Ghazal 291 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.
Read it word by wordTake your own fâl
COUPLET 1
ما آزموده‌ایم در این شهر بختِ خویشبیرون کشید باید از این وَرطه رَختِ خویش
mâ âzmude-im dar in shahr bakht-e khish / birun keshid bâyad az in varte rakht-e khish
We have tried our luck in this city; now we must drag our belongings out of this whirlpool.
COUPLET 2
از بس که دست می‌گَزَم و آه می‌کشمآتش زدم چو گُل به تنِ لَخت لَختِ خویش
az bas ke dast migazam o âh mikesham / âtash zadam cho gol be tan-e lakht lakht-e khish
I have bitten my hand and sighed so much that, like the rose, I have set fire to my body, torn into pieces.
COUPLET 3
دوشم ز بلبلی چه خوش آمد که می‌سرودگل گوش پهن کرده ز شاخِ درختِ خویش
dusham ze bolboli che khosh âmad ke misorud / gol gush pahn karde ze shâkh-e derakht-e khish
Last night, how I loved what a nightingale was singing, while the rose spread its ear wide from the branch of its tree:
COUPLET 4
کای دل تو شاد باش که آن یارِ تندخوبسیار تند روی نشیند ز بختِ خویش
k-ey del to shâd bâsh ke ân yâr-e tondkhu / besyâr tond-ruy neshinad ze bakht-e khish
"O heart, be glad, for that ill-tempered beloved will often sit frowning at their own bad luck."
COUPLET 5
خواهی که سخت و سست جهان بر تو بگذردبگذر ز عهدِ سست و سخن‌هایِ سختِ خویش
khâhi ke sakht o sost-e jahân bar to bogzarad / bogzar ze ahd-e sost o sokhan-hâ-ye sakht-e khish
If you want the hard and the easy of the world to pass you by gently, give up your own weak promises and harsh words.
COUPLET 6
وقت است کز فراقِ تو وز سوزِ اندرونآتش درافکنم به همه رَخت و پَختِ خویش
vaght ast k-az ferâgh-e to v-az suz-e andarun / âtash dar afkanam be hame rakht o pakht-e khish
The time has come when, from separation from you and the burning inside me, I set fire to all my goods and belongings.
COUPLET 7
ای حافظ ار مراد مُیَسَّر شدی مدامجمشید نیز دور نماندی ز تخت خویش
ey Hâfez ar morâd moyassar shodi modâm / jamshid niz dur namândi ze takht-e khish
Hafez, if every wish could always be fulfilled, even Jamshid would not have been parted from his throne.
What this fâl tells you
Tradition reads this fal as a sign that it may be time for a change of place or of habits: you have tried your luck here, and a new direction may serve you better. Be gentle in your words and firm in your promises, and life's ups and downs will pass more lightly. Not every wish comes true at once, even for kings, so be patient with yourself.
A traditional-style reading for reflection and enjoyment.
How this ghazal is built
radif: khish ("one's own"). qâfiye: -akht (bakht, rakht, lakht, derakht, sakht, pakht, takht).
Key words
| Word | Say it | Meaning (modern Persian) |
|---|---|---|
| ما | mâ | we, us; our dictionary |
| âzmude-im | we have tried, tested dictionary | |
| dar | in; door dictionary | |
| in | this dictionary | |
| shahr | city dictionary | |
| bakht | fortune, luck dictionary | |
| khish | one's own (خود) dictionary | |
| birun | outside dictionary | |
| کشید | keshid | drag, pull (keshid bâyad = one must drag) dictionary |
| rakht | belongings, baggage dictionary | |
| bas | much; az bas ke = so much that dictionary | |
| dast | hand dictionary | |
| می‌گزم | migazam | I bite (dast gazidan = to bite one's hand in regret) dictionary |
| و | va / o | and dictionary |
| می‌کشم | mikesham | I heave (a sigh) dictionary |
| zadam | I set (fire); âtash zadan = to set on fire dictionary | |
| چو | cho | since, when; like (= chon) (چون) |
| گل | gol | rose; flower dictionary |
| be | to; for; with; in, by dictionary | |
| tan | body dictionary | |
| dusham | last night (to me) dictionary | |
| ze | from, of (= az) (از) | |
| bolboli | a nightingale dictionary | |
| چه | che | what; how much! dictionary |
| khosh | well, sweetly; pleasant dictionary | |
| âmad | came dictionary | |
| می‌سرود | misorud | was singing dictionary |
| گوش | gush | ear; gush kon = listen dictionary |
| پهن | pahn | wide, spread out dictionary |
| کرده | karde | having made; pahn karde = having spread dictionary |
| shâkh | branch; shâkh-e nabât = a stick of rock candy (also the name tradition gives Hafez's beloved) dictionary | |
| derakht | tree dictionary | |
| k-ey | that, O... (= ke ey) (که ای) | |
| del | heart dictionary | |
| to | you dictionary | |
| shâd | happy; shâd kardan = cheer up dictionary | |
| bâsh | be! dictionary | |
| ân | that dictionary | |
| یار | yâr | beloved; friend dictionary |
| tondkhu | bad-tempered dictionary | |
| tond | sharply, haughtily dictionary | |
| ruy | face; tond-ruy = frowning, sullen dictionary | |
| نشیند | neshinad | sits; (that he may) sit dictionary |
| khâhi | you want dictionary | |
| sakht | very; hard dictionary | |
| sost | loose, slack dictionary | |
| jahân | world dictionary | |
| bar | on, upon dictionary | |
| bogzarad | passes beyond dictionary | |
| bogzar | pass by, give up! dictionary | |
| ahd | promise dictionary | |
| sokhan-hâ-ye | words of dictionary | |
| وقت | vaght | time dictionary |
| ast | is dictionary | |
| کز | k-az | that from (= ke az) (که از) |
| وز | v-az | and from (= va az) (و از) |
| suz | burning dictionary | |
| andarun | inside, the inner self dictionary | |
| همه | hame | all, whole dictionary |
| ey | O (vocative) dictionary | |
| Hâfez | Hafez, the poet's pen name (takhallos); literally "one who knows the Quran by heart" dictionary | |
| ar | if (= agar) (اگر) | |
| مراد | morâd | wish, desire dictionary |
| shodi | would become (old conditional) dictionary | |
| مدام | modâm | constant, lasting; also "wine" (pun) dictionary |
| نیز | niz | also dictionary |
| dur | far dictionary | |
| namândi | would not have remained dictionary | |
| takht | throne dictionary |
Persian text: Ganjoor (ganjoor.net), Hafez, ghazal 291. Transliteration, translation, glosses and reading: Learn Persian Online.
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