Ghazal 207 of Hafez (9 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
یاد باد آن که سرِ کویِ توام منزل بوددیده را روشنی از خاکِ درت حاصل بود
yâd bâd ân ke sar-e ku-ye to-am manzel bud / dide râ rowshani az khâk-e darat hâsel bud
May it be remembered, the time when the head of your street was my home, and my eyes took their light from the dust of your door.
COUPLET 2
راست چون سوسن و گل از اثرِ صحبتِ پاکبر زبان بود مرا آن‌چه تو را در دل بود
râst chon susan o gol az asar-e sohbat-e pâk / bar zabân bud marâ ân che to râ dar del bud
Truly, like the lily and the rose, through the touch of pure companionship, whatever was in your heart was on my tongue.
COUPLET 3
دل چو از پیرِ خِرَد نَقلِ مَعانی می‌کردعشق می‌گفت به شرح آن‌چه بر او مشکل بود
del cho az pir-e kherad naghl-e ma'âni mikard / eshgh migoft be sharh ân che bar u moshkel bud
When the heart was learning meanings from old Reason, Love would explain in full whatever it found hard.
COUPLET 4
آه از آن جور و تَطاول که در این دامگَه استآه از آن سوز و نیازی که در آن محفل بود
âh az ân jowr o tatâvol ke dar in dâmgah ast / âh az ân suz o niyâzi ke dar ân mahfel bud
Alas for the cruelty and oppression in this world of traps; alas for the burning and longing that filled that gathering.
COUPLET 5
در دلم بود که بی‌دوست نباشم هرگزچه توان کرد؟ که سعیِ من و دل باطل بود
dar delam bud ke bi dust nabâsham hargez / che tavân kard ke sa'y-e man o del bâtel bud
I had it in my heart never to be without the friend; what can be done? My efforts and my heart's were in vain.
COUPLET 6
دوش بر یادِ حریفان به خرابات شدمخُمِ مِی دیدم، خون در دل و پا در گل بود
dush bar yâd-e harifân be kharâbât shodam / khom-e mey didam, khun dar del o pâ dar gel bud
Last night, remembering old companions, I went to the tavern: I saw the wine jar, its heart full of blood and its feet stuck in clay.
COUPLET 7
بس بِگَشتَم که بپرسم سببِ دردِ فِراقمفتیِ عقل در این مسأله لایَعْقِل بود
bas begashtam ke beporsam sabab-e dard-e ferâgh / mofti-ye aghl dar in mas'ale lâ-ya'ghel bud
I searched a long time to ask the cause of the pain of separation; on this question, the jurist Reason was out of his wits.
COUPLET 8
راستی خاتمِ فیروزهٔ بواسحاقیخوش درخشید ولی دولتِ مُستَعجِل بود
râsti khâtam-e firuze-ye bu-eshâghi / khosh derakhshid vali dowlat-e mosta'jel bud
Truly, the turquoise seal ring of Abu Ishaq shone beautifully, but its good fortune was hasty and brief.
COUPLET 9
دیدی آن قهقههٔ کبکِ خِرامان حافظ؟که ز سرپنجهٔ شاهینِ قضا غافل بود
didi ân ghahghahe-ye kabk-e khorâmân Hâfez / ke ze sarpanje-ye shâhin-e ghazâ ghâfel bud
Hafez, did you see that strutting partridge laughing aloud, unaware of the claws of the falcon of fate?
What this fâl tells you
This ghazal looks back on good days with gratitude and some sadness. Tradition reads this fal as advice to treasure good company and good fortune while they are here, and to use them with care rather than strut like the careless partridge. Stay thankful and alert, and the light of the friend's door stays with you.
A traditional-style reading for reflection and enjoyment.
How this ghazal is built
radif: bud ("was"). qâfiye: -el (manzel, hâsel, del, moshkel, mahfel, bâtel, gel, lâ-ya'ghel, mosta'jel, ghâfel). Beyt 8 recalls Shah Abu Ishaq Inju, Hafez's patron in Shiraz, whose rule ended in 1357.
