Ghazal 149 of Hafez (14 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
دلم جز مِهرِ مَه‌رویان، طریقی بر نمی‌گیردز هر در می‌دهم پندش، ولیکن در نمی‌گیرد
delam joz mehr-e mahruyân tarighi bar nemigirad / ze har dar midaham pandash valikan dar nemigirad
My heart will take up no path but love for moon-faced beauties; I advise it every way I can, but nothing takes hold.
COUPLET 2
خدا را ای نصیحت‌گو، حدیثِ ساغر و مِی گوکه نقشی در خیالِ ما، از این خوش‌تر نمی‌گیرد
khodâ râ ey nasihat-gu hadis-e sâghar o mey gu / ke naghshi dar khiyâl-e mâ az in khoshtar nemigirad
For God's sake, adviser, talk of cups and wine, for no image takes shape in our mind more pleasing than this.
COUPLET 3
بیا ای ساقی گُل‌رُخ، بیاور بادهٔ رنگینکه فکری در درونِ ما، از این بهتر نمی‌گیرد
biyâ ey sâghi-ye golrokh biyâvar bâde-ye rangin / ke fekri dar darun-e mâ az in behtar nemigirad
Come, rose-cheeked cupbearer, bring the colorful wine, for no thought takes root in us better than this.
COUPLET 4
صُراحی می‌کشم پنهان و مردم دفتر انگارندعجب! گر آتشِ این زَرْق در دفتر نمی‌گیرد
sorâhi mikesham penhân o mardom daftar engârand / ajab gar âtash-e in zargh dar daftar nemigirad
I drink from the flask in secret and people think it is a book; strange that the fire of this pretense does not set the book alight.
COUPLET 5
من این دَلقِ مُرَقَّع را، بخواهم سوختن روزیکه پیرِ مِی فروشانش، به جامی بر نمی‌گیرد
man in dalgh-e moragha' râ bekhâham sukhtan ruzi / ke pir-e meyforushânash be jâmi bar nemigirad
One day I mean to burn this patched cloak, since the elder of the wine sellers will not take it even for a single cup.
COUPLET 6
از آن رو هست یاران را، صفا‌ها با مِی لَعلَشکه غیر از راستی نقشی، در آن جوهر نمی‌گیرد
az ân ru hast yârân râ safâ-hâ bâ mey-e la'lash / ke gheyr az râsti naghshi dar ân jowhar nemigirad
The friends find such clarity in that ruby wine because nothing but truth takes form in its substance.
COUPLET 7
سر و چَشمی چُنین دلکَش، تو گویی چشم از او بردوز؟برو کاین وعظ بی‌معنی، مرا در سر نمی‌گیرد
sar o cheshmi chonin delkash, to guyi cheshm az u bar duz / borow k-in va'z-e bi-ma'ni marâ dar sar nemigirad
A face and eyes so charming, and you tell me to sew my eyes shut against them? Go away: this empty sermon does not get into my head.
COUPLET 8
نصیحتگو‌‌یِ رندان را، که با حکمِ قضا جنگ استدلش بس تنگ می‌بینم، مگر ساغر نمی‌گیرد
nasihat-gu-ye rendân râ ke bâ hokm-e ghazâ jang ast / delash bas tang mibinam, magar sâghar nemigirad
The one who lectures the free spirits is at war with the decree of fate; I see his heart is very tight. Does he never take up the cup?
COUPLET 9
میانِ گریه می‌خندم، که چون شمع اندر این مجلسزبانِ آتشینم هست، لیکن در نمی‌گیرد
miyân-e gerye mikhandam ke chon sham' andar in majles / zabân-e âtashinam hast likan dar nemigirad
I laugh in the midst of my tears, for like a candle in this gathering I have a fiery tongue, yet it takes no hold.
COUPLET 10
چه خوش صیدِ دلم کردی، بنازم چَشمِ مستت راکه کَس مُرغانِ وحشی را، از این خوش‌تر نمی‌گیرد
che khosh seyd-e delam kardi, benâzam cheshm-e mastat râ / ke kas morghân-e vahshi râ az in khoshtar nemigirad
How sweetly you hunted my heart! Praise to your drunken eyes: no one catches wild birds more beautifully.
