Ghazal 158 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.
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COUPLET 1
من و انکارِ شراب! این چه حکایت باشد؟غالباً این قَدَرَم عقل و کِفایت باشد
man o enkâr-e sharâb, in che hekâyat bâshad / ghâleban in ghadaram aghl o kefâyat bâshad
Me, deny wine? What kind of tale is that? Surely I have at least this much sense and judgment.
COUPLET 2
تا به غایت رهِ میخانه نمی‌دانستمور نه مستوری ما تا به چه غایت باشد
tâ be ghâyat rah-e meykhâne nemidânestam / var na masturi-ye mâ tâ be che ghâyat bâshad
Until now I did not know the way to the tavern; otherwise, how long would my abstinence have lasted?
COUPLET 3
زاهد و عجب و نماز و من و مستی و نیازتا تو را خود ز میان با که عنایت باشد
zâhed o ojb o namâz o man o masti o niyâz / tâ to râ khod ze miyân bâ ke enâyat bâshad
The ascetic with his vanity and his prayers, and I with my drunkenness and my need: let us see which of us has your favor.
COUPLET 4
زاهد ار راه به رندی نَبَرَد معذور استعشق کاری‌ست که موقوف هدایت باشد
zâhed ar râh be rendi nabarad ma'zur ast / eshgh kâri-st ke mowghuf-e hedâyat bâshad
If the ascetic cannot find his way to the free spirit's life, he is excused: love is something that depends on guidance from above.
COUPLET 5
من که شب‌ها رهِ تقوا زده‌ام با دف و چنگاین زمان سر به ره آرَم؟ چه حکایت باشد!
man ke shab-hâ rah-e taghvâ zade-am bâ daf o chang / in zamân sar be rah âram? che hekâyat bâshad!
I, who for so many nights have ambushed piety with tambourine and harp, should I now fall into line? What a tale that would be!
COUPLET 6
بندهٔ پیرِ مغانم که ز جهلم بِرَهانْدپیرِ ما هر چه کُنَد عینِ عنایت باشد
bande-ye pir-e moghânam ke ze jahlam berahânad / pir-e mâ har che konad eyn-e enâyat bâshad
I am the servant of the Magian elder, who freed me from my ignorance; whatever our elder does is pure grace.
COUPLET 7
دوش از این غصه نَخُفتَم که رفیقی می‌گفت«حافظ ار مست بُوَد جایِ شکایت باشد»
dush az in ghosse nakhoftam ke rafighi migoft / "Hâfez ar mast bovad jâ-ye shekâyat bâshad"
Last night I could not sleep for sorrow, because a friend was saying, "If Hafez is drunk, there is cause for complaint."
What this fâl tells you
This ghazal is honest about who you are and laughs at pretending otherwise. Tradition reads it as a sign to trust the guide who has helped you and not to worry about outward appearances. What matters is sincere need, not show; grace comes to the humble.
A traditional-style reading for reflection and enjoyment.
How this ghazal is built
radif: bâshad. qâfiye: -âyat (hekâyat, kefâyat, ghâyat, enâyat, hedâyat, shekâyat).
Key words
| Word | Say it | Meaning (modern Persian) |
|---|---|---|
| من | man | I, me dictionary |
| و | va / o | and dictionary |
| enkâr | denial dictionary | |
| sharâb | wine dictionary | |
| in | this dictionary | |
| چه | che | what; how much! dictionary |
| hekâyat | story, tale dictionary | |
| bâshad | may it be; bâshad ke = perhaps, so that maybe dictionary | |
| ghâleban | surely, most likely dictionary | |
| قدرم | ghadaram | (this) much ... I have dictionary |
| aghl | reason, intellect dictionary | |
| tâ | to, until; so that dictionary | |
| be | to; for; with; in, by dictionary | |
| rah | road, way (short for râh) (راه) | |
| میخانه | meykhâne | tavern dictionary |
| نمی‌دانستم | nemidânestam | I did not know dictionary |
| ور | var | and if; var na = otherwise (و اگر) |
| نه | na | not, no dictionary |
| ما | mâ | we, us; our dictionary |
| zâhed | ascetic, outwardly pious man dictionary | |
| ajab | wonder, strange dictionary | |
| نماز | namâz | ritual prayer dictionary |
| masti | intoxication dictionary | |
| نیاز | niyâz | need, humble longing dictionary |
| to | you dictionary | |
| khod | self; here "and indeed, after all" dictionary | |
| ze | from, of (= az) (از) | |
| میان | miyân | waist dictionary |
| bâ | with dictionary | |
| ar | if (= agar) (اگر) | |
| râh | way, road dictionary | |
| rendi | free-spirited life of the "rend" (a rogue who scorns hypocrisy) dictionary | |
| نبرد | nabarad | does not carry, does not win dictionary |
| ast | is dictionary | |
| کاری‌ست | kâri-st | is a matter (= kâri ast) dictionary |
| موقوف | mowghuf | dependent on dictionary |
| هدایت | hedâyat | (divine) guidance dictionary |
| shab-hâ | nights dictionary | |
| taghvâ | piety dictionary | |
| zade-am | I have struck; rah zadan = to ambush, rob dictionary | |
| چنگ | chang | harp dictionary |
| zamân | time dictionary | |
| sar | head; sar be kuh dâdan = to send someone off wandering dictionary | |
| âram | I bring; sar be rah âvardan = to come to one's senses dictionary | |
| bâshad | would be dictionary | |
| bande | servant; humble "I" dictionary | |
| پیر | pir | elder; spiritual master dictionary |
| jahlam | my ignorance dictionary | |
| هر | har | every dictionary |
| کند | konad | does; makes dictionary |
| eyn | the very essence of, pure dictionary | |
| dush | last night (دیشب) dictionary | |
| ghosse | sorrow, worry dictionary | |
| نخفتم | nakhoftam | I did not sleep (نخوابیدم) dictionary |
| rafighi | a friend dictionary | |
| می‌گفت | migoft | was saying dictionary |
| Hâfez | Hafez, the poet's pen name (takhallos); literally "one who knows the Quran by heart" dictionary | |
| مست | mast | drunk dictionary |
| bovad | is, will be (old form of bâshad) (باشد) dictionary | |
| jâ-ye | place of; be jâ-ye = toward, for (someone) (در حق) dictionary | |
| shekâyat | complaint dictionary |
Persian text: Ganjoor (ganjoor.net), Hafez, ghazal 158. Transliteration, translation, glosses and reading: Learn Persian Online.
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