Ghazal 218 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.
Read it word by wordTake your own fâl
COUPLET 1
در ازل هر کو به فیضِ دولت ارزانی بُوَدتا ابد جامِ مرادش همدمِ جانی بُوَد
dar azal har k-u be feyz-e dowlat arzâni bovad / tâ abad jâm-e morâdash hamdam-e jâni bovad
Whoever was granted the grace of good fortune before time began will have the cup of their desire as a close companion forever.
COUPLET 2
من همان ساعت که از مِی خواستم شد توبه کارگفتم این شاخ ار دهد باری، پشیمانی بُوَد
man hamân sâ'at ke az mey khâstam shod towbe-kâr / goftam in shâkh ar dahad bâri pashimâni bovad
The very hour I wanted to repent of wine, I said, "If this branch bears any fruit, it will be regret."
COUPLET 3
خود گرفتم کَافکَنَم سجاده چون سوسن به دوشهمچو گُل بر خِرقه رنگِ مِی مسلمانی بُوَد؟
khod gereftam k-afkanam sajjâde chon susan be dush / hamcho gol bar kherghe rang-e mey mosalmâni bovad
Suppose I throw the prayer rug over my shoulder like the lily; is it proper Muslim conduct to have wine stains on my cloak, like the rose?
COUPLET 4
بی چراغِ جام در خلوت نمی‌یارم نشستزان که کُنجِ اهلِ دل باید که نورانی بُوَد
bi cherâgh-e jâm dar khalvat nemiyâram neshast / z-ân ke konj-e ahl-e del bâyad ke nurâni bovad
Without the lamp of the cup I cannot sit in solitude, for the corner of the people of heart must be full of light.
COUPLET 5
همتِ عالی طلب جامِ مُرَصَّع گو مباشرند را آبِ عِنَب یاقوتِ رُمّانی بُوَد
hemmat-e âli talab, jâm-e morassa' gu mabâsh / rend râ âb-e enab yâghut-e rommâni bovad
Seek high aspiration; never mind the jeweled cup: for the free spirit, grape juice is a pomegranate-red ruby.
COUPLET 6
گرچه بی‌سامان نماید کارِ ما، سهلش مبینکاندر این کشور گدایی، رَشکِ سلطانی بُوَد
garche bisâmân namâyad kâr-e mâ sahlash mabin / k-andar in keshvar gedâyi rashk-e soltâni bovad
Though our affairs look disordered, do not take them lightly: in this land, being a beggar is the envy of kings.
COUPLET 7
نیک نامی خواهی ای دل با بَدان صحبت مدارخودپسندی جانِ من بُرهانِ نادانی بُوَد
nik-nâmi khâhi ey del bâ badân sohbat madâr / khodpasandi jân-e man borhân-e nâdâni bovad
O heart, if you want a good name, do not keep company with bad people; and self-admiration, my dear, is proof of ignorance.
COUPLET 8
مجلسِ اُنس و بهار و بحثِ شعر اندر میاننَستَدَن جامِ مِی از جانان گران جانی بُوَد
majles-e ons o bahâr o bahs-e she'r andar miyân / nastadan jâm-e mey az jânân gerân-jâni bovad
A gathering of friends, springtime, and talk of poetry going around: not taking the cup of wine from the beloved would be plain dullness.
COUPLET 9
دی عزیزی گفت حافظ می‌خورد پنهان شرابای عزیزِ من! نه عیب آن بِه که پنهانی بود؟
di azizi goft Hâfez mikhorad penhân sharâb / ey aziz-e man na eyb ân beh ke penhâni bovad
Yesterday someone respected said, "Hafez drinks wine in secret." My dear, is a fault not better kept hidden?
What this fâl tells you
Good fortune was written for you from the start. Tradition reads this fal as encouragement to aim high in spirit rather than at outward luxury, and to keep good company while avoiding vanity. Spring and friendship are offering you their cup: accept it with a light heart.
A traditional-style reading for reflection and enjoyment.
How this ghazal is built
radif: bovad ("is, will be"). qâfiye: -âni (arzâni, jâni, pashimâni, mosalmâni, nurâni, rommâni, soltâni, nâdâni, gerân-jâni, penhâni).
