Ghazal 325 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
گر دست دهد خاکِ کفِ پایِ نگارمبر لوحِ بَصَر خطِّ غباری بنگارم
gar dast dahad khâk-e kaf-e pâ-ye negâram / bar lowh-e basar khatt-e ghobâri benegâram
If I could get the dust from the soles of my beloved's feet, I would write a line in fine "dust script" on the tablet of my eyes.
COUPLET 2
بر بویِ کنارِ تو شدم غرق و امید استاز موجِ سرشکم که رسانَد به کنارم
bar bu-ye kenâr-e to shodam ghargh o omid ast / az mowj-e sereshkam ke resânad be kenâram
Hoping for your embrace I have drowned, and I hope the wave of my tears will carry me to the shore.
COUPLET 3
پروانهٔ او گر رسدم در طلبِ جانچون شمع همان دَم به دَمی جان بِسِپارَم
parvâne-ye u gar rasadam dar talab-e jân / chon sham' hamân dam be dami jân besepâram
If the beloved's warrant reaches me demanding my life, like a candle I will give up my soul that very moment, in a single breath.
COUPLET 4
امروز مَکَش سر ز وفایِ من و اندیشزان شب که من از غم به دعا دست برآرم
emruz makesh sar ze vafâ-ye man o andish / z-ân shab ke man az gham be do'â dast bar âram
Do not turn away from my faithfulness today; think of the night when, in grief, I will raise my hands in prayer.
COUPLET 5
زلفین سیاهِ تو به دلداریِ عُشّاقدادند قراری و بِبُردَند قرارم
zolfeyn-e siyâh-e to be deldâri-ye oshshâgh / dâdand gharâri o bebordand gharâram
Your two black curls, while comforting lovers, made a promise of peace and then carried off mine.
COUPLET 6
ای باد از آن باده نسیمی به من آورکان بویِ شفابخش بُوَد دفعِ خُمارم
ey bâd az ân bâde nasimi be man âvar / k-ân bu-ye shafâbakhsh bovad daf'-e khomâram
Wind, bring me a breath of that wine, for its healing scent will drive away my hangover.
COUPLET 7
گر قلبِ دلم را نَنَهد دوست عیاریمن نقدِ روان در دَمَش از دیده شمارم
gar ghalb-e delam râ nanehad dust ayâri / man naghd-e ravân dar damash az dide shomâram
If the beloved sets no value on the doubtful coin of my heart, I will count out ready cash from my eyes on the spot.
COUPLET 8
دامن مَفِشان از منِ خاکی که پس از منزین در نتواند که بَرَد باد غبارم
dâman mafeshân az man-e khâki ke pas az man / z-in dar natavânad ke barad bâd ghobâram
Do not shake your hem free of me, a creature of dust: even after I am gone, the wind will not be able to carry my dust away from this door.
COUPLET 9
حافظ لبِ لَعلَش چو مرا جانِ عزیز استعمری بُوَد آن لحظه که جان را به لب آرم
Hâfez lab-e la'lash cho marâ jân-e aziz ast / omri bovad ân lahze ke jân râ be lab âram
Hafez, since the beloved's ruby lips are my dear life to me, the moment I bring my soul to my lips will be worth a lifetime.
What this fâl tells you
This fal is full of tears that carry the lover toward the shore. Tradition reads it as a sign that sincere longing is never wasted: what feels like drowning can bring you to safety. Remind the one you love of your faithfulness gently, and look for the small comfort, the breath of fragrance, that eases your weariness.
A traditional-style reading for reflection and enjoyment.
How this ghazal is built
radif: -am ("my" / "I"). qâfiye: -âr (negâr, benegâr, kenâr, sepâr, âr, gharâr, khomâr, shomâr, ghobâr).
