Ghazal 181 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
بعد از این دستِ من و دامنِ آن سروِ بلندکه به بالای چَمان از بُن و بیخَم بَرکَنْد
ba'd az in dast-e man o dâman-e ân sarv-e boland / ke be bâlâ-ye chamân az bon o bikham barkand
From now on my hand will hold the hem of that tall cypress, who with a swaying stature has torn me out by the roots.
COUPLET 2
حاجتِ مطرب و مِی نیست تو بُرقَع بِگُشاکه به رقص آوَرَدَم آتشِ رویت چو سپند
hâjat-e motreb o mey nist, to borgha' begoshâ / ke be raghs âvaradam âtash-e ruyat cho sepand
There is no need for musician or wine: just lift your veil, for the fire of your face makes me dance like rue seed in the flame.
COUPLET 3
هیچ رویی نشود آینهٔ حجلهٔ بختمگر آن روی که مالَند در آن سُمِّ سمند
hich ruyi nashavad âyene-ye hejle-ye bakht / magar ân ruy ke mâland dar ân som-e samand
No face becomes the mirror in fortune's bridal chamber except the face that has been rubbed against that horse's hoof.
COUPLET 4
گفتم اسرارِ غمت هر چه بُوَد گو می‌باشصبر از این بیش ندارم چه کنم تا کی و چند؟
goftam asrâr-e ghamat har che bovad gu mibâsh / sabr az in bish nadâram, che konam, tâ key o chand
I said: let the secrets of your sorrow be whatever they may be; I have no more patience. What can I do? Until when, and how much longer?
COUPLET 5
مَکُش آن آهویِ مُشکینِ مرا ای صیّادشرم از آن چشمِ سیه دار و مَبَندَش به کمند
makosh ân âhu-ye moshkin-e marâ ey sayyâd / sharm az ân cheshm-e siyah dâr o mabandash be kamand
Hunter, do not kill that musky gazelle of mine: have some shame before those black eyes, and do not catch it in your lasso.
COUPLET 6
منِ خاکی که از این در نَتَوانَم برخاستاز کجا بوسه زنم بر لبِ آن قصرِ بلند؟
man-e khâki ke az in dar natavânam barkhâst / az kojâ buse zanam bar lab-e ân ghasr-e boland
I am only dust and cannot rise from this doorway: how could I ever kiss the edge of that high palace?
COUPLET 7
بازمَستان دل از آن گیسویِ مُشکین حافظزان که دیوانه همان به که بُوَد اندر بند
bâz mastân del az ân gisu-ye moshkin Hâfez / z-ân ke divâne hamân beh ke bovad andar band
Hafez, do not take your heart back from those musky tresses: a madman is better kept in chains.
What this fâl tells you
Your heart has already chosen, and this fal tells you to hold on to the hem of what you love. Tradition reads it as a sign that humility opens doors that pride cannot. If patience feels thin, remember that some ties are worth keeping even when they bind.
A traditional-style reading for reflection and enjoyment.
How this ghazal is built
radif: none. qâfiye: -and (boland, barkand, sepand, samand, chand, kamand, band).
Key words
| Word | Say it | Meaning (modern Persian) |
|---|---|---|
| ba'd | after; ba'd az in = from now on dictionary | |
| in | this dictionary | |
| dast | hand dictionary | |
| من | man | I, me dictionary |
| و | va / o | and dictionary |
| ân | that dictionary | |
| sarv | cypress (image of a tall beloved) dictionary | |
| boland | high; famous dictionary | |
| be | to; for; with; in, by dictionary | |
| bâlâ | stature, height dictionary | |
| bon | root, base dictionary | |
| bikham | my root dictionary | |
| barkanad | uproots dictionary | |
| hâjat | need (نیاز) | |
| mey | wine (شراب) dictionary | |
| نیست | nist | is not; there is not dictionary |
| to | you dictionary | |
| begoshâ | open! lift! dictionary | |
| raghs | dance dictionary | |
| âvaradam | brings me dictionary | |
| ruyat | your face dictionary | |
| چو | cho | since, when; like (= chon) (چون) |
| sepand | wild rue seed, burned against the evil eye (اسفند) | |
| هیچ | hich | any; no dictionary |
| ruyi | a face, any face dictionary | |
| نشود | nashavad | does not become dictionary |
| âyene | mirror (آیینه) | |
| hejle | bridal chamber dictionary | |
| bakht | fortune, luck dictionary | |
| مگر | magar | perhaps? could it be that? (in questions) dictionary |
| ru-ye | face of (ezafe) (چهره) dictionary | |
| مالند | mâland | they rub dictionary |
| dar | in; door dictionary | |
| som | hoof dictionary | |
| samand | horse, the beloved's steed dictionary | |
| گفتم | goftam | I said dictionary |
| asrâr | secrets dictionary | |
| ghamat | your grief dictionary | |
| هر | har | every dictionary |
| چه | che | what; how much! dictionary |
| bovad | is, will be (old form of bâshad) (باشد) dictionary | |
| گو | gu | say! tell! (= begu) (بگو) dictionary |
| می‌باش | mibâsh | let it be, be! dictionary |
| sabr | patience dictionary | |
| bish | more; bish nist = is no more than dictionary | |
| ندارم | nadâram | I do not have; dast az chizi nadâshtan = not to give something up dictionary |
| کنم | konam | I make, I do dictionary |
| tâ | to, until; so that dictionary | |
| چند | chand | har chand = although, however much dictionary |
| مکش | makosh | do not kill! dictionary |
| âhu-ye | the gazelle of dictionary | |
| مرا | marâ | me; for me (= man râ) (من را / برای من) |
| ey | O (vocative) dictionary | |
| sharm | shame dictionary | |
| چشم | cheshm | eye dictionary |
| siyah | black (سیاه) | |
| dâr | keep! hold! (imperative of dâshtan) dictionary | |
| مبندش | mabandash | do not bind it! dictionary |
| کمند | kamand | lasso dictionary |
| khâki | of dust, earthly dictionary | |
| نتوانم | natavânam | I cannot dictionary |
| barkhâst | rise dictionary | |
| کجا | kojâ | where; how? (rhetorical) dictionary |
| buse | kiss dictionary | |
| zanam | I strike; buse zanam = I kiss dictionary | |
| bar | on, upon dictionary | |
| لب | lab | lip; edge, rim dictionary |
| قصر | ghasr | palace dictionary |
| del | heart dictionary | |
| Hâfez | Hafez, the poet's pen name (takhallos); literally "one who knows the Quran by heart" dictionary | |
| z-ân | from that (= az ân) (از آن) | |
| divâne | madman dictionary | |
| همان | hamân | the same dictionary |
| beh ke | it is better that (= beh ke) (بهتر است که) | |
| andar | in (= dar) (در) | |
| band | rope, bond dictionary |
Persian text: Ganjoor (ganjoor.net), Hafez, ghazal 181. Transliteration, translation, glosses and reading: Learn Persian Online.
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