A traditional-style reading for reflection and enjoyment.

How this ghazal is built

radif: ârad ("brings"). qâfiye: -âr (bâr, bishomâr, khomâr, nahâr, gozâr, hezâr, gharâr, kenâr).

Key words

WordSay itMeaning (modern Persian)
derakhttree dictionary
dustifriendship dictionary
beneshânplant! (بکار) dictionary
کامkâmwish, desire; be kâm = as one wishes dictionary
delheart dictionary
beto; for; with; in, by dictionary
bârfruit; be bâr âvardan = to bear fruit dictionary
âradbrings (bears) (بیاورد) dictionary
نهالnahâlsapling dictionary
doshmanihostility dictionary
barkanpull up! uproot! dictionary
ranjpain, suffering dictionary
bishomârcountless dictionary
âradbrings; be dast ârad = takes in hand, wins (بیاورد) dictionary
چوchosince, when; like (= chon) (چون)
مهمانmehmânguest dictionary
ezzatrespect, honor dictionary
bâshbe! dictionary
bâwith dictionary
rendânfree spirits, rogues who scorn hypocrisy dictionary
dardpain; dard-e sar = headache dictionary
sarhead; sar be kuh dâdan = to send someone off wandering dictionary
keshiyou draw dictionary
jânâO dear one (jân + vocative -â) (عزیزم) dictionary
گرتgaratif ... you (= agar to-râ) (اگر به تو)
mastiintoxication dictionary
khomârhangover dictionary
shabnight dictionary
sohbatcompany, companionship (classical sense) dictionary
ghanimatgodsend; ghanimat dânestan = to treasure dictionary
dânknow! consider! (بدان) dictionary
ba'dafter dictionary
ruzegârtime, days dictionary
ماmâwe, us; our dictionary
گردشgardeshturning, revolution dictionary
کندkonaddoes; makes dictionary
گردونgardunthe turning sky; fortune dictionary
لیلleylnight (Arabic) (شب)
وva / oand dictionary
نهارnahârday (Arabic) (روز)
ماهmâhmoon (image for a beautiful face) dictionary
darin; door dictionary
hokmcommand, control dictionary
astis dictionary
khodâGod; khodâ râ = for God's sake dictionary
andâzashput (it) into him (بینداز در او) dictionary
baron, upon dictionary
مجنونmajnunMajnun, the lover driven mad by love for Leyli dictionary
bahârspring dictionary
omrlife, lifetime dictionary
khâhask for! want! (بخواه) dictionary
eyO (vocative) dictionary
گرgarif (= agar) (اگر) dictionary
نهnanot, no dictionary
inthis dictionary
چمنchamanmeadow, lawn dictionary
هرharevery dictionary
sâlyear dictionary
sadhundred dictionary
گلgolrose; flower dictionary
چونchonsince, when; like dictionary
bolbolnightingale dictionary
هزارhezârthousand; also "nightingale" (hezâr-dastân) dictionary
rishammy wounded (heart) dictionary
gharârian agreement, a pact dictionary
basttied; made (a pact) dictionary
zolfatyour curls dictionary
befarmâplease tell; command dictionary
لعلla'lruby; lab-e la'l = ruby lips dictionary
نوشینnushinsweet dictionary
zudashsoon (+ it) dictionary
قرارgharârcalm, rest, peace of mind dictionary
bâghgarden dictionary
khâhadwill (future auxiliary) dictionary
degaragain; other (= digar) (دیگر)
HâfezHafez, the poet's pen name (takhallos); literally "one who knows the Quran by heart" dictionary
نشیندneshinadsits; (that he may) sit dictionary
لبlablip dictionary
juyia stream dictionary
sarvia cypress (a tall beloved) dictionary
کنارkenârbank, side dictionary

Persian text: Ganjoor (ganjoor.net), Hafez, ghazal 115. Transliteration, translation, glosses and reading: Learn Persian Online.

Love Persian poetry? Learn to read it: free Starter Pack

Get the 14-page printable Starter Pack (all 32 letters, a 7-day reading plan, 100 core words and 20 survival phrases) and a short 5-email course. Free.

Become a tutor