Ghazal 254 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
دیگر ز شاخِ سروِ سَهی بلبلِ صبورگلبانگ زد که چشمِ بد از رویِ گُل به دور
digar ze shâkh-e sarv-e sahi bolbol-e sabur / golbâng zad ke cheshm-e bad az ru-ye gol be dur
Once again, from the branch of the tall straight cypress, the patient nightingale sang out: "May the evil eye stay far from the face of the rose!"
COUPLET 2
ای گُل به شُکرِ آن که تویی پادشاهِ حُسنبا بلبلانِ بی‌دلِ شیدا مَکُن غرور
ey gol be shokr-e ân ke toyi pâdeshâh-e hosn / bâ bolbolân-e bidel-e sheydâ makon ghorur
O rose, in thanks that you are the queen of beauty, do not be proud with the heartsick, love-crazed nightingales.
COUPLET 3
از دستِ غیبتِ تو شکایت نمی‌کنمتا نیست غیبتی نَبُوَد لذّتِ حضور
az dast-e gheybat-e to shekâyat nemikonam / tâ nist gheybati nabvad lezzat-e hozur
I do not complain of your absence: without absence there is no joy in presence.
COUPLET 4
گر دیگران به عیش و طَرَب خُرَّمَند و شادما را غمِ نگار بُوَد مایهٔ سُرور
gar digarân be eysh o tarab khorramand o shâd / mâ râ gham-e negâr bovad mâye-ye sorur
If others find their happiness in pleasure and merrymaking, for me the sorrow of loving my beauty is the source of joy.
COUPLET 5
زاهد اگر به حور و قصور است امیدوارما را شرابخانه قصور است و یار حور
zâhed agar be hur o ghosur ast omidvâr / mâ râ sharâbkhâne ghosur ast o yâr hur
If the ascetic hopes for the maidens and palaces of paradise, for us the wine-house is the palace, and the beloved is the maiden.
COUPLET 6
مِی خور به بانگِ چنگ و مخور غصه ور کسیگوید تو را که باده مخور گو هُوَالْغَفُور
mey khor be bâng-e chang o makhor ghosse var kasi / guyad to râ ke bâde makhor gu hoval-ghafur
Drink wine to the sound of the harp and do not worry; and if anyone tells you not to drink, say: "He is the Forgiving."
COUPLET 7
حافظ شکایت از غمِ هجران چه می‌کنی؟در هِجر وصل باشد و در ظلمت است نور
Hâfez shekâyat az gham-e hejrân che mikoni? / dar hejr vasl bâshad o dar zolmat ast nur
Hafez, why do you complain of the pain of separation? In separation there is union, and in darkness there is light.
What this fâl tells you
Absence is not the end: this fal says that being apart makes meeting again sweeter. Tradition reads it as encouragement to find joy in your own way and not to envy what makes others happy. Do not complain about the dark part of the road; light is already hidden inside it.
A traditional-style reading for reflection and enjoyment.
How this ghazal is built
radif: none. qâfiye: -ur (sabur, dur, ghorur, hozur, sorur, ghosur, hur, ghafur, nur). 6.2 ends with the Arabic phrase hoval-ghafur.
Key words
| Word | Say it | Meaning (modern Persian) |
|---|---|---|
| ze | from, of (= az) (از) | |
| shâkh | branch; shâkh-e nabât = a stick of rock candy (also the name tradition gives Hafez's beloved) dictionary | |
| sarv | cypress (image of a tall beloved) dictionary | |
| bolbol | nightingale dictionary | |
| sabur | patient dictionary | |
| zad | struck; dam zad = breathed out, shone; âtash zad = set on fire dictionary | |
| چشم | cheshm | eye dictionary |
| bad | bad dictionary | |
| ru-ye | face of (ezafe) (چهره) dictionary | |
| گل | gol | rose; flower dictionary |
| be | to; for; with; in, by dictionary | |
| dur | far; be dur = (may it be) far away dictionary | |
| ey | O (vocative) dictionary | |
| shokr | thanks; be shokr-e ân ke = in thanks that dictionary | |
| ân | that dictionary | |
| toyi | you are dictionary | |
| پادشاه | pâdeshâh | king dictionary |
| hosn | beauty dictionary | |
| bâ | with dictionary | |
| bolbolân | nightingales dictionary | |
| sheydâ | madly in love dictionary | |
| مکن | makon | do not do! (نکن) dictionary |
| ghorur | pride dictionary | |
| dast | hand; az dast-e = because of, about dictionary | |
| gheybat | absence dictionary | |
| to | you dictionary | |
| shekâyat | complaint dictionary | |
| نمی‌کنم | nemikonam | I do not do dictionary |
| tâ | to, until; so that dictionary | |
| نیست | nist | is not; there is not dictionary |
| gheybati | an absence dictionary | |
| نبود | nabvad | is not (old form) (نیست / نباشد) dictionary |
| لذت | lezzat | pleasure dictionary |
| hozur | presence (of heart) dictionary | |
| گر | gar | if (= agar) (اگر) dictionary |
| digarân | others dictionary | |
| eysh | pleasure, enjoyment dictionary | |
| و | va / o | and dictionary |
| tarab | joy, merriment dictionary | |
| khorramand | are happy (= khorram-and) dictionary | |
| shâd | happy; shâd kardan = cheer up dictionary | |
| ما | mâ | we, us; our dictionary |
| gham | sorrow, grief dictionary | |
| bovad | is, will be (old form of bâshad) (باشد) dictionary | |
| مایهٔ | mâye | source, capital dictionary |
| sorur | joy, delight dictionary | |
| zâhed | ascetic, outwardly pious man dictionary | |
| agar | if dictionary | |
| قصور | ghosur | palaces (of paradise) dictionary |
| ast | is dictionary | |
| omidvâr | hopeful dictionary | |
| یار | yâr | beloved; friend dictionary |
| mey | wine (شراب) dictionary | |
| khor | drink! eat! (imperative) (بخور / بنوش) dictionary | |
| bâng | cry, call dictionary | |
| چنگ | chang | harp dictionary |
| مخور | makhor | do not eat; gham makhor = do not grieve (نخور) dictionary |
| ghosse | sorrow, worry dictionary | |
| ور | var | and if (= va agar) (و اگر) |
| kasi | someone; har kasi = everyone dictionary | |
| گوید | guyad | says, tells dictionary |
| bâde | wine dictionary | |
| گو | gu | say! tell! (= begu) (بگو) dictionary |
| Hâfez | Hafez, the poet's pen name (takhallos); literally "one who knows the Quran by heart" dictionary | |
| چه | che | what; how much! dictionary |
| mikoni | you do dictionary | |
| dar | in; door dictionary | |
| bâshad | is, there is dictionary | |
| نور | nur | light dictionary |
Persian text: Ganjoor (ganjoor.net), Hafez, ghazal 254. Transliteration, translation, glosses and reading: Learn Persian Online.
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