Ghazal 208 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
خستگان را چو طلب باشد و قُوَّت نَبُوَدگر تو بیداد کنی شرطِ مُروَّت نَبُوَد
khastegân râ cho talab bâshad o ghovvat nabvad / gar to bidâd koni shart-e morovvat nabvad
When the weary have the desire but not the strength, treating them unjustly is not the way of kindness.
COUPLET 2
ما جفا از تو ندیدیم و تو خود نَپْسَندیآنچه در مذهبِ اربابِ طریقت نبود
mâ jafâ az to nadidim o to khod napasandi / ân che dar mazhab-e arbâb-e tarighat nabvad
We have seen no cruelty from you, and surely you would not approve of what is not allowed in the creed of the masters of the Path.
COUPLET 3
خیره آن دیده که آبش نَبَرَد گریهٔ عشقتیره آن دل که در او شمعِ محبت نبود
khire ân dide ke âbash nabarad gerye-ye eshgh / tire ân del ke dar u sham'-e mohabbat nabvad
Dull is the eye whose water is never drawn out by love's weeping; dark is the heart with no candle of love inside it.
COUPLET 4
دولت از مرغِ همایون طلب و سایهٔ اوزان که با زاغ و زَغَن شَهپَرِ دولت نبود
dowlat az morgh-e homâyun talab o sâye-ye u / z-ân ke bâ zâgh o zaghan shahpar-e dowlat nabvad
Seek good fortune from the blessed bird, the Homa, and its shadow, for crows and kites do not have the wings of fortune.
COUPLET 5
گر مدد خواستم از پیرِ مُغان عیب مکنشیخ ما گفت که در صومعه همّت نبود
gar madad khâstam az pir-e moghân eyb makon / sheykh-e mâ goft ke dar sowme'e hemmat nabvad
If I asked the elder of the Magi for help, do not blame me: our own sheikh said there is no spiritual power in the cloister.
COUPLET 6
چون طهارت نَبُوَد کعبه و بتخانه یکیستنَبُوَد خیر در آن خانه که عصمت نبود
chon tahârat nabvad ka'be o botkhâne yekist / nabvad kheyr dar ân khâne ke esmat nabvad
Without purity, the Kaaba and the idol temple are the same; there is no good in a house that has no virtue.
COUPLET 7
حافظا علم و ادب ورز که در مجلسِ شاههر که را نیست ادب لایقِ صحبت نبود
Hâfezâ elm o adab varz ke dar majles-e shâh / har ke râ nist adab lâyegh-e sohbat nabvad
Hafez, cultivate learning and good manners, for at the king's gathering whoever lacks manners is not fit for company.
What this fâl tells you
Be gentle with those weaker than you, and look for help from a generous and blessed source, not from those who only look the part. Tradition reads this fal as a call to inner sincerity over outward show, and to courtesy and learning, which open the doors you are hoping for.
A traditional-style reading for reflection and enjoyment.
How this ghazal is built
radif: nabvad ("is not"). qâfiye: -at (ghovvat, morovvat, tarighat, mohabbat, dowlat, hemmat, esmat, sohbat).
Key words
| Word | Say it | Meaning (modern Persian) |
|---|---|---|
| khastegân | the weary, the wounded dictionary | |
| چو | cho | since, when; like (= chon) (چون) |
| talab | request, search dictionary | |
| bâshad | may it be; bâshad ke = perhaps, so that maybe dictionary | |
| و | va / o | and dictionary |
| قوت | ghovvat | strength (قدرت) dictionary |
| نبود | nabvad | is not (old form) (نیست / نباشد) dictionary |
| گر | gar | if (= agar) (اگر) dictionary |
| to | you dictionary | |
| bidâd | injustice, cruelty (ستم) dictionary | |
| koni | you do, you make dictionary | |
| shart | condition; the proper rule dictionary | |
| مروت | morovvat | generosity, humane kindness dictionary |
| ما | mâ | we, us; our dictionary |
| jafâ | cruelty, unkindness dictionary | |
| ندیدیم | nadidim | we did not see dictionary |
| khod | self; here "and indeed, after all" dictionary | |
| napasandi | you would not approve dictionary | |
| ân che | what, whatever dictionary | |
| dar | in; door dictionary | |
| مذهب | mazhab | creed, religion dictionary |
| arbâb | lords, masters dictionary | |
| tarighat | the (Sufi) Path dictionary | |
| khire | dim, dull dictionary | |
| ân | that dictionary | |
| dide | eye (چشم) | |
| âbash | its water (tears) dictionary | |
| نبرد | nabarad | does not carry, does not win dictionary |
| گریهٔ | gerye | weeping dictionary |
| tire | dark dictionary | |
| del | heart dictionary | |
| u | him / her (Persian does not mark gender) dictionary | |
| sham' | candle dictionary | |
| محبت | mohabbat | love, affection dictionary |
| dowlat | good fortune (classical sense) (اقبال) dictionary | |
| مرغ | morgh | bird dictionary |
| همایون | homâyun | blessed; morgh-e homâyun = the Homa, bird of good fortune dictionary |
| sâye | shade, shadow dictionary | |
| z-ân | from that (= az ân) (از آن) | |
| bâ | with dictionary | |
| zâgh | crow dictionary | |
| مدد | madad | help dictionary |
| khâstam | I asked for dictionary | |
| پیر | pir | elder; spiritual master dictionary |
| eyb | fault, flaw dictionary | |
| مکن | makon | do not do! (نکن) dictionary |
| sheykh | sheikh, religious elder dictionary | |
| گفت | goft | say (with natavân: cannot say); said dictionary |
| sowme'e | cloister, hermitage (place of formal piety) dictionary | |
| چون | chon | since, when; like dictionary |
| tahârat | purity, ritual cleanness dictionary | |
| kheyr | good, blessing dictionary | |
| khâne | house dictionary | |
| elm | knowledge, learning dictionary | |
| adab | good manners, courtesy dictionary | |
| ورز | varz | cultivate! practice! (بورز) dictionary |
| مجلس | majles | gathering, feast dictionary |
| shâh | king dictionary | |
| هر | har | every dictionary |
| نیست | nist | is not; there is not dictionary |
| لایق | lâyegh | worthy of, fit for dictionary |
| sohbat | company, companionship (classical sense) dictionary |
Persian text: Ganjoor (ganjoor.net), Hafez, ghazal 208. Transliteration, translation, glosses and reading: Learn Persian Online.
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