Ghazal 268 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.
Read it word by wordTake your own fâl
COUPLET 1
گُلعِذاری ز گلستانِ جهان ما را بسزین چمن سایهٔ آن سروِ روان ما را بس
gol'ezâri ze golestân-e jahân mâ râ bas / z-in chaman sâye-ye ân sarv-e ravân mâ râ bas
Of the world's rose garden, one rose-cheeked beauty is enough for us; of this meadow, the shade of that walking cypress is enough for us.
COUPLET 2
من و همصحبتیِ اهلِ ریا دورَم باداز گرانانِ جهان، رَطلِ گران ما را بس
man o hamsohbati-ye ahl-e riyâ, duram bâd / az gerânân-e jahân, ratl-e gerân mâ râ bas
Me, keeping company with hypocrites? Far be it from me. Of all the world's heavy things, a heavy cup of wine is enough for us.
COUPLET 3
قصرِ فردوس به پاداشِ عمل می‌بخشندما که رندیم و گدا، دیرِ مُغان ما را بس
ghasr-e ferdows be pâdâsh-e amal mibakhshand / mâ ke rendim o gedâ, deyr-e moghân mâ râ bas
They give out palaces in paradise as a reward for good deeds; we are rends and beggars, and the temple of the Magi is enough for us.
COUPLET 4
بنشین بر لبِ جوی و گذرِ عمر ببینکاین اشارت ز جهانِ گذران، ما را بس
beneshin bar lab-e ju o gozar-e omr bebin / k-in eshârat ze jahân-e gozarân mâ râ bas
Sit on the bank of the stream and watch life flow past; this one sign of the passing world is enough for us.
COUPLET 5
نقدِ بازارِ جهان بِنگر و آزارِ جهانگر شما را نه بس این سود و زیان ما را بس
naghd-e bâzâr-e jahân bengar o âzâr-e jahân / gar shomâ râ na bas, in sud o ziyân mâ râ bas
Look at what the world's market pays and at the pain the world gives; if this profit and loss is not enough for you, it is enough for us.
COUPLET 6
یار با ماست، چه حاجت که زیادت طلبیم؟دولتِ صحبتِ آن مونسِ جان ما را بس
yâr bâ mâst, che hâjat ke ziyâdat talabim / dowlat-e sohbat-e ân munes-e jân mâ râ bas
The beloved is with us; why should we ask for more? The good fortune of that dear companion's company is enough for us.
COUPLET 7
از درِ خویش خدا را به بهشتم مَفرستکه سرِ کویِ تو از کون و مکان ما را بس
az dar-e khish khodâ râ be beheshtam mafrest / ke sar-e ku-ye to az kown o makân mâ râ bas
For God's sake, do not send me away from your door to paradise; rather than all of creation, the end of your street is enough for us.
COUPLET 8
حافظ از مَشْرَبِ قسمت گِلِه ناانصافیستطبعِ چون آب و غزل‌هایِ روان ما را بس
Hâfez az mashrab-e ghesmat gele nâ-ensâfi-st / tab'-e chon âb o ghazal-hâ-ye ravân mâ râ bas
Hafez, complaining about the share fate has poured you is unfair; a nature clear as water and flowing ghazals are enough for us.
What this fâl tells you
This is a fal of contentment. Tradition reads it as a reminder that what you already have, one true companion, a quiet seat by the water, a gift of your own, is enough. Stop measuring yourself against others' rewards and enjoy the good fortune that is with you now.
A traditional-style reading for reflection and enjoyment.
How this ghazal is built
radif: mâ râ bas ("is enough for us"). qâfiye: -ân (jahân, ravân, gerân, moghân, gozarân, ziyân, jân, makân).
Key words
| Word | Say it | Meaning (modern Persian) |
|---|---|---|
| ze | from, of (= az) (از) | |
| گلستان | golestân | rose garden dictionary |
| jahân | world dictionary | |
| ما | mâ | we, us; our dictionary |
| bas | enough dictionary | |
| z-in | from this (= az in); z-in pish = before this (از این) | |
| چمن | chaman | meadow, lawn dictionary |
| sâye | shade, shadow dictionary | |
| ân | that dictionary | |
| sarv | cypress (image of a tall beloved) dictionary | |
| من | man | I, me dictionary |
| و | va / o | and dictionary |
| ahl | people (of) dictionary | |
| riyâ | hypocrisy, showing off piety dictionary | |
| duram | far from me (duram bâd = far be it from me) dictionary | |
| bâd | may it be dictionary | |
| گرانان | gerânân-e | heavy, burdensome ones of; tiresome people dictionary |
| گران | gerân | heavy; ratl-e gerân = a heavy (full) cup dictionary |
| قصر | ghasr | palace dictionary |
| فردوس | ferdows | paradise dictionary |
| be | to; for; with; in, by dictionary | |
| پاداش | pâdâsh-e | reward for dictionary |
| amal | action, practice dictionary | |
| می‌بخشند | mibakhshand | they give, they grant dictionary |
| rendim | we are rends, free spirits dictionary | |
| گدا | gedâ | beggar dictionary |
| beneshin | sit! dictionary | |
| bar | on, upon dictionary | |
| لب | lab | lip dictionary |
| ju | stream (جوی) | |
| گذر | gozar | passage dictionary |
| omr | life, lifetime dictionary | |
| bebin | see! look! dictionary | |
| کاین | k-in | that these (= ke in) (که این) |
| eshârat | a sign, signal (اشاره) | |
| گذران | gozarân | passing, transient dictionary |
| bâzâr | bazaar, market dictionary | |
| bengar | look! (نگاه کن) dictionary | |
| âzâr | hurting, harm dictionary | |
| گر | gar | if (= agar) (اگر) dictionary |
| shomâ | you (polite) dictionary | |
| نه | na | not, no dictionary |
| in | this dictionary | |
| sud | profit, gain dictionary | |
| ziyân | loss dictionary | |
| یار | yâr | beloved; friend dictionary |
| bâ | with dictionary | |
| چه | che | what; how much! dictionary |
| hâjat | need (نیاز) | |
| ziyâdat | more, increase (زیادی) | |
| talabim | we should ask for dictionary | |
| dowlat | good fortune (classical sense) (اقبال) dictionary | |
| sohbat | company, companionship (classical sense) dictionary | |
| jân | life, soul dictionary | |
| dar | door dictionary | |
| khish | one's own (خود) dictionary | |
| khodâ | God; khodâ râ = for God's sake dictionary | |
| beheshtam | me ... to paradise (be behesht + -am) dictionary | |
| مفرست | mafrest | do not send! (نفرست) dictionary |
| sar | head; end; sar-e ku = the end of the street dictionary | |
| کوی | ku-ye | street, quarter (of) (کوچه) |
| to | you dictionary | |
| مکان | makân | place dictionary |
| Hâfez | Hafez, the poet's pen name (takhallos); literally "one who knows the Quran by heart" dictionary | |
| مشرب | mashrab | nature, temperament (literally drinking place) dictionary |
| قسمت | ghesmat | fate, share dictionary |
| گله | gele | complaint (گلایه) |
| tab'-e | nature, temperament dictionary | |
| چون | chon | since, when; like dictionary |
| âb | water; stream dictionary | |
| ghazal-hâ-ye | the ghazals of dictionary |
Persian text: Ganjoor (ganjoor.net), Hafez, ghazal 268. Transliteration, translation, glosses and reading: Learn Persian Online.
Love Persian poetry? Learn to read it: free Starter Pack
Get the 14-page printable Starter Pack (all 32 letters, a 7-day reading plan, 100 core words and 20 survival phrases) and a short 5-email course. Free.