Ghazal 21 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
دل و دینم شد و دلبر به ملامت برخاستگفت با ما منشین، کز تو سلامت برخاست
del o dinam shod o delbar be malâmat barkhâst / goft bâ mâ maneshin k-az to salâmat barkhâst
My heart and my faith are gone, and my sweetheart rose to scold me: "Do not sit with us; all safety has left you."
COUPLET 2
که شنیدی که در این بزم، دمی خوش بنشست؟که نه در آخرِ صحبت به ندامت برخاست
ke shenidi ke dar in bazm dami khosh beneshast / ke na dar âkhar-e sohbat be nedâmat barkhâst?
Have you heard of anyone who sat happily for a moment at this feast and did not rise in regret when the gathering ended?
COUPLET 3
شمع اگر زان لبِ خندان به زبان، لافی زدپیشِ عشاقِ تو شب‌ها به غَرامت برخاست
sham' agar z-ân lab-e khandân be zabân lâfi zad / pish-e oshshâgh-e to shab-hâ be gharâmat barkhâst
If the candle once boasted with its tongue of flame that it was like your smiling lips, it has stood every night before your lovers paying for it.
COUPLET 4
در چمن، بادِ بهاری ز کنار گل و سروبه هواداریِ آن عارض و قامت برخاست
dar chaman bâd-e bahâri ze kenâr-e gol o sarv / be havâdâri-ye ân ârez o ghâmat barkhâst
In the meadow, the spring wind rose from beside the rose and the cypress to stand up for that cheek and that tall figure.
COUPLET 5
مست بگذشتی و از خلوتیانِ ملکوتبه تماشایِ تو آشوبِ قیامت برخاست
mast bogzashti o az khalvatiyân-e malakut / be tamâshâ-ye to âshub-e ghiyâmat barkhâst
You passed by drunk, and among the recluses of heaven an uproar like Judgment Day arose as they watched you.
COUPLET 6
پیشِ رفتار تو پا برنگرفت از خِجلتسروِ سرکش که به ناز از قد و قامت برخاست
pish-e raftâr-e to pâ bar nagereft az khejlat / sarv-e sarkesh ke be nâz az ghad o ghâmat barkhâst
Before the way you walk, the proud cypress, which stood tall so vain of its height, could not lift a foot for shame.
COUPLET 7
حافظ این خرقه بینداز مگر جان ببریکآتش از خرقهٔ سالوس و کرامت برخاست
Hâfez in kherghe biyandâz magar jân bebari / k-âtash az kherghe-ye sâlus o kerâmat barkhâst
Hafez, throw off this cloak and perhaps you will save your life: fire has risen from the cloak of hypocrisy and claimed miracles.
What this fâl tells you
Be honest with yourself about what you have lost and what you have gained. Tradition reads this fal as advice to drop pretense and false display, because fire comes from the robe of hypocrisy, not from sincere love. A happy gathering does not last forever, so enjoy it without boasting, and humility will protect you.
A traditional-style reading for reflection and enjoyment.
How this ghazal is built
radif: barkhâst ("rose, arose"). qâfiye: -âmat (malâmat, salâmat, nedâmat, gharâmat, ghâmat, ghiyâmat, kerâmat).
Key words
| Word | Say it | Meaning (modern Persian) |
|---|---|---|
| del | heart dictionary | |
| و | va / o | and dictionary |
| dinam | my faith dictionary | |
| shod | become (with khâhad: will become); became dictionary | |
| delbar | heart-stealer, the beloved dictionary | |
| be | to; for; with; in, by dictionary | |
| ملامت | malâmat | blame, reproach dictionary |
| barkhâst | rose, arose; departed dictionary | |
| گفت | goft | say (with natavân: cannot say); said dictionary |
| bâ | with dictionary | |
| ما | mâ | we, us; our dictionary |
| منشین | manshin | do not sit! (ننشین) dictionary |
| کز | k-az | that from (= ke az) (که از) |
| to | you dictionary | |
| salâmat | health, safety dictionary | |
| shenidi | you heard dictionary | |
| dar | in; door dictionary | |
| in | this dictionary | |
| bazm | feast, party dictionary | |
| dami | a moment dictionary | |
| khosh | well, sweetly; pleasant dictionary | |
| beneshast | sat down (نشست) dictionary | |
| نه | na | not, no dictionary |
| sohbat | company, companionship (classical sense) dictionary | |
| ندامت | nedâmat | regret dictionary |
| sham' | candle dictionary | |
| agar | if dictionary | |
| z-ân | from that (= az ân) (از آن) | |
| لب | lab | lip dictionary |
| khandân | smiling, laughing dictionary | |
| zabân | tongue; language dictionary | |
| lâfi | a boast; lâf zadan = to boast dictionary | |
| zad | struck; dam zad = breathed out, shone; âtash zad = set on fire dictionary | |
| پیش | pish | in the eyes of, for dictionary |
| oshshâgh | lovers dictionary | |
| shab-hâ | every night, nights dictionary | |
| چمن | chaman | meadow, lawn dictionary |
| bâd | wind dictionary | |
| bahâri | of spring dictionary | |
| ze | from, of (= az) (از) | |
| کنار | kenâr | bank, side dictionary |
| گل | gol | rose; flower dictionary |
| sarv | cypress (image of a tall beloved) dictionary | |
| ân | that dictionary | |
| âraz | cheek (گونه) | |
| قامت | ghâmat | stature, figure dictionary |
| مست | mast | drunk dictionary |
| bogzashti | you passed by (گذشتی) dictionary | |
| tamâshâ-ye | watching, the sight of dictionary | |
| âshub | uproar, turmoil dictionary | |
| raftâr | gait, way of walking dictionary | |
| پا | pâ | foot dictionary |
| sarkesh | defiant, rebellious dictionary | |
| ناز | nâz | coquetry, airs dictionary |
| Hâfez | Hafez, the poet's pen name (takhallos); literally "one who knows the Quran by heart" dictionary | |
| kherghe | dervish's cloak, Sufi robe dictionary | |
| biyandâz | throw off! dictionary | |
| مگر | magar | perhaps? could it be that? (in questions) dictionary |
| jân | life, soul dictionary | |
| bebari | you may carry away; jân bordan = to save one's life dictionary | |
| کآتش | k-âtash | for fire (= ke âtash) (که آتش) |
| sâlus | hypocrisy, false piety (ریاکاری) | |
| کرامت | kerâmat | nobility, generosity dictionary |
Persian text: Ganjoor (ganjoor.net), Hafez, ghazal 21. 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.