Ghazal 279 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.
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COUPLET 1
خوشا شیراز و وضعِ بی‌مثالشخداوندا نگه دار از زَوالش
khoshâ shirâz o vaz'-e bi-mesâlash / khodâvandâ negah dâr az zavâlash
How lovely is Shiraz and its matchless setting! O Lord, keep it from decline.
COUPLET 2
ز رکن آباد ما صد لوحش اللهکه عمرِ خضر می‌بخشد زلالش
ze roknâbâd-e mâ sad lowhashallâh / ke omr-e khezr mibakhshad zolâlash
A hundred blessings on our Roknabad stream, whose clear water grants the long life of Khizr.
COUPLET 3
میانِ جعفرآباد و مُصَلّاعبیرآمیز می‌آید شِمالش
miyân-e ja'farâbâd o mosallâ / abir-âmiz miâyad shemâlash
Between Jafarabad and Mosalla, its north wind comes laden with perfume.
COUPLET 4
به شیراز آی و فیضِ روحِ قدسیبجوی از مردمِ صاحب کمالش
be shirâz ây o feyz-e ruh-e ghodsi / bejuy az mardom-e sâheb-kamâlash
Come to Shiraz, and seek the grace of the Holy Spirit from its accomplished people.
COUPLET 5
که نامِ قند مصری برد آنجا؟که شیرینان ندادند اِنفِعالش
ke nâm-e ghand-e mesri bord ânjâ / ke shirinân nadâdand enfe'âlash
Who ever mentioned Egyptian sugar there without the sweet ones of Shiraz putting it to shame?
COUPLET 6
صبا زان لولیِ شنگولِ سرمستچه داری آگهی؟ چون است حالش؟
sabâ z-ân luli-ye shangul-e sarmast / che dâri âgahi? chon ast hâlash?
Morning breeze, what news do you have of that merry, tipsy, gypsy-like beauty? How is that one doing?
COUPLET 7
گر آن شیرین پسر خونم بریزددلا چون شیرِ مادر کن حلالش
gar ân shirin-pesar khunam berizad / delâ chon shir-e mâdar kon halâlash
If that sweet boy should shed my blood, O heart, forgive it freely, like a mother's milk.
COUPLET 8
مکن از خواب بیدارم خدا راکه دارم خلوتی خوش با خیالش
makon az khâb bidâram khodâ râ / ke dâram khalvati khosh bâ khiyâlash
For God's sake, do not wake me from sleep, for I am alone with the beloved's image, and it is sweet.
COUPLET 9
چرا حافظ چو می‌ترسیدی از هجرنکردی شُکرِ ایامِ وصالش؟
cherâ Hâfez cho mitarsidi az hejr / nakardi shokr-e ayyâm-e vesâlash
Hafez, since you were so afraid of separation, why did you not give thanks for the days of union?
What this fâl tells you
Tradition reads this fal as a blessing on your home and the people around you: value the place you live and the gifted friends it has given you. A sweet time is with you now, so enjoy it and be thankful for it instead of fearing its end. Good news of someone dear may come with the breeze.
A traditional-style reading for reflection and enjoyment.
How this ghazal is built
radif: -ash ("its, his/her"). qâfiye: -âl (mesâl, zavâl, zolâl, shemâl, kamâl, enfe'âl, hâl, halâl, khiyâl, vesâl). A famous praise of Shiraz; Roknabad, Jafarabad and Mosalla are places in and near the city.
Key words
| Word | Say it | Meaning (modern Persian) |
|---|---|---|
| و | va / o | and dictionary |
| وضع | vaz' | manner, way dictionary |
| khodâvandâ | O Lord! dictionary | |
| نگه | negah | negah dâr = keep! protect! (نگه) |
| dâr | keep! hold! (imperative of dâshtan) dictionary | |
| zavâlash | its decline, its passing away dictionary | |
| ze | from, of (= az) (از) | |
| rokn | Rokn; âb-e roknâbâd = the Roknabad stream in Shiraz dictionary | |
| ما | mâ | we, us; our dictionary |
| sad | hundred dictionary | |
| allâh | God; lowhashallâh = God bless it dictionary | |
| omr | life, lifetime dictionary | |
| می‌بخشد | mibakhshad | gives, grants dictionary |
| zolâlash | its clear water dictionary | |
| میان | miyân | between dictionary |
| می‌آید | miâyad | comes dictionary |
| shemâlash | its north wind dictionary | |
| be | to; for; with; in, by dictionary | |
| ây | come! (بیا) dictionary | |
| فیض | feyz | grace, abundance dictionary |
| ruh | soul, spirit dictionary | |
| ghodsi | holy, heavenly dictionary | |
| bejuy | seek! (بجو) dictionary | |
| مردم | mardom | people dictionary |
| sâheb | owner, master; one who has dictionary | |
| کمالش | kamâlash | its (people of) perfection; sâheb-kamâl = accomplished dictionary |
| نام | nâm | name, fame dictionary |
| mesri | of Egypt; yusof-e mesri = Joseph of Egypt dictionary | |
| bord | took; nâm bordan = to mention dictionary | |
| ânjâ | there dictionary | |
| ندادند | nadâdand | (they) did not give dictionary |
| enfe'âlash | its shame, embarrassment (enfe'âl dâdan = to put to shame) dictionary | |
| sabâ | the morning breeze, which carries messages between lovers in poetry (نسیم صبح) | |
| z-ân | from that (= az ân) (از آن) | |
| shangul | merry, playful dictionary | |
| sarmast | drunk, intoxicated dictionary | |
| چه | che | what; how much! dictionary |
| dâri | you have dictionary | |
| âgahi | knowledge, information (آگاهی) dictionary | |
| چون | chon | how?; like dictionary |
| ast | is dictionary | |
| hâlash | his/her state dictionary | |
| گر | gar | if (= agar) (اگر) dictionary |
| ân | that dictionary | |
| پسر | pesar | boy, son dictionary |
| khunam | my blood dictionary | |
| berizad | sheds, spills dictionary | |
| delâ | O heart! dictionary | |
| shir | milk dictionary | |
| مادر | mâdar | mother dictionary |
| کن | kon | do! make! (imperative of kardan) dictionary |
| halâlash | lawful for him (halâl kardan = to forgive freely) dictionary | |
| مکن | makon | do not do! (نکن) dictionary |
| khâb | sleep dictionary | |
| bidâram | me awake (bidâr kardan = to wake) dictionary | |
| khodâ | God; khodâ râ = for God's sake dictionary | |
| dâram | I have dictionary | |
| khalvati | a private moment, solitude dictionary | |
| khosh | well, sweetly; pleasant dictionary | |
| bâ | with dictionary | |
| khiyâlash | her image, her phantom in the mind dictionary | |
| چرا | cherâ | why dictionary |
| Hâfez | Hafez, the poet's pen name (takhallos); literally "one who knows the Quran by heart" dictionary | |
| چو | cho | since, when; like (= chon) (چون) |
| mitarsidi | you were afraid dictionary | |
| nakardi | you did not do dictionary | |
| shokr | thanks, gratitude dictionary | |
| ayyâm | days, times dictionary | |
| وصالش | vesâlash | union with him/her dictionary |
Persian text: Ganjoor (ganjoor.net), Hafez, ghazal 279. Transliteration, translation, glosses and reading: Learn Persian Online.
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