Ghazal 263 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
بیا و کَشتیِ ما در شَطِ شراب اندازخروش و وِلوِله در جانِ شیخ و شاب انداز
biyâ o keshti-ye mâ dar shatt-e sharâb andâz / khorush o velvele dar jân-e sheykh o shâb andâz
Come, launch our boat on the river of wine, and stir up a clamor and uproar in the souls of old and young.
COUPLET 2
مرا به کَشتیِ باده درافکن ای ساقی!که گفته‌اند «نِکویی کن و در آب انداز»
marâ be keshti-ye bâde darafkan ey sâghi / ke gofte'and nekuyi kon o dar âb andâz
Throw me into the wine boat, O cupbearer, for they say: "Do good, and throw it in the water."
COUPLET 3
ز کویِ میکده برگشته‌ام ز راهِ خطامرا دگر ز کَرَم با رهِ صواب انداز
ze ku-ye meykade bargashte'am ze râh-e khatâ / marâ degar ze karam bâ rah-e savâb andâz
I strayed from the tavern's street and took the wrong road; be generous and set me back on the right path.
COUPLET 4
بیار زآن مِی گلرنگِ مشک‌بو جامیشرارِ رَشک و حسد در دلِ گلاب انداز
biyâr z-ân mey-e golrang-e moshkbu jâmi / sharâr-e rashk o hasad dar del-e golâb andâz
Bring a cup of that rose-colored, musk-scented wine, and throw sparks of jealousy and envy into the heart of the rose water.
COUPLET 5
اگر چه مست و خرابم، تو نیز لطفی کننظر بر این دلِ سرگشتهٔ خراب انداز
agarche mast o kharâbam to niz lotfi kon / nazar bar in del-e sargashte-ye kharâb andâz
Though I am drunk and ruined, be kind as well, and cast a glance at this bewildered, broken heart.
COUPLET 6
به نیم‌شب اگرت آفتاب می‌بایدز رویِ دخترِ گُل‌چهرِ رز، نقاب انداز
be nim-shab agarat âftâb mibâyad / ze ru-ye dokhtar-e golchehr-e raz neghâb andâz
If you want the sun at midnight, lift the veil from the face of the rosy-cheeked daughter of the vine.
COUPLET 7
مَهِل که روزِ وفاتم به خاک بسپارندمرا به میکده بَر، در خُمِ شراب انداز
mahel ke ruz-e vafâtam be khâk besepârand / marâ be meykade bar dar khom-e sharâb andâz
On the day I die, do not let them commit me to the earth: carry me to the tavern and throw me into a jar of wine.
COUPLET 8
ز جورِ چرخ چو حافظ به جان رسید دلتبه سویِ دیو مِحَن، ناوَکِ شهاب انداز
ze jowr-e charkh cho Hâfez be jân resid delat / be su-ye div-e mehan nâvak-e shahâb andâz
When the cruelty of the turning sky has worn your heart out, like Hafez's, shoot a shooting-star arrow at the demon of sorrow.
What this fâl tells you
Do something good and let it go, as the old saying in this ghazal advises: "Do good and throw it in the water." Tradition reads this fal as a sign that if you have strayed, you can still find your way back, and that light can appear even at midnight. When troubles press on you, do not give in; fight them with hope and joy.
A traditional-style reading for reflection and enjoyment.
How this ghazal is built
radif: andâz ("throw!", "cast!"). qâfiye: -âb (sharâb, shâb, âb, savâb, golâb, kharâb, neghâb, shahâb).
Key words
| Word | Say it | Meaning (modern Persian) |
|---|---|---|
| biyâ | come! dictionary | |
| و | va / o | and dictionary |
| کشتی | keshti | ship, ark dictionary |
| ما | mâ | we, us; our dictionary |
| dar | in; door dictionary | |
| sharâb | wine dictionary | |
| andâz | -shooting (kaj-andâz = shooting crooked) dictionary | |
| khorush | loud cry, song dictionary | |
| jân | life, soul dictionary | |
| sheykh | sheikh, religious elder dictionary | |
| shâb | young man (جوان) | |
| مرا | marâ | me; for me (= man râ) (من را / برای من) |
| be | to; for; with; in, by dictionary | |
| bâde | wine dictionary | |
| ey | O (vocative) dictionary | |
| sâghi | cupbearer dictionary | |
| گفته‌اند | gofteand | (they) have said dictionary |
| nekuyi | goodness, good deeds (نیکی) | |
| کن | kon | do! make! (imperative of kardan) dictionary |
| âb | water; stream dictionary | |
| ze | from, of (= az) (از) | |
| کوی | ku-ye | street, quarter (of) (کوچه) |
| میکده | meykade | tavern dictionary |
| bargashte'am | I have turned away, strayed dictionary | |
| râh | way, road dictionary | |
| khatâ | error, mistake dictionary | |
| degar | again; other (= digar) (دیگر) | |
| bâ | with dictionary | |
| rah | road, way (short for râh) (راه) | |
| biyâr | bring! dictionary | |
| z-ân | from that (= az ân) (از آن) | |
| mey | wine (شراب) dictionary | |
| jâmi | a cup dictionary | |
| rashk | jealousy dictionary | |
| del | heart dictionary | |
| گلاب | golâb | rose water dictionary |
| agar | if dictionary | |
| چه | che | what; how much! dictionary |
| مست | mast | drunk dictionary |
| kharâbam | I am ruined dictionary | |
| to | you dictionary | |
| نیز | niz | also dictionary |
| lotfi | a kindness dictionary | |
| نظر | nazar | sight; ahl-e nazar = people of insight, connoisseurs of beauty dictionary |
| bar | on, upon dictionary | |
| in | this dictionary | |
| kharâb | ruined; (in Hafez) drunk, wrecked by love dictionary | |
| agarat | if you (have) dictionary | |
| âftâb | sun dictionary | |
| ru-ye | face of (ezafe) (چهره) dictionary | |
| dokhtar | daughter; dokhtar-e raz = daughter of the vine, wine dictionary | |
| نقاب | neghâb | veil; neghâb andâkhtan = to throw off the veil dictionary |
| مهل | mahel | do not let! (نگذار) |
| ruz | day dictionary | |
| khâk | dust, earth dictionary | |
| besepârand | they hand over, give up dictionary | |
| bar | carry! take! (= bebar) (ببر) dictionary | |
| چرخ | charkh | wheel; the sky as a turning wheel dictionary |
| چو | cho | since, when; like (= chon) (چون) |
| Hâfez | Hafez, the poet's pen name (takhallos); literally "one who knows the Quran by heart" dictionary | |
| resid | arrived, came dictionary | |
| delat | your heart dictionary | |
| su-ye | toward dictionary | |
| div | demon dictionary | |
| محن | mehan | sorrows, trials dictionary |
| shahâb | shooting star, meteor (thought to drive away demons) dictionary |
Persian text: Ganjoor (ganjoor.net), Hafez, ghazal 263. Transliteration, translation, glosses and reading: Learn Persian Online.
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