Ghazal 117 of Hafez (8 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.
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COUPLET 1
دل ما به دور رویت ز چمن فَراغ داردکه چو سرو پایبند است و چو لاله داغ دارد
del-e mâ be dowr-e ruyat ze chaman farâgh dârad / ke cho sarv pâyband ast o cho lâle dâgh dârad
In the age of your face, my heart has no need of the garden: like the cypress it is rooted to the spot, and like the tulip it bears a burning mark.
COUPLET 2
سرِ ما فرونیآید به کمانِ ابروی کَسکه درون گوشه‌گیران، ز جهان فَراغ دارد
sar-e mâ forow nayâyad be kamân-e abru-ye kas / ke darun-e gushe-girân ze jahân farâgh dârad
My head will not bow to the bow of anyone's eyebrow, for the heart of those who live in seclusion is free of the world.
COUPLET 3
ز بنفشه تاب دارم که ز زلفِ او زند دمتو سیاهِ کم‌بها بین، که چه در دِماغ دارد!
ze banafshe tâb dâram ke ze zolf-e u zanad dam / to siyâh-e kam-bahâ bin ke che dar demâgh dârad
I am annoyed with the violet for daring to speak of the beloved's curls. Look at that cheap dark little thing: what airs it puts on!
COUPLET 4
به چمن خرام و بنگر برِ تختِ گل که لالهبه ندیمِ شاه مانَد که به کف ایاغ دارد
be chaman khorâm o bengar bar-e takht-e gol ke lâle / be nadim-e shâh mânad ke be kaf ayâgh dârad
Stroll into the garden and see: beside the rose's throne, the tulip looks like a king's companion holding a cup in his hand.
COUPLET 5
شبِ ظلمت و بیابان، به کجا توان رسیدن؟مگر آن که شمعِ روی‌ات به رَهَم چراغ دارد
shab-e zolmat o biyâbân be kojâ tavân residan / magar ân ke sham'-e ruyat be raham cherâgh dârad
A dark night and a desert: how can I reach anywhere? Only if the candle of your face holds a lamp along my way.
COUPLET 6
من و شمعِ صبح‌گاهی سِزَد ار به هم بِگرییمکه بسوختیم و از ما بتِ ما فراغ دارد
man o sham'-e sobhgâhi sezad ar be ham begeriyim / ke besukhtim o az mâ bot-e mâ farâgh dârad
It is fitting that the dawn candle and I weep together: we have burned away, and our idol does not care about us.
COUPLET 7
سِزَدم چو ابرِ بهمن که بر این چمن بِگریَمطرب آشیانِ بلبل، بنگر که زاغ دارد
sezadam cho abr-e bahman ke bar in chaman begeryam / tarab-âshiyân-e bolbol bengar ke zâgh dârad
It is fitting that I weep over this garden like a winter cloud: look, the nightingale's happy nest is now held by a crow.
COUPLET 8
سرِ درسِ عشق دارد دلِ دردمند حافظکه نه خاطرِ تماشا نه هوای باغ دارد
sar-e dars-e eshgh dârad del-e dardmand-e Hâfez / ke na khâter-e tamâshâ na havâ-ye bâgh dârad
Hafez's aching heart is set on the lesson of love; it has no mind for sightseeing, no longing for the garden.
What this fâl tells you
A heart that is focused on one thing needs no other garden. Tradition reads this fal as advice to stay true to your main purpose and not be distracted by showy things. On a dark road, one steady light is enough to guide you; look for it.
A traditional-style reading for reflection and enjoyment.
How this ghazal is built
radif: dârad ("has"). qâfiye: -âgh (farâgh, dâgh, demâgh, ayâgh, cherâgh, zâgh, bâgh).
Key words
| Word | Say it | Meaning (modern Persian) |
|---|---|---|
| del | heart dictionary | |
| ما | mâ | we, us; our dictionary |
| be | to; for; with; in, by dictionary | |
| dowr | turn; the passing round of the cup; the age dictionary | |
| ruyat | your face dictionary | |
| ze | from, of (= az) (از) | |
| چمن | chaman | meadow, lawn dictionary |
| dârad | has; (with arze) shows dictionary | |
| چو | cho | since, when; like (= chon) (چون) |
| sarv | cypress (image of a tall beloved) dictionary | |
| ast | is dictionary | |
| و | va / o | and dictionary |
| dâgh | brand, burning mark (like the dark spot in a tulip) dictionary | |
| sar | head; sar be kuh dâdan = to send someone off wandering dictionary | |
| فرونیآید | forow nayâyad | does not bow down, does not come down dictionary |
| abru-ye | eyebrow of dictionary | |
| کس | kas | anyone; with negative: no one dictionary |
| darun | inside dictionary | |
| jahân | world dictionary | |
| tâb | twist, curl dictionary | |
| dâram | I have dictionary | |
| zolf | curl, lock of hair dictionary | |
| u | him / her (Persian does not mark gender) dictionary | |
| zanad | strikes; dam zadan = to speak, to breathe dictionary | |
| dam | moment; breath dictionary | |
| to | you dictionary | |
| siyâh | black, dark one dictionary | |
| bin | see! (= bebin) (ببین) dictionary | |
| چه | che | what; how much! dictionary |
| dar | in; door dictionary | |
| khorâm | stroll!, walk gracefully! (بخرام) dictionary | |
| bengar | look! (نگاه کن) dictionary | |
| bar | on, upon dictionary | |
| takht | throne dictionary | |
| گل | gol | rose; flower dictionary |
| ندیم | nadim | boon companion, courtier dictionary |
| shâh | king dictionary | |
| ماند | mânad | stays, remains dictionary |
| کف | kaf | palm (of the hand) dictionary |
| ayâgh | cup, goblet (جام) | |
| shab | night dictionary | |
| کجا | kojâ | where; how? (rhetorical) dictionary |
| tavân | one can dictionary | |
| residan | to reach, to arrive dictionary | |
| مگر | magar | perhaps? could it be that? (in questions) dictionary |
| ân | that dictionary | |
| sham' | candle dictionary | |
| raham | my way dictionary | |
| چراغ | cherâgh | lamp dictionary |
| من | man | I, me dictionary |
| ar | if (= agar) (اگر) | |
| هم | ham | also, too dictionary |
| begeriyim | we weep dictionary | |
| besukhtim | we burned dictionary | |
| bot | idol (the beautiful beloved) dictionary | |
| abr | cloud dictionary | |
| bahman | Bahman, the winter month; abr-e bahman = winter rain cloud dictionary | |
| in | this dictionary | |
| begeryam | I weep dictionary | |
| tarab | joy, merriment dictionary | |
| âshiyân | nest (لانه) | |
| bolbol | nightingale dictionary | |
| zâgh | crow dictionary | |
| dars | lesson, study dictionary | |
| Hâfez | Hafez, the poet's pen name (takhallos); literally "one who knows the Quran by heart" dictionary | |
| نه | na | not, no dictionary |
| khâter | mind, heart dictionary | |
| tamâshâ | watching, looking dictionary | |
| havâ-ye | longing for, desire for dictionary | |
| bâgh | garden dictionary |
Persian text: Ganjoor (ganjoor.net), Hafez, ghazal 117. Transliteration, translation, glosses and reading: Learn Persian Online.
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