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

Hafez Ghazal 160: ⁧خوش است خلوت اگر یار یار من باشد⁩

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

Ghazal 160 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
خوش است خلوت اگر یار یارِ من باشدنه من بسوزم و او شمعِ انجمن باشد
khosh ast khalvat agar yâr yâr-e man bâshad / na man besuzam o u sham'-e anjoman bâshad
Solitude is sweet if the beloved is mine alone, not that I burn while she is the candle of the whole gathering.
COUPLET 2
من آن نگینِ سلیمان به هیچ نَسْتانَمکه گاه گاه بر او دستِ اهرمن باشد
man ân negin-e soleymân be hich nastânam / ke gâh gâh bar u dast-e ahreman bâshad
I would not take Solomon's ring for anything, if now and then a demon's hand were on it.
COUPLET 3
روا مدار خدایا که در حریمِ وصالرقیب محرم و حِرمان نصیبِ من باشد
ravâ madâr khodâyâ ke dar harim-e vesâl / raghib mahram o hermân nasib-e man bâshad
O God, do not allow that in the sanctuary of union the rival is admitted while deprivation is my share.
COUPLET 4
هُمای گو مَفِکَن سایهٔ شرف هرگزدر آن دیار که طوطی کم از زَغَن باشد
homâ go mafekan sâye-ye sharaf hargez / dar ân diyâr ke tuti kam az zaghan bâshad
Tell the homa bird never to cast its noble shadow on a land where the parrot is valued less than the kite.
COUPLET 5
بیانِ شوق چه حاجت؟ که سوز آتش دلتوان شناخت ز سوزی که در سخن باشد
bayân-e showgh che hâjat ke suz-e âtash-e del / tavân shenâkht ze suzi ke dar sokhan bâshad
What need to explain longing? The burning of the heart's fire can be recognized from the burning in one's words.
COUPLET 6
هوایِ کویِ تو از سر نمی‌رود آریغریب را دلِ سرگشته با وطن باشد
havâ-ye kuy-e to az sar nemiravad, âri / gharib râ del-e sargashte bâ vatan bâshad
Longing for your street does not leave my head; yes, a stranger's wandering heart stays with his homeland.
COUPLET 7
به سانِ سوسن اگر دَه‌زبان شود حافظچو غنچه پیشِ تواش مُهر بر دهن باشد
be sân-e susan agar dah-zabân shavad Hâfez / cho ghonche pish-e to-ash mohr bar dahan bâshad
Even if Hafez had ten tongues like the lily, before you his mouth would stay sealed like a bud.

What this fâl tells you

This ghazal prefers a smaller, true thing over a grand one shared with the wrong people. Tradition reads it as a sign to value loyalty and a quiet place of your own, and to trust that sincere feeling shows itself without long speeches. A longing for home or for someone dear is natural and will find its way.

A traditional-style reading for reflection and enjoyment.

How this ghazal is built

radif: bâshad. qâfiye: -an (man, anjoman, ahreman, zaghan, sokhan, vatan, dahan). The homa's shadow was said to make whoever it fell on a king.

Key words

WordSay itMeaning (modern Persian)
khoshwell, sweetly; pleasant dictionary
astis dictionary
khalvatprivate room, solitude dictionary
agarif dictionary
یارyârbeloved; friend dictionary
منmanI, me dictionary
bâshadmay it be; bâshad ke = perhaps, so that maybe dictionary
نهnanot, no dictionary
besuzamI burn dictionary
وva / oand dictionary
uhim / her (Persian does not mark gender) dictionary
sham'candle dictionary
anjomangathering dictionary
ânthat dictionary
beto; for; with; in, by dictionary
هیچhichany; no dictionary
نستانمnastânamI would not take dictionary
گاهgâhtime; gâh gâh = now and then dictionary
baron, upon dictionary
dasthand dictionary
ravâallowed; ravâ madâr = do not allow dictionary
مدارmadârdo not have (old imperative of dâshtan) (نداشته باش) dictionary
khodâyâO God! dictionary
darin; door dictionary
harimprivate precinct dictionary
وصالvesâlunion with the beloved dictionary
raghibrival in love dictionary
نصیبnasib-ethe share of dictionary
homâthe homa, bird of good fortune (هما)
گوgusay! tell! (= begu) (بگو) dictionary
مفکنmafekando not cast (نینداز) dictionary
sâye-yeshadow of dictionary
sharafhonor, nobility dictionary
هرگزhargeznever dictionary
diyârland dictionary
کمkamseldom dictionary
bayân-eexpressing, explaining dictionary
showghlonging, eagerness dictionary
چهchewhat; how much! dictionary
hâjatneed (نیاز)
suzburning dictionary
delheart dictionary
tavânone can dictionary
shenâkhtto recognize (tavân shenâkht = one can recognize) dictionary
zefrom, of (= az) (از)
suzia burning dictionary
sokhanspeech, words dictionary
هوایhavâ-yelonging for dictionary
کویku-yestreet, quarter (of) (کوچه)
toyou dictionary
sarhead; sar be kuh dâdan = to send someone off wandering dictionary
نمی‌رودnemiravaddoes not go dictionary
gharibstranger, someone far from home dictionary
bâwith dictionary
وطنvatanhomeland dictionary
shavadbecomes dictionary
HâfezHafez, the poet's pen name (takhallos); literally "one who knows the Quran by heart" dictionary
چوchosince, when; like (= chon) (چون)
ghonchebud dictionary
پیشpishin the eyes of, for dictionary
مهرmehrlove, kindness dictionary
dahanmouth (دهان)

Persian text: Ganjoor (ganjoor.net), Hafez, ghazal 160. 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