Key words
| Word | Say it | Meaning (modern Persian) |
|---|---|---|
| dar | in; door dictionary | |
| هر | har | every dictionary |
| کو | k-u | who (= ke u) (که او) dictionary |
| be | to; for; with; in, by dictionary | |
| فیض | feyz | grace, abundance dictionary |
| dowlat | good fortune (classical sense) (اقبال) dictionary | |
| bovad | is, will be (old form of bâshad) (باشد) dictionary | |
| tâ | to, until; so that dictionary | |
| abad | eternity without end dictionary | |
| jâm | cup dictionary | |
| مرادش | morâdash | his/her desire dictionary |
| همدم | hamdam | close friend, companion dictionary |
| jâni | a life, a soul; jân dâdan = to die (of love) dictionary | |
| من | man | I, me dictionary |
| همان | hamân | the same dictionary |
| sâ'at | hour dictionary | |
| mey | wine (شراب) dictionary | |
| khâstam | I asked for dictionary | |
| shod | become (with khâhad: will become); became dictionary | |
| کار | kâr | doer; towbe-kâr = repentant dictionary |
| گفتم | goftam | I said dictionary |
| in | this dictionary | |
| shâkh | branch; shâkh-e nabât = a stick of rock candy (also the name tradition gives Hafez's beloved) dictionary | |
| ar | if (= agar) (اگر) | |
| dahad | gives, may give dictionary | |
| bâri | a fruit, some yield dictionary | |
| pashimâni | regret dictionary | |
| khod | indeed; khod gereftam = suppose, granted dictionary | |
| گرفتم | gereftam | I took; khod gereftam = suppose dictionary |
| کافکنم | k-afkanam | that I throw (= ke afkanam) dictionary |
| چون | chon | since, when; like dictionary |
| dush | shoulder dictionary | |
| همچو | hamcho | like (مثل) |
| گل | gol | rose; flower dictionary |
| bar | on, upon dictionary | |
| kherghe | dervish's cloak, Sufi robe dictionary | |
| rang | color dictionary | |
| bi | without dictionary | |
| چراغ | cherâgh | lamp dictionary |
| khalvat | private room, solitude dictionary | |
| نشست | neshast | sit (with khâham: I will sit) dictionary |
| z-ân | from that (= az ân) (از آن) | |
| کنج | konj | corner dictionary |
| ahl | people (of) dictionary | |
| del | heart dictionary | |
| nurâni | full of light dictionary | |
| âli | high, noble dictionary | |
| talab | request, search dictionary | |
| گو | gu | say! tell! (= begu) (بگو) dictionary |
| مباش | mabâsh | do not be! (نباش) dictionary |
| rend | free spirit, rogue who scorns hypocrisy dictionary | |
| âb | water; stream dictionary | |
| enab | grape (Arabic) (انگور) | |
| یاقوت | yâghut | ruby; here the red wine in the cup dictionary |
| گرچه | garche | although dictionary |
| نماید | namâyad | seems dictionary |
| کار | kâr | work; affair, matter dictionary |
| ما | mâ | we, us; our dictionary |
| sahlash | it (as) easy, trivial dictionary | |
| مبین | mabin | do not look (old imperative) (نگاه نکن) dictionary |
| کاندر | k-andar | for in (= ke andar) (که در) |
| کشور | keshvar | land, country dictionary |
| gedâyi | a beggar dictionary | |
| rashk | jealousy dictionary | |
| soltâni | kingship, sovereignty dictionary | |
| نیک | nik | good; nik-nâmi = good name dictionary |
| nâmi | name; nik-nâmi = good name, reputation dictionary | |
| khâhi | you want dictionary | |
| ey | O (vocative) dictionary | |
| bâ | with dictionary | |
| badân | bad people dictionary | |
| sohbat | company, companionship (classical sense) dictionary | |
| مدار | madâr | do not have (old imperative of dâshtan) (نداشته باش) dictionary |
| khodpasandi | self-admiration, vanity dictionary | |
| jân | life, soul dictionary | |
| borhân | proof dictionary | |
| nâdâni | ignorance dictionary | |
| مجلس | majles | gathering, feast dictionary |
| و | va / o | and dictionary |
| bahâr | spring dictionary | |
| bahs | debate dictionary | |
| she'r | poem, poetry dictionary | |
| andar | in (= dar) (در) | |
| میان | miyân | waist dictionary |
| نستدن | nastadan | not taking (نگرفتن) |
| jânân | the beloved (معشوق) | |
| گران | gerân | heavy; gerân-jâni = dullness, being a bore dictionary |
| di | yesterday (دیروز) | |
| azizi | a dear person, someone respected dictionary | |
| گفت | goft | say (with natavân: cannot say); said dictionary |
| Hâfez | Hafez, the poet's pen name (takhallos); literally "one who knows the Quran by heart" dictionary | |
| می‌خورد | mikhorad | drinks dictionary |
| پنهان | penhân | hidden dictionary |
| sharâb | wine dictionary | |
| aziz | precious, dear dictionary | |
| نه | na | not, no dictionary |
| eyb | fault, flaw dictionary | |
| ân | that dictionary | |
| penhâni | hidden, secret dictionary |
Persian text: Ganjoor (ganjoor.net), Hafez, ghazal 218. Transliteration, translation, glosses and reading: Learn Persian Online.
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