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Hafez Ghazal 345: ⁧بی تو ای سرو روان، با گل و گلشن چه کنم؟⁩

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

Ghazal 345 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
بی تو ای سروِ روان، با گل و گلشن چه کنم؟زلفِ سنبل چه کشَم عارضِ سوسن چه کنم؟
bi to ey sarv-e ravân bâ gol o golshan che konam / zolf-e sonbol che kesham âraz-e susan che konam
Without you, my walking cypress, what do I want with the rose and the rose garden? Why should I stroke the hyacinth's curl, what use is the lily's cheek?
COUPLET 2
آه کز طعنهٔ بدخواه ندیدم رویتنیست چون آینه‌ام روی ز آهن، چه کنم؟
âh k-az ta'ne-ye badkhâh nadidam ruyat / nist chon âyene-am ru ze âhan che konam
Alas, the taunts of the ill-wisher kept me from seeing your face; I do not have a face of iron like a mirror. What can I do?
COUPLET 3
برو ای ناصِح و بر دردکشان خرده مگیرکارفرمایِ قَدَر می‌کند این، من چه کنم؟
borow ey nâseh o bar dordkeshân khorde magir / kârfarmâ-ye ghadar mikonad in man che konam
Go away, adviser, and do not find fault with the drinkers of dregs: the master of destiny is doing this. What can I do?
COUPLET 4
برقِ غیرت چو چُنین می‌جَهَد از مَکمَنِ غیبتو بفرما که منِ سوخته خرمن چه کنم؟
bargh-e gheyrat cho chonin mijahad az makman-e gheyb / to befarmâ ke man-e sukhte-kharman che konam
When the lightning of jealous love flashes like this from its hiding place in the unseen, you tell me: what can I do, with my harvest burned?
COUPLET 5
شاهِ تُرکان چو پسندید و به چاهم انداختدستگیر ار نشود لطفِ تَهَمتَن چه کنم؟
shâh-e torkân cho pasandid o be châham andâkht / dastgir ar nashavad lotf-e tahamtan che konam
Since the king of the Turks saw fit to throw me into the well, what can I do if the kindness of Tahamtan does not take my hand?
COUPLET 6
مددی گر به چراغی نکند آتشِ طورچارهٔ تیره‌شبِ وادی ایمن چه کنم؟
madadi gar be cherâghi nakonad âtash-e tur / châre-ye tire-shab-e vâdi-ye ayman che konam
If the fire of Sinai does not lend my lamp some help, how can I find my way through the dark night of the holy valley?
COUPLET 7
حافظا خُلدِبَرین خانهٔ موروثِ من استاندر این منزلِ ویرانه نشیمن چه کنم؟
Hâfezâ kholde-barin khâne-ye mowrus-e man ast / andar in manzel-e virâne neshiman che konam
Hafez, the highest paradise is the house I inherited; why should I settle down in this ruined stopping place?

What this fâl tells you

Some things are in the hands of fate, and worrying will not change them. Tradition reads this fal as a promise that, as in the old story where a hero pulled Bizhan out of the well, a strong and kind helper can reach you even in a dark place. Do not let critics weigh on you; your true home is somewhere brighter.

A traditional-style reading for reflection and enjoyment.

How this ghazal is built

radif: che konam ("what shall I do?"). qâfiye: -an (golshan, susan, âhan, man, kharman, tahamtan, ayman, neshiman). Beyt 5 recalls the Shahnameh: Afrasiab, king of Turan, threw Bizhan into a well and Rostam (Tahamtan) rescued him; beyt 6 recalls Moses and the fire on Mount Sinai.

Key words

WordSay itMeaning (modern Persian)
biwithout dictionary
toyou dictionary
eyO (vocative) dictionary
sarvcypress (image of a tall beloved) dictionary
bâwith dictionary
گلgolrose; flower dictionary
وva / oand dictionary
چهchewhat; how much! dictionary
کنمkonamI make, I do dictionary
zolfcurl, lock of hair dictionary
کشمkeshamI pull, stroke dictionary
ârazcheek (گونه)
کزk-azthat from (= ke az) (که از)
ta'ne-yesneer of, taunt of dictionary
badkhâhill-wisher, enemy dictionary
ندیدمnadidamI did not see, did not find dictionary
ruyatyour face dictionary
نیستnistis not; there is not dictionary
چونchonsince, when; like dictionary
ruface dictionary
zefrom, of (= az) (از)
âhaniron dictionary
borowgo! dictionary
ناصحnâsehadviser dictionary
baron, upon dictionary
khordefault; khorde gereftan = to find fault dictionary
مگیرmagirdo not take; do not find (fault) (نگیر) dictionary
می‌کندmikonaddoes, is doing dictionary
inthis dictionary
منmanI, me dictionary
barghlightning dictionary
gheyratjealousy (of love); zeal dictionary
چوchosince, when; like (= chon) (چون)
چنینcheninsuch, so dictionary
می‌جهدmijahadleaps, flashes dictionary
befarmâplease tell; command dictionary
sukhteburnt; heartbroken dictionary
kharmanharvest, threshing heap dictionary
shâhking dictionary
پسندیدpasandidapproved, saw fit dictionary
beto; for; with; in, by dictionary
چاهمchâhamthe well (+ -am: me) dictionary
andâkhtthrew dictionary
arif (= agar) (اگر)
نشودnashavaddoes not become dictionary
لطفlotfkindness, grace; be lotf = kindly, gently dictionary
madadisome help dictionary
گرgarif (= agar) (اگر) dictionary
cherâghia lamp dictionary
نکندnakonaddoes not do dictionary
چارهٔchâreremedy, way out dictionary
vâdivalley; vâdi-ye ayman = the holy valley where Moses saw the fire dictionary
khânehouse dictionary
astis dictionary
andarin (= dar) (در)
منزلmanzelstopping place, lodging; house dictionary
ویرانهvirâneruined dictionary

Persian text: Ganjoor (ganjoor.net), Hafez, ghazal 345. Transliteration, translation, glosses and reading: Learn Persian Online.

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