Ghazal 222 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
از سرِ کویِ تو هر کو به ملالت برودنرود کارش و آخِر به خجالت برود
az sar-e ku-ye to har k-u be malâlat beravad / naravad kârash o âkher be khejâlat beravad
Whoever leaves your street out of weariness will get nowhere, and in the end will go away in shame.
COUPLET 2
کاروانی که بُوَد بدرقه‌اش حفظِ خدابه تَجَمُّل بنشیند، به جَلالت برود
kârvâni ke bovad badraghe-ash hefz-e khodâ / be tajammol beneshinad, be jalâlat beravad
A caravan whose escort is God's protection halts in splendor and travels on in glory.
COUPLET 3
سالک از نورِ هدایت بِبَرَد راه به دوستکه به جایی نرسد گر به ضَلالت برود
sâlek az nur-e hedâyat bebarad râh be dust / ke be jâyi naresad gar be zalâlat beravad
The traveler on the Path finds the way to the Friend by the light of guidance, for whoever goes astray reaches nowhere.
COUPLET 4
کامِ خود آخرِ عمر از مِی و معشوق بگیرحیفِ اوقات که یک سر به بطالت برود
kâm-e khod âkher-e omr az mey o ma'shugh begir / heyf-e owghât ke yeksar be batâlat beravad
At least at the end of life, take your joy from wine and the beloved; what a pity for time to be wasted entirely in idleness.
COUPLET 5
ای دلیلِ دلِ گم‌گشته! خدا را مددیکه غریب اَر نَبَرَد رَه، به دلالت برود
ey dalil-e del-e gomgashte khodâ râ madadi / ke gharib ar nabarad rah be delâlat beravad
O guide of the lost heart, for God's sake, help: a stranger who cannot find the way goes on by being guided.
COUPLET 6
حکمِ مستوری و مستی همه بر خاتِمَت استکس ندانست که آخِر به چه حالت برود
hokm-e masturi o masti hame bar khâtemat ast / kas nadânest ke âkher be che hâlat beravad
Whether one is called modest or drunk depends on how one ends; no one knows in what state they will finally depart.
COUPLET 7
حافظ از چشمهٔ حکمت به کف آور جامیبو که از لوحِ دلت نقشِ جهالت برود
Hâfez az cheshme-ye hekmat be kaf âvar jâmi / bu ke az lowh-e delat naghsh-e jahâlat beravad
Hafez, take a cup in hand from the spring of wisdom; perhaps it will wipe the picture of ignorance from the tablet of your heart.
What this fâl tells you
Do not give up out of weariness: whoever leaves the door too soon gets nowhere. Tradition reads this fal as a promise that a journey made under God's protection, like a well-escorted caravan, arrives with honor. Ask for guidance when you feel lost, use your time well, and drink from the spring of wisdom.
A traditional-style reading for reflection and enjoyment.
How this ghazal is built
radif: beravad ("goes"). qâfiye: -âlat (malâlat, khejâlat, jalâlat, zalâlat, batâlat, delâlat, hâlat, jahâlat).
Key words
| Word | Say it | Meaning (modern Persian) |
|---|---|---|
| sar | head; sar be kuh dâdan = to send someone off wandering dictionary | |
| کوی | ku-ye | street, quarter (of) (کوچه) |
| to | you dictionary | |
| هر | har | every dictionary |
| کو | k-u | who (= ke u) (که او) dictionary |
| be | to; for; with; in, by dictionary | |
| beravad | goes away dictionary | |
| نرود | naravad | does not go dictionary |
| کارش | kârash | his/her affair; kârash naravad = gets nowhere dictionary |
| و | va / o | and dictionary |
| kârvâni | a caravan dictionary | |
| bovad | is, will be (old form of bâshad) (باشد) dictionary | |
| badraghe-ash | its escort dictionary | |
| hefz | protection, keeping dictionary | |
| khodâ | God; khodâ râ = for God's sake dictionary | |
| beneshinad | sits, halts dictionary | |
| sâlek | traveller on the spiritual path dictionary | |
| نور | nur | light dictionary |
| هدایت | hedâyat | guidance dictionary |
| bebarad | carries; râh bordan = to find the way dictionary | |
| râh | way, road dictionary | |
| dust | friend; (in Hafez) the beloved, or God dictionary | |
| jâyi | somewhere dictionary | |
| نرسد | narasad | does not reach dictionary |
| گر | gar | if (= agar) (اگر) dictionary |
| کام | kâm | wish, desire; be kâm = as one wishes dictionary |
| khod | self; here "and indeed, after all" dictionary | |
| omr | life, lifetime dictionary | |
| mey | wine (شراب) dictionary | |
| معشوق | ma'shugh | beloved dictionary |
| begir | take! dictionary | |
| heyf | pity, shame dictionary | |
| owghât | times dictionary | |
| یک | yek | one; yeksar = entirely dictionary |
| ey | O (vocative) dictionary | |
| dalil | guide (راهنما) dictionary | |
| del | heart dictionary | |
| madadi | some help dictionary | |
| gharib | stranger, someone far from home dictionary | |
| ar | if (= agar) (اگر) | |
| نبرد | nabarad | does not carry; rah bordan = to find the way dictionary |
| rah | road, way (short for râh) (راه) | |
| delâlat | guidance dictionary | |
| hokm | command, control dictionary | |
| masti | intoxication dictionary | |
| همه | hame | all, whole dictionary |
| bar | on, upon dictionary | |
| khâtemat | the end, one's final state (عاقبت) | |
| ast | is dictionary | |
| کس | kas | anyone; with negative: no one dictionary |
| ندانست | nadânest | did not know dictionary |
| چه | che | what; how much! dictionary |
| hâlat | state, condition dictionary | |
| Hâfez | Hafez, the poet's pen name (takhallos); literally "one who knows the Quran by heart" dictionary | |
| چشمهٔ | cheshme | spring, fountain dictionary |
| hekmat | wisdom, philosophy dictionary | |
| کف | kaf | palm (of the hand) dictionary |
| âvar | bring!; be kaf âvar = take in hand dictionary | |
| jâmi | a cup dictionary | |
| bu | perhaps (= bovad ke) (بود که) dictionary | |
| لوح | lowh | tablet, slate dictionary |
| delat | your heart dictionary | |
| نقش | naghsh | image, shape dictionary |
Persian text: Ganjoor (ganjoor.net), Hafez, ghazal 222. Transliteration, translation, glosses and reading: Learn Persian Online.
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