COUPLET 11
سخن در احتیاجِ ما و اِسْتِغنا‌یِ معشوق استچه سود افسونگر‌ی ای دل؟ که در دلبر نمی‌گیرد
sokhan dar ehtiyâj-e mâ o esteghnâ-ye ma'shugh ast / che sud afsungari ey del ke dar delbar nemigirad
The whole story is our need and the beloved's self-sufficiency; what use are your charms, heart, when they do not work on the heart-stealer?
COUPLET 12
من آن آیینه را روزی، به دست آرَم سِکَنْدَر‌واراگر می‌گیرد این آتش زمانی، ور نمی‌گیرد
man ân âyine râ ruzi be dast âram sekandar-vâr / agar migirad in âtash zamâni var nemigirad
One day, like Alexander, I will get that mirror into my hands, whether this fire takes hold for a while or not.
COUPLET 13
خدا را رحمی ای مُنْعِم، که درویشِ سرِ کویتدری دیگر نمی‌داند، رهی دیگر نمی‌گیرد
khodâ râ rahmi ey mon'em ke darvish-e sar-e kuyat / dari digar nemidânad, rahi digar nemigirad
For God's sake, have mercy, generous one: the beggar at the head of your street knows no other door and takes no other road.
COUPLET 14
بدین شعرِ ترِ شیرین، ز شاهنشَه عجب دارمکه سر تا پایِ حافظ را، چرا در زر نمی‌گیرد
bedin she'r-e tar-e shirin ze shâhanshah ajab dâram / ke sar tâ pâ-ye Hâfez râ cherâ dar zar nemigirad
For poetry this fresh and sweet I am surprised at the king of kings: why does he not cover Hafez in gold from head to foot?
What this fâl tells you
This ghazal belongs to a heart that has made up its mind and will not be talked out of it. Tradition reads it as a sign that your choice is sincere, and that advice against it will not take hold. Be patient with those who lecture you, keep knocking at the one door you trust, and your gift will be recognized.
A traditional-style reading for reflection and enjoyment.
How this ghazal is built
radif: nemigirad. qâfiye: -ar (bar, dar, khoshtar, behtar, daftar, jowhar, sar, sâghar, delbar, var, zar). The radif plays on gereftan: take up, take hold, catch fire, take effect, catch (birds), cover.
Key words
| Word | Say it | Meaning (modern Persian) |
|---|---|---|
| delam | my heart dictionary | |
| joz | except, besides dictionary | |
| مهر | mehr | love, kindness dictionary |
| tarighi | a path, a way dictionary | |
| bar | on, upon dictionary | |
| نمی‌گیرد | nemigirad | does not take (hold) dictionary |
| ze | from, of (= az) (از) | |
| هر | har | every dictionary |
| dar | in; door dictionary | |
| می‌دهم | midaham | I give dictionary |
| پندش | pandash | advice to it dictionary |
| ولیکن | valikan | but (ولی) |
| khodâ | God; khodâ râ = for God's sake dictionary | |
| ey | O (vocative) dictionary | |
| sâghar | cup dictionary | |
| و | va / o | and dictionary |
| mey | wine (شراب) dictionary | |
| گو | gu | say! tell! (= begu) (بگو) dictionary |
| naghshi | an image dictionary | |
| khiyâl-e | imagination, mind of dictionary | |
| ما | mâ | we, us; our dictionary |
| in | this dictionary | |
| khoshtar | sweeter, more pleasant dictionary | |
| biyâ | come! dictionary | |
| sâghi | cupbearer dictionary | |
| biyâvar | bring! dictionary | |
| bâde | wine dictionary | |
| rangin | colored; stained dictionary | |
| fekri | a thought dictionary | |
| darun | inside dictionary | |
| می‌کشم | mikesham | I drink (sorâhi keshidan = drink from the flask) dictionary |
| پنهان | penhân | hidden dictionary |
| مردم | mardom | people dictionary |
| daftar | book, notebook dictionary | |
| engârand | they suppose, imagine dictionary | |
| ajab | wonder, strange dictionary | |
| گر | gar | if (= agar) (اگر) dictionary |
| zargh | pretense, hypocrisy (ریا) dictionary | |
| من | man | I, me dictionary |
| bekhâham | I will dictionary | |
| sukhtan | to burn dictionary | |
| پیر | pir | elder; spiritual master dictionary |
