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Hafez Ghazal 213: ⁧گوهر مخزن اسرار همان است که بود⁩

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

Ghazal 213 of Hafez (8 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
گوهرِ مخزنِ اسرار همان است که بودحُقِّهٔ مِهر بدان مُهر و نشان است که بود
gowhar-e makhzan-e asrâr hamân ast ke bud / hoghghe-ye mehr bedân mohr o neshân ast ke bud
The pearl in the treasury of secrets is just as it was; the casket of love still bears the same seal and mark as before.
COUPLET 2
عاشقان زُمرهٔ اربابِ امانت باشندلاجرم چشمِ گهربار همان است که بود
âsheghân zomre-ye arbâb-e amânat bâshand / lâjaram cheshm-e goharbâr hamân ast ke bud
Lovers belong to the company of those who keep a trust; so the pearl-shedding eye is still just as it was.
COUPLET 3
از صبا پرس که ما را همه شب تا دمِ صبحبویِ زلفِ تو همان مونسِ جان است که بود
az sabâ pors ke mâ râ hame shab tâ dam-e sobh / bu-ye zolf-e to hamân munes-e jân ast ke bud
Ask the morning breeze: all night until dawn, the scent of your hair is still my soul's companion, as it was.
COUPLET 4
طالب لعل و گهر نیست وگرنه خورشیدهم‌چُنان در عملِ معدن و کان است که بود
tâleb-e la'l o gohar nist vagarna khorshid / hamchonân dar amal-e ma'dan o kân ast ke bud
No one seeks rubies and pearls any more; otherwise the sun is still at work in mine and quarry, just as it was.
COUPLET 5
کشتهٔ غمزهٔ خود را به زیارت دریابزانکه بیچاره همان دل‌نگران است که بود
koshte-ye ghamze-ye khod râ be ziyârat daryâb / z-ân ke bichâre hamân del-negarân ast ke bud
Come and visit the one your own glance has slain, for the poor soul is as anxious at heart as ever.
COUPLET 6
رنگِ خونِ دلِ ما را که نهان می‌داریهمچنان در لبِ لعلِ تو عیان است که بود
rang-e khun-e del-e mâ râ ke nahân midâri / hamchenân dar lab-e la'l-e to ayân ast ke bud
The color of my heart's blood, which you keep hidden, still shows plainly on your ruby lips, as it did before.
COUPLET 7
زلفِ هندویِ تو گفتم که دگر رَه نزندسال‌ها رفت و بدان سیرت و سان است که بود
zolf-e hendu-ye to goftam ke degar rah nazanad / sâl-hâ raft o bedân sirat o sân ast ke bud
I thought your dark curl would rob me no more; years have passed, and it keeps the same nature and manner as before.
COUPLET 8
حافظا بازنما قصه خونابهٔ چشمکه بر این چشمه همان آبِ روان است که بود
Hâfezâ bâz-namâ ghesse-ye khunâbe-ye cheshm / ke bar in cheshme hamân âb-e ravân ast ke bud
Hafez, tell again the story of the bloody tears of your eyes, for the same water still flows from this spring.

What this fâl tells you

Nothing precious has been lost: the pearl is still in the treasury and the seal is unbroken. Tradition reads this fal as a sign that a bond or a hope you care about is just as strong as before. Stay faithful, and think of visiting someone who has been waiting anxiously to see you.

A traditional-style reading for reflection and enjoyment.

How this ghazal is built

radif: ast ke bud ("is as it was"). qâfiye: -ân (hamân, neshân, jân, kân, negarân, ayân, sân, ravân).

Key words

WordSay itMeaning (modern Persian)
گوهرgowharpearl, jewel dictionary
مخزنmakhzanstorehouse dictionary
asrârsecrets dictionary
همانhamânthe same dictionary
astis dictionary
budwas dictionary
hoghghesmall casket (for jewels) dictionary
مهرmehrlove, kindness dictionary
bedânto that (point) (= be ân) (به آن)
وva / oand dictionary
نشانneshânsign dictionary
âsheghânlovers dictionary
arbâblords, masters dictionary
amânattrust, something held in trust dictionary
bâshandare, belong dictionary
لاجرمlâjaramso, inevitably (ناچار)
چشمcheshmeye dictionary
sabâthe morning breeze, which carries messages between lovers in poetry (نسیم صبح)
پرسporsask! (= bepors) (بپرس) dictionary
ماmâwe, us; our dictionary
همهhameall, whole dictionary
shabnight dictionary
tâto, until; so that dictionary
dammoment; breath dictionary
sobhmorning dictionary
bu-yescent of (ezafe) dictionary
zolfcurl, lock of hair dictionary
toyou dictionary
jânlife, soul dictionary
tâlebseeker dictionary
لعلla'lruby; lab-e la'l = ruby lips dictionary
گهرgoharpearl, jewel (گوهر)
نیستnistis not; there is not dictionary
وگرنهvagarnaotherwise dictionary
darin; door dictionary
amalaction, practice dictionary
معدنma'danmine dictionary
کشتهٔkoshteslain dictionary
khodown, self dictionary
beto; for; with; in, by dictionary
ziyâratvisit, pilgrimage dictionary
dar yâbseize! grasp! dictionary
z-ân kebecause (= az ân ke) (زیرا)
bichârepoor, helpless one dictionary
rangcolor dictionary
khunblood dictionary
delheart dictionary
نهانnahânhidden (پنهان) dictionary
midâriyou keep dictionary
لبlablip dictionary
گفتمgoftamI said dictionary
degaragain; other (= digar) (دیگر)
rahroad, way (short for râh) (راه)
نزندnazanadwill not strike; rah zadan = to rob, waylay dictionary
sâl-hâfor years dictionary
raftwent dictionary
قصهghessestory dictionary
khunâbebloody tears dictionary
baron, upon dictionary
inthis dictionary
چشمهcheshmespring, fountain dictionary
âbwater; stream dictionary

Persian text: Ganjoor (ganjoor.net), Hafez, ghazal 213. Transliteration, translation, glosses and reading: Learn Persian Online.

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