Ghazal 348 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
دیده دریا کُنم و صبر به صحرا فِکنموَاندر این کار، دلِ خویش به دریا فِکنم
dide daryâ konam o sabr be sahrâ fekanam / v-andar in kâr del-e khish be daryâ fekanam
I will turn my eyes into a sea and throw my patience out into the desert, and in this I will throw my own heart into the sea.
COUPLET 2
از دلِ تنگِ گنه‌کار برآرم آهیکآتش اندر گنهِ آدم و حوا فکنم
az del-e tang-e gonahkâr barâram âhi / k-âtash andar gonah-e âdam o havvâ fekanam
From my narrow, sinful heart I will heave such a sigh that it sets fire to the sin of Adam and Eve.
COUPLET 3
مایهٔ خوش‌دلی آن جاست که دل‌دار آن جاستمی‌کنم جهد که خود را مگر آن جا فکنم
mâye-ye khoshdeli ânjâ-st ke deldâr ânjâ-st / mikonam jahd ke khod râ magar ânjâ fekanam
The source of happiness is wherever the beloved is; I am trying hard to somehow get myself there.
COUPLET 4
بِگشا بندِ قبا ای مهِ خورشیدکلاه!تا چو زلفت سَرِ سودا زده در پا فکنم
begoshâ band-e ghabâ ey mah-e khorshid-kolâh / tâ cho zolfat sar-e sowdâ-zade dar pâ fekanam
Undo the fastening of your robe, O moon wearing the sun for a cap, so that I can lay my passion-struck head at your feet, like your curls.
COUPLET 5
خورده‌ام تیرِ فلک، باده بده تا سرمستعُقده در بندِ کَمرتَرکشِ جوزا فکنم
khorde-am tir-e falak bâde bede tâ sarmast / oghde dar band-e kamar-tarkesh-e jowzâ fekanam
I have been hit by the arrow of the heavens; give me wine, so that, drunk, I can tie a knot in the quiver-belt of Gemini.
COUPLET 6
جرعهٔ جام بر این تختِ روان افشانمغُلغُلِ چنگ در این گنبدِ مینا فکنم
jor'e-ye jâm bar in takht-e ravân afshânam / gholghol-e chang dar in gonbad-e minâ fekanam
I will sprinkle the last drops of my cup over this moving throne and fill this blue dome of the sky with the clamor of the harp.
COUPLET 7
حافظا! تکیه بر ایّام چو سهو است و خطامن چرا عِشرتِ امروز به فردا فکنم؟
Hâfezâ tekye bar ayyâm cho sahv ast o khatâ / man cherâ eshrat-e emruz be fardâ fekanam
Hafez, since relying on time is a mistake and an error, why should I put off today's joy until tomorrow?
What this fâl tells you
Do not postpone the good things of today until tomorrow. Tradition reads this fal as an invitation to be brave and wholehearted: go where your happiness is, and let go of old guilt and worry. Even the arrows of fate can be met with a joyful heart.
A traditional-style reading for reflection and enjoyment.
How this ghazal is built
radif: fekanam ("I throw"). qâfiye: -â (sahrâ, daryâ, havvâ, ânjâ, pâ, jowzâ, minâ, fardâ). The rhyme word daryâ is repeated in beyt 1.
Key words
| Word | Say it | Meaning (modern Persian) |
|---|---|---|
| dide | eye (چشم) | |
| daryâ | sea dictionary | |
| کنم | konam | I make, I do dictionary |
| و | va / o | and dictionary |
| sabr | patience dictionary | |
| be | to; for; with; in, by dictionary | |
| sahrâ | open country, fields dictionary | |
| فکنم | fekanam | I throw, cast; be fardâ fekandan = to put off till tomorrow dictionary |
| واندر | v-andar | and in (= va andar) (و در) |
| in | this dictionary | |
| کار | kâr | work; affair, matter dictionary |
| del | heart dictionary | |
| khish | one's own (خود) dictionary | |
| گنه‌کار | gonahkâr | sinful dictionary |
| کآتش | k-âtash | for fire (= ke âtash) (که آتش) |
| andar | in (= dar) (در) | |
| گنه | gonah | sin (گناه) |
| âdam | Adam dictionary | |
| مایهٔ | mâye | source, capital dictionary |
| ân | that dictionary | |
| jâ-st | is (the) place (in-jâ-st = is here) dictionary | |
| می‌کنم | mikonam | I do, I make dictionary |
| khod | self; here "and indeed, after all" dictionary | |
| مگر | magar | perhaps? could it be that? (in questions) dictionary |
| jâ | place dictionary | |
| begoshâ | open! lift! dictionary | |
| band | rope, bond dictionary | |
| قبا | ghabâ | robe, gown dictionary |
| ey | O (vocative) dictionary | |
| مه | mah | moon (= mâh) (ماه) |
| tâ | to, until; so that dictionary | |
| چو | cho | since, when; like (= chon) (چون) |
| zolfat | your curls dictionary | |
| sar | head; sar be kuh dâdan = to send someone off wandering dictionary | |
| sowdâ | passion, obsession dictionary | |
| zade | struck; sowdâ-zade = struck with passion dictionary | |
| dar | in; door dictionary | |
| پا | pâ | foot dictionary |
| khorde-am | I have taken (a hit); tir khordan = to be hit by an arrow dictionary | |
| tir | arrow dictionary | |
| فلک | falak | the sky, the heavens; fate dictionary |
| bâde | wine dictionary | |
| bedeh | give! pour! dictionary | |
| sarmast | drunk, intoxicated dictionary | |
| oghde | knot dictionary | |
| jowzâ | Gemini (constellation, pictured wearing a sash) (جوزا) | |
| jor'e | sip, mouthful dictionary | |
| jâm | cup dictionary | |
| bar | on, upon dictionary | |
| takht | throne dictionary | |
| afshânam | I scatter, sprinkle dictionary | |
| چنگ | chang | harp dictionary |
| گنبد | gonbad | dome dictionary |
| مینا | minâ | enamel, blue glass: gonbad-e minâ = the blue dome of the sky dictionary |
| tekye | leaning, reliance dictionary | |
| ayyâm | days, times dictionary | |
| sahv | mistake, oversight dictionary | |
| ast | is dictionary | |
| khatâ | error, mistