Ghazal 16 of Hafez (11 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
خَمی که ابرویِ شوخِ تو در کمان انداختبه قصد جانِ منِ زارِ ناتوان انداخت
khami ke abru-ye shukh-e to dar kamân andâkht / be ghasd-e jân-e man-e zâr-e nâtavân andâkht
The curve that your playful eyebrow bent into its bow was aimed at the life of weak, wretched me.
COUPLET 2
نبود نقش دو عالَم، که رنگ الفت بودزمانه طرح محبّت، نه این زمان انداخت
nabud naghsh-e do âlam ke rang-e olfat bud / zamâne tarh-e mohabbat na in zamân andâkht
The color of affection was there before the pattern of the two worlds existed; time did not lay the plan of love just now.
COUPLET 3
به یک کرشمه که نرگس به خودفروشی کردفریبِ چشمِ تو صد فتنه در جهان انداخت
be yek kereshme ke narges be khod-forushi kard / farib-e cheshm-e to sad fetne dar jahân andâkht
The narcissus made one flirtatious gesture to show itself off, and the charm of your eyes threw a hundred troubles into the world.
COUPLET 4
شراب‌خورده و خِوی‌کرده می‌رَوی به چمنکه آبِ روی تو آتش در ارغوان انداخت
sharâb-khorde o khey-karde miravi be chaman / ke âb-e ru-ye to âtash dar arghavân andâkht
Flushed with wine and glistening with sweat you walk into the meadow, and the glow of your face sets the redbud on fire.
COUPLET 5
به بزمگاهِ چمن، دوش، مست، بگذشتمچو از دهانِ تواَم غنچه در گُمان انداخت
be bazmgâh-e chaman dush mast bogzashtam / cho az dahân-e to-am ghonche dar gomân andâkht
Last night I passed drunk by the meadow's feast, when a rosebud made me think of your mouth.
COUPLET 6
بنفشه طُرِّهٔ مفتول خود گره می‌زدصبا حکایتِ زلفِ تو در میان انداخت
banafshe torre-ye maftul-e khod gereh mizad / sabâ hekâyat-e zolf-e to dar miyân andâkht
The violet was tying knots in its curled lock, when the breeze brought up the story of your hair.
COUPLET 7
ز شَرمِ آن که به روی تو نسبتش کردمسمن به دستِ صبا، خاک در دهان انداخت
ze sharm-e ân ke be ru-ye to nesbatash kardam / saman be dast-e sabâ khâk dar dahân andâkht
Ashamed that I had compared it to your face, the jasmine threw dust in its own mouth with the breeze's hand.
COUPLET 8
من از ورع، مِی و مطرب ندیدمی زین پیشهوای مغبچگانم در این و آن انداخت
man az vara' mey o motreb nadidami z-in pish / havâ-ye moghbachegânam dar in o ân andâkht
Out of piety I had never seen wine or musicians before; longing for the young Magians threw me into all this.
COUPLET 9
کنون به آبِ میِ لعل، خرقه می‌شویَمنصیبهٔ ازل از خود نمی‌توان انداخت
konun be âb-e mey-e la'l khergheh mishuyam / nasibe-ye azal az khod nemitavân andâkht
Now I wash my Sufi cloak in ruby wine: no one can throw off the share given them before time.
COUPLET 10
مگر گشایشِ حافظ در این خرابی بودکه بخششِ ازلش، در میِ مغان انداخت
magar goshâyesh-e Hâfez dar in kharâbi bud / ke bakhshesh-e azalash dar mey-e moghân andâkht
Perhaps Hafez's release lay in this ruin, since the gift of eternity cast him into the wine of the Magians.
COUPLET 11
جهان به کامِ من اکنون شود که دورِ زمانمرا به بندگیِ خواجهٔ جهان انداخت
jahân be kâm-e man aknun shavad ke dowr-e zamân / marâ be bandegi-ye khâje-ye jahân andâkht
Now the world will go my way, for the turn of time has placed me in the service of the master of the world.
What this fâl tells you
Love was written into your story long before today, so do not fight the path that is truly yours. Tradition reads this fal as a sign that what looked like a fall or a ruin may become your opening. Accept your share with grace; the turn of time is bringing you into good service and the world may soon go your way.
A traditional-style reading for reflection and enjoyment.
How this ghazal is built
radif: andâkht ("threw, cast"). qâfiye: -ân (kamân, nâtavân, zamân, jahân, arghavân, gomân, miyân, dahân, ân, nemitavân, moghân).
Key words
| Word | Say it | Meaning (modern Persian) |
|---|---|---|
| abru-ye | eyebrow of dictionary | |
| shukh | playful, bold dictionary | |
| to | you dictionary | |
| dar | in; door dictionary | |
| andâkht | threw dictionary | |
| be | to; for; with; in, by dictionary | |
| قصد | ghasd | intent; ghasd kardan = to head for dictionary |
| jân | life, soul dictionary | |
| من | man | I, me dictionary |
| zâr | weeping, miserable dictionary | |
| ناتوان | nâtavân | weak, helpless dictionary |
| نبود | nabvad | is not (old form) (نیست / نباشد) dictionary |
| نقش | naghsh | image, shape dictionary |
| do | two dictionary | |
| âlam | world dictionary | |
| rang | color dictionary | |
| bud | was, existed dictionary | |
| tarh | design, plan; tarh andâkhtan = to lay a plan dictionary | |
| محبت | mohabbat | love, affection dictionary |
| نه | na | not, no dictionary |
| in | this dictionary | |
| zamân | time dictionary | |
| یک | yek | one dictionary |
| کرشمه | kereshme | flirtatious glance, coquetry (عشوه) |
| نرگس | narges | narcissus (image of the beloved's languid eye) dictionary |
| کرد | kard | do (with tavân: can do) dictionary |
| فریب | farib | deceit, trick dictionary |
| چشم | cheshm | eye dictionary |
| sad | hundred dictionary | |
| فتنه | fetne | turmoil, strife dictionary |
| jahân | world dictionary | |
| و | va / o | and dictionary |
| miravi | you go dictionary | |
| چمن | chaman | meadow, lawn dictionary |
| âb | water; stream dictionary | |
| ru-ye | face of (ezafe) (چهره) dictionary | |
| dush | last night (دیشب) dictionary | |
| مست | mast | drunk dictionary |
| bogzashtam | I passed by (گذشتم) dictionary | |
| چو | cho | since, when; like (= chon) (چون) |
| dahân | mouth dictionary | |
| to-am | of you (the -am belongs to andâkht: it cast me) dictionary | |
| ghonche | bud, rosebud dictionary | |
| گمان | gomân | thought, suspicion; dar gomân andâkht = made me think dictionary |
| torre | lock of hair, curl dictionary | |
| مفتول | maftul | twisted, curled dictionary |
| khod | self; here "and indeed, after all" dictionary | |
| می‌زد | mizad | was making (gereh zadan = to tie a knot) dictionary |
| sabâ | the morning breeze, which carries messages between lovers in poetry (نسیم صبح) | |
| hekâyat | tale dictionary | |
| zolf | curl, lock of hair dictionary | |
| میان | miyân | waist dictionary |
| ze | from, of (= az) (از) | |
| sharm | shame dictionary | |
| ân | that dictionary | |
| نسبتش | nesbatash | comparing it; nesbat kardan = to compare dictionary |
| کردم | kardam | I did, I made dictionary |
| dast | hand dictionary | |
| khâk | dust, earth dictionary | |
| mey | wine (شراب) dictionary | |
| nadidami | I used not to see (ندیده بودم) dictionary | |
| z-in | from this (= az in); z-in pish = before this (از این) | |
| پیش | pish | in the eyes of, for dictionary |
| havâ-ye | longing for, desire for dictionary | |
| کنون | konun | now (اکنون) |
| لعل | la'l | ruby; lab-e la'l = ruby lips dictionary |
| kherghe | dervish's cloak, Sufi robe dictionary | |
| می‌شویم | mishuyam | I wash dictionary |
| نصیبهٔ | nasibe | share, lot dictionary |
| نمی‌توان | nemitavân | one cannot dictionary |
| مگر | magar | perhaps? could it be that? (in questions) dictionary |
| Hâfez | Hafez, the poet's pen name (takhallos); literally "one who knows the Quran by heart" dictionary | |
| bakhshesh | gift, grace dictionary | |
| کام | kâm | wish, desire; be kâm = as one wishes dictionary |
| aknun | now (حالا) dictionary | |
| shavad | becomes dictionary | |
| dowr | turn; the passing round of the cup; the age dictionary | |
| مرا | marâ | me; for me (= man râ) (من را / برای من) |
| khâje | master, lord dictionary |
Persian text: Ganjoor (ganjoor.net), Hafez, ghazal 16. Transliteration, translation, glosses and reading: Learn Persian Online.
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