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

Hafez Ghazal 18: ⁧ساقیا آمدن عید مبارک بادت⁩

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

Ghazal 18 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
ساقیا آمدنِ عید مبارک بادتوان مَواعید که کردی مَرَوَد از یادت
sâghiyâ âmadan-e eyd mobârak bâdat / v-ân mavâ'id ke kardi maravad az yâdat
Cupbearer, may the coming of the Eid be blessed for you, and may the promises you made never slip from your mind.
COUPLET 2
در شگفتم که در این مدّتِ ایّامِ فِراقبرگرفتی ز حریفان دل و دل می‌دادت
dar shegeftam ke dar in moddat-e ayyâm-e ferâgh / bar gerefti ze harifân del o del midâdat
I am amazed that in all these days apart you could take your heart away from your companions, and that your heart let you.
COUPLET 3
برسان بندگیِ دختر رَز، گو به درآیکه دَم و همّت ما کرد ز بند، آزادت
beresân bandegi-ye dokhtar-e raz, gu be dar ây / ke dam o hemmat-e mâ kard ze band âzâdat
Give my respects to the daughter of the vine and tell her: "Come out, for our breath and our prayers have set you free."
COUPLET 4
شادی مجلسیان در قدم و مقدم توستجای غم باد، مَر آن دل که نخواهد شادت
shâdi-ye majlesiyân dar ghadam o maghdam-e to-st / jâ-ye gham bâd mar ân del ke nakhâhad shâdat
The joy of the gathering lies in your footsteps and your arrival; may the heart that does not wish you happy be a home for sorrow.
COUPLET 5
شکر ایزد که ز تاراجِ خزان رخنه نیافتبوستانِ سمن و سرو و گل و شمشادت
shokr-e izad ke ze târâj-e khazân rakhne nayâft / bustân-e saman o sarv o gol o shemshâdat
Thank God, autumn's plunder found no gap into your garden of jasmine, cypress, rose and boxwood.
COUPLET 6
چشمِ بد دور کز آن تفرقه‌ات بازآوردطالعِ ناموَر و دولتِ مادرزادت
cheshm-e bad dur k-az ân tafraghe-at bâz âvard / tâle'-e nâmvar o dowlat-e mâdar-zâdat
May the evil eye stay far: your famous star and the good fortune you were born with have brought you back from that scattering.
COUPLET 7
حافظ از دست مده دولت این کشتی نوحور نه طوفانِ حوادث بِبَرَد بُنیادت
Hâfez az dast made dowlat-e in kashti-ye nuh / var na tufân-e havâdes bebarad bonyâdat
Hafez, do not let go of the good fortune of this Noah's ark, or the flood of events will sweep away your foundations.

What this fâl tells you

A friend or a joy that was absent is returning, and the season of celebration is near. Tradition reads this fal as a time to give thanks: the storm passed without ruining your garden. Hold on to the safe ship you have found and remind others gently of their promises.

A traditional-style reading for reflection and enjoyment.

How this ghazal is built

radif: -at ("you, your"; bâdat, yâdat, âzâdat). qâfiye: -âd (bâd, yâd, dâd, âzâd, shâd, shemshâd, zâd, bonyâd). Written for the end of Ramadan, when the wine was let out again.

Key words

WordSay itMeaning (modern Persian)
sâghiyâO cupbearer (sâghi + vocative -â) dictionary
âmadancoming, arrival dictionary
eydfeast dictionary
مبارکmobârakblessed, happy (eyd mobârak = happy Eid) dictionary
bâdatmay it be for you dictionary
وانv-ânand the one (= va ân) (و آن) dictionary
مواعیدmavâ'idpromises (Arabic plural) (وعده‌ها)
kardiyou made dictionary
مرودmaravadmay it not go (نرود) dictionary
یادتyâdatyour memory, your mind dictionary
darin; door dictionary
shegeftamI am amazed (dar shegeft = in wonder) dictionary
inthis dictionary
ayyâmdays, times dictionary
zefrom, of (= az) (از)
harifâncompanions, drinking friends dictionary
delheart dictionary
وva / oand dictionary
می‌دادتmidâdatwas letting you, allowed you (del dâdan = to have the heart for) dictionary
beresândeliver! take! dictionary
dokhtardaughter; dokhtar-e raz = daughter of the vine, wine dictionary
گوgusay! tell! (= begu) (بگو) dictionary
beto; for; with; in, by dictionary
dammoment; breath dictionary
ماmâwe, us; our dictionary
کردkarddo (with tavân: can do) dictionary
bandrope, bond dictionary
âzâdatyou free dictionary
shâdijoy dictionary
مجلسیانmajlesiyânpeople of the gathering dictionary
قدمghadamstep dictionary
tu-stis (fold upon) fold dictionary
jâ-yeplace of; be jâ-ye = toward, for (someone) (در حق) dictionary
ghamsorrow, grief dictionary
bâdwind dictionary
ânthat dictionary
نخواهدnakhâhadwill not dictionary
shâdatyou happy dictionary
shokrthanks; shokr-e izad = thank God dictionary
izadGod dictionary
târâjplunder dictionary
khazânautumn (پاییز) dictionary
نیافتnayâftdid not find dictionary
bustângarden (here of paradise) dictionary
sarvcypress (image of a tall beloved) dictionary
گلgolrose; flower dictionary
چشمcheshmeye dictionary
badbad dictionary
dowrturn; the passing round of the cup; the age dictionary
کزk-azthat from (= ke az) (که از)
tafraghe-atyour scattering, your being dispersed dictionary
tâle'horoscope, fate, fortune (بخت) dictionary
dowlatgood fortune (classical sense) (اقبال) dictionary
مادرزادتmâdar-zâdatyou were born with, inborn dictionary
HâfezHafez, the poet's pen name (takhallos); literally "one who knows the Quran by heart" dictionary
dasthand dictionary
مدهmadedo not give! (نده) dictionary
keshtiship, ark dictionary
ورvarand if (= va agar) (و اگر)
نهnanot, no dictionary
tufânflood, storm dictionary
havâdesevents, misfortunes dictionary
bebordtook away; az yâd bordan = to forget (برد) dictionary
bonyâdatyour foundation dictionary

Persian text: Ganjoor (ganjoor.net), Hafez, ghazal 18. 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