| forushânash | (wine) sellers ... it dictionary | |
| be | to; for; with; in, by dictionary | |
| jâmi | a cup dictionary | |
| ân | that dictionary | |
| ru | face; z-ân ru = for that reason dictionary | |
| هست | hast | there is dictionary |
| یاران | yârân | friends dictionary |
| safâ-hâ | delights, clarity dictionary | |
| bâ | with dictionary | |
| لعلش | la'lash | its ruby (color) dictionary |
| gheyr | other than dictionary | |
| jowhar | substance, essence dictionary | |
| sar | head; sar be kuh dâdan = to send someone off wandering dictionary | |
| cheshmi | an eye, eyes dictionary | |
| چنین | chenin | such, so dictionary |
| to | you dictionary | |
| guyi | you say dictionary | |
| چشم | cheshm | eye dictionary |
| u | him / her (Persian does not mark gender) dictionary | |
| bar duz | sew shut! dictionary | |
| borow | go! dictionary | |
| کاین | k-in | that these (= ke in) (که این) |
| وعظ | va'z | sermon, preaching dictionary |
| bi-ma'ni | meaningless dictionary | |
| مرا | marâ | me; for me (= man râ) (من را / برای من) |
| rendân | free spirits, rogues who scorn hypocrisy dictionary | |
| hokm | command, control dictionary | |
| قضا | ghazâ | fate, divine decree dictionary |
| jang | fight, quarrel dictionary | |
| ast | is dictionary | |
| delash | his/her heart dictionary | |
| bas | much, many dictionary | |
| می‌بینم | mibinam | I see dictionary |
| مگر | magar | perhaps? could it be that? (in questions) dictionary |
| میان | miyân | waist dictionary |
| گریه | gerye | weeping dictionary |
| mikhandam | I laugh dictionary | |
| چون | chon | since, when; like dictionary |
| sham' | candle dictionary | |
| andar | in (= dar) (در) | |
| مجلس | majles | gathering, feast dictionary |
| zabân | tongue; language dictionary | |
| âtashinam | my fiery dictionary | |
| لیکن | likan | but (ولی) |
| چه | che | what; how much! dictionary |
| khosh | well, sweetly; pleasant dictionary | |
| seyd | prey; hunting dictionary | |
| kardi | you did dictionary | |
| مستت | mastat | your drunken dictionary |
| کس | kas | anyone; with negative: no one dictionary |
| مرغان | morghân-e | birds dictionary |
| vahshi | wild dictionary | |
| sokhan | speech, words dictionary | |
| ehtiyâj-e | need of dictionary | |
| esteghnâ-ye | self-sufficiency, aloofness of (بی‌نیازی) dictionary | |
| معشوق | ma'shugh | beloved dictionary |
| sud | profit, use dictionary | |
| afsungari | enchantment, charm dictionary | |
| del | heart dictionary | |
| delbar | heart-stealer, the beloved dictionary | |
| âyine | mirror dictionary | |
| dast | hand dictionary | |
| âram | I bring; be dast âram = I will obtain dictionary | |
| agar | if dictionary | |
| می‌گیرد | migirad | takes hold, catches fire dictionary |
| zamâni | for a while dictionary | |
| ور | var | and if, or (= va agar) (و اگر) |
| rahmi | some mercy dictionary | |
| کویت | kuyat | your street dictionary |
| dari | a door dictionary | |
| نمی‌داند | nemidânad | does not know dictionary |
| rahi | a road dictionary | |
| bedin | with this, in this (= be in) (با این) | |
| she'r-e | poetry dictionary | |
| tar-e | fresh, moist dictionary | |
| shâhanshah | king of kings (شاهنشاه) | |
| dâram | I have dictionary | |
| tâ | to, until; so that dictionary | |
| پای | pâ | foot; az pâ oftâdan = to collapse dictionary |
| Hâfez | Hafez, the poet's pen name (takhallos); literally "one who knows the Quran by heart" dictionary | |
| چرا | cherâ | why dictionary |
| zar | gold dictionary |
Persian text: Ganjoor (ganjoor.net), Hafez, ghazal 149. Transliteration, translation, glosses and reading: Learn Persian Online.
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