Key words
| Word | Say it | Meaning (modern Persian) |
|---|---|---|
| گر | gar | if (= agar) (اگر) dictionary |
| dast | hand dictionary | |
| dahad | gives; dast dahad = it becomes possible dictionary | |
| khâk | dust, earth dictionary | |
| کف | kaf | palm (of the hand) dictionary |
| پای | pâ | foot; az pâ oftâdan = to collapse dictionary |
| bar | on, upon dictionary | |
| لوح | lowh | tablet, slate dictionary |
| khatt | line, script; khatt-e ghobâr = a tiny "dust" script dictionary | |
| ghobâri | a little dust dictionary | |
| benegâram | I would draw, write dictionary | |
| bu-ye | scent of (ezafe) dictionary | |
| کنار | kenâr | embrace; also shore dictionary |
| to | you dictionary | |
| shodam | I became dictionary | |
| ghargh | drowned, immersed dictionary | |
| و | va / o | and dictionary |
| omid | hope dictionary | |
| ast | is dictionary | |
| موج | mowj | wave dictionary |
| sereshkam | my tears dictionary | |
| resânad | will deliver, carry dictionary | |
| be | to; for; with; in, by dictionary | |
| کنارم | kenâram | my shore; also my embrace (a pun) dictionary |
| پروانهٔ | parvâne | warrant, permit; also moth (a pun) dictionary |
| u | him / her (Persian does not mark gender) dictionary | |
| rasadam | reaches me dictionary | |
| dar | in; door dictionary | |
| talab | request, search dictionary | |
| jân | life, soul dictionary | |
| چون | chon | since, when; like dictionary |
| sham' | candle dictionary | |
| همان | hamân | the same dictionary |
| dam | moment; breath dictionary | |
| dami | a moment dictionary | |
| besepâram | I hand over, give up dictionary | |
| emruz | today dictionary | |
| مکش | makesh | do not draw; sar makesh = do not turn away (نکش) dictionary |
| sar | head; sar be kuh dâdan = to send someone off wandering dictionary | |
| ze | from, of (= az) (از) | |
| من | man | I, me dictionary |
| andish | think! consider! (بیندیش) dictionary | |
| z-ân | from that (= az ân) (از آن) | |
| shab | night dictionary | |
| gham | sorrow, grief dictionary | |
| do'â | prayer, blessing dictionary | |
| zolfeyn | two curls (Arabic dual of zolf) dictionary | |
| siyâh | black dictionary | |
| oshshâgh | lovers dictionary | |
| dâdand | (they) gave dictionary | |
| gharâri | an agreement, a pact dictionary | |
| bebordand | they carried off dictionary | |
| قرارم | gharâram | my peace, my calm dictionary |
| ey | O (vocative) dictionary | |
| bâd | wind dictionary | |
| ân | that dictionary | |
| bâde | wine dictionary | |
| nasimi | a breeze dictionary | |
| âvar | bring!; be dast âvar = win (someone's heart) (بیاور) dictionary | |
| کان | k-ân | for that (= ke ân) (که آن) |
| shafâbakhsh | healing dictionary | |
| bovad | is, will be (old form of bâshad) (باشد) dictionary | |
| daf' | driving away dictionary | |
| khomâram | my hangover dictionary | |
| قلب | ghalb | counterfeit (coin); also "heart" (pun) dictionary |
| delam | my heart dictionary | |
| ننهد | nanehad | does not set, place (نگذارد) dictionary |
| dust | friend; (in Hafez) the beloved, or God dictionary | |
| ayâri | value, assay of purity dictionary | |
| damash | its moment; dar damash = on the spot dictionary | |
| dide | eye (چشم) | |
| shomâram | I count dictionary | |
| مفشان | mafeshân | do not shake! (نتکان) dictionary |
| khâki | a handful of earth; a humble person dictionary | |
| پس | pas | after dictionary |
| z-in | from this (= az in); z-in pish = before this (از این) | |
| نتواند | natavânad | cannot dictionary |
| barad | carries dictionary | |
| ghobâram | my dust dictionary | |
| Hâfez | Hafez, the poet's pen name (takhallos); literally "one who knows the Quran by heart" dictionary | |
| لب | lab | lip dictionary |
| لعلش | la'lash | his/her ruby (lips) dictionary |
| چو | cho | since, when; like (= chon) (چون) |
| مرا | marâ | me; for me (= man râ) (من را / برای من) |
| aziz | precious, dear dictionary | |
| omri | a life, a lifetime dictionary | |
| لحظه | lahze | moment dictionary |
| âram | I bring; be dast âram = I will obtain dictionary |
Persian text: Ganjoor (ganjoor.net), Hafez, ghazal 325. Transliteration, translation, glosses and reading: Learn Persian Online.
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