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Hafez Ghazal 295: ⁧سحر به بوی گلستان دمی شدم در باغ⁩

Hafez poetry book, pomegranate and candle in a Persian garden at night.

Ghazal 295 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
سَحَر به بویِ گلستان دَمی شدم در باغکه تا چو بلبلِ بیدل کُنَم عِلاجِ دِماغ
sahar be bu-ye golestân dami shodam dar bâgh / ke tâ cho bolbol-e bidel konam alâj-e demâgh
At dawn, drawn by the scent of the rose garden, I went into the garden for a moment, to refresh my weary mind like the lovesick nightingale.
COUPLET 2
به جلوهٔ گلِ سوری نگاه می‌کردمکه بود در شبِ تیره به روشنی چو چراغ
be jelve-ye gol-e suri negâh mikardam / ke bud dar shab-e tire be rowshani cho cherâgh
I was gazing at the splendor of the red rose, which glowed in the dark night like a lamp.
COUPLET 3
چُنان به حُسن و جوانیِ خویشتن مغرورکه داشت از دلِ بلبل هزار گونه فَراغ
chenân be hosn o javâni-ye khishtan maghrur / ke dâsht az del-e bolbol hezâr gune farâgh
It was so proud of its own beauty and youth that it did not care in the least about the nightingale's heart.
COUPLET 4
گشاده نرگسِ رعنا ز حسرت آب از چشمنهاده لاله ز سودا به جان و دل صد داغ
goshâde narges-e ra'nâ ze hasrat âb az cheshm / nahâde lâle ze sowdâ be jân o del sad dâgh
The graceful narcissus had let tears run from its eyes in longing, and the tulip, out of passion, had burned a hundred brands into its heart and soul.
COUPLET 5
زبان کشیده چو تیغی به سرزنش سوسندهان گُشاده شقایق چو مردمِ ایغاغ
zabân keshide cho tighi be sarzanesh susan / dahân goshâde shaghâyegh cho mardom-e ighâgh
The lily had drawn its tongue like a sword to scold; the anemone had opened its mouth like a gossip.
COUPLET 6
یکی چو باده پرستان صُراحی اندر دستیکی چو ساقیِ مستان به کف گرفته اَیاغ
yeki cho bâde-parastân sorâhi andar dast / yeki cho sâghi-ye mastân be kaf gerefte ayâgh
One, like the wine lovers, held a flask in its hand; another, like the cupbearer of the drunk, held a goblet in its palm.
COUPLET 7
نشاط و عیش و جوانی چو گُل غنیمت دانکه حافظا نَبُوَد بر رسول غیر بَلاغ
neshât o eysh o javâni cho gol ghanimat dân / ke Hâfezâ nabvad bar rasul gheyr-e balâgh
Treasure joy, pleasure and youth as the rose does; Hafez, a messenger's only duty is to deliver the message.

What this fâl tells you

Tradition reads this fal as an invitation to step outside, into a garden or into fresh air, and let beauty clear your mind. Everything around you is in bloom, each in its own way. Enjoy the good days while they last, and do not let pride make you forget the hearts that care for you.

A traditional-style reading for reflection and enjoyment.

How this ghazal is built

radif: none. qâfiye: -âgh (bâgh, demâgh, cherâgh, farâgh, dâgh, ighâgh, ayâgh, balâgh). The last half-line echoes the Quranic phrase "the messenger's duty is only to deliver".

Key words

WordSay itMeaning (modern Persian)
sahardawn dictionary
beto; for; with; in, by dictionary
bu-yescent of (ezafe) dictionary
گلستانgolestânrose garden dictionary
damia moment dictionary
shodamI went dictionary
darin; door dictionary
bâghgarden dictionary
tâto, until; so that dictionary
چوchosince, when; like (= chon) (چون)
bolbolnightingale dictionary
کنمkonamI make, I do dictionary
alâjcure, treatment dictionary
jelvedisplay, showing oneself dictionary
گلgolrose; flower dictionary
نگاهnegâhlook; negâh kardan = to look at dictionary
می‌کردمmikardamI was doing; rahâ mikardam = I let go dictionary
budwas dictionary
shabnight dictionary
tiredark dictionary
rowshanilight, brightness dictionary
چراغcherâghlamp dictionary
چنانchenânso, in such a way dictionary
hosnbeauty dictionary
وva / oand dictionary
javâniyouth; youthful dictionary
khishtanoneself, one's own (خود) dictionary
مغرورmaghrurproud, conceited dictionary
dâshthad dictionary
delheart dictionary
هزارhezârthousand; also "nightingale" (hezâr-dastân) dictionary
گونهgunekind, sort dictionary
گشادهgoshâdeopen dictionary
نرگسnargesnarcissus (image of the beloved's languid eye) dictionary
zefrom, of (= az) (از)
âbwater; stream dictionary
چشمcheshmeye dictionary
نهادهnahâdehaving placed, put dictionary
sowdâpassion, obsession dictionary
jânlife, soul dictionary
sadhundred dictionary
dâghbrand, burning mark (like the dark spot in a tulip) dictionary
zabântongue; language dictionary
کشیدهkeshidedrawn; gush keshide = drawn back to the ear (a bow), or pulled away dictionary
tighia blade, a sword dictionary
sarzaneshscolding, reproach dictionary
dahânmouth dictionary
مردمmardompeople dictionary
yekione (person) dictionary
bâdewine dictionary
andarin (= dar) (در)
dasthand dictionary
sâghicupbearer dictionary
مستانmastânthe drunk ones dictionary
کفkafpalm (of the hand) dictionary
گرفتهgereftetaken; khun-gerefte = soaked in blood dictionary
ayâghcup, goblet (جام)
نشاطneshâtjoy, high spirits dictionary
eyshpleasure, enjoyment dictionary
ghanimatgodsend; ghanimat dânestan = to treasure dictionary
dânknow! consider! (بدان) dictionary
نبودnabvadis not (old form) (نیست / نباشد) dictionary
baron, upon dictionary
rasulmessenger dictionary
gheyrother; gheyr az = apart from dictionary

Persian text: Ganjoor (ganjoor.net), Hafez, ghazal 295. Transliteration, translation, glosses and reading: Learn Persian Online.

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