Key words
| Word | Say it | Meaning (modern Persian) |
|---|---|---|
| یاد | yâd | memory dictionary |
| bâd | may it be; yâd bâd = may it be remembered dictionary | |
| ân | that dictionary | |
| sar | head; sar be kuh dâdan = to send someone off wandering dictionary | |
| کوی | ku-ye | street, quarter (of) (کوچه) |
| to-am | your (street) ... my (to + -am) dictionary | |
| منزل | manzel | stopping place, lodging; house dictionary |
| bud | was dictionary | |
| dide | eye (چشم) | |
| rowshani | light, brightness dictionary | |
| khâk | dust, earth dictionary | |
| darat | your door dictionary | |
| hâsel | achieved, obtained dictionary | |
| râst | truly, just so dictionary | |
| چون | chon | since, when; like dictionary |
| و | va / o | and dictionary |
| گل | gol | rose; flower dictionary |
| asar | effect, influence dictionary | |
| sohbat | company, companionship (classical sense) dictionary | |
| پاک | pâk | pure dictionary |
| bar | on, upon dictionary | |
| zabân | tongue; language dictionary | |
| مرا | marâ | me; for me (= man râ) (من را / برای من) |
| ân che | what, whatever dictionary | |
| to | you dictionary | |
| dar | in; door dictionary | |
| del | heart dictionary | |
| چو | cho | since, when; like (= chon) (چون) |
| پیر | pir | elder; spiritual master dictionary |
| kherad | reason, wisdom dictionary | |
| نقل | naghl | relating, transmitting; naghl-e ma'âni kardan = to learn meanings dictionary |
| ma'âni | meanings dictionary | |
| می‌کرد | mikard | was doing, kept doing dictionary |
| می‌گفت | migoft | was saying dictionary |
| be | to; for; with; in, by dictionary | |
| sharh | explanation; be sharh = in detail dictionary | |
| u | him / her (Persian does not mark gender) dictionary | |
| مشکل | moshkel | hard, difficult dictionary |
| tatâvol | oppression, overreaching (ستم) | |
| in | this dictionary | |
| dâmgah | place of traps: this world (دامگاه) | |
| ast | is dictionary | |
| suz | burning dictionary | |
| niyâzi | longing, need dictionary | |
| محفل | mahfel | gathering dictionary |
| delam | my heart dictionary | |
| نباشم | nabâsham | I would not be dictionary |
| هرگز | hargez | never dictionary |
| چه | che | what; how much! dictionary |
| tavân | one can dictionary | |
| کرد | kard | do (with tavân: can do) dictionary |
| sa'y | effort dictionary | |
| من | man | I, me dictionary |
| bâtel | vain, futile dictionary | |
| dush | last night (دیشب) dictionary | |
| harifân | companions dictionary | |
| shodam | I became dictionary | |
| mey | wine (شراب) dictionary | |
| didam | I saw dictionary | |
| khun | blood dictionary | |
| پا | pâ | foot; pâ dar gel = stuck, helpless dictionary |
| گل | gel | mud, clay dictionary |
| bas | much, many dictionary | |
| begashtam | I searched, I went around dictionary | |
| beporsam | I ask dictionary | |
| sabab | reason dictionary | |
| aghl | reason, intellect dictionary | |
| khâtam | seal ring dictionary | |
| khosh | well, sweetly; pleasant dictionary | |
| derakhshid | shone dictionary | |
| vali | but dictionary | |
| dowlat | good fortune (classical sense) (اقبال) dictionary | |
| didi | you saw dictionary | |
| قهقههٔ | ghahghahe | loud laughter; the partridge's call dictionary |
| Hâfez | Hafez, the poet's pen name (takhallos); literally "one who knows the Quran by heart" dictionary | |
| ze | from, of (= az) (از) | |
| shâhin | falcon dictionary | |
| قضا | ghazâ | fate, divine decree dictionary |
Persian text: Ganjoor (ganjoor.net), Hafez, ghazal 207. Transliteration, translation, glosses and reading: Learn Persian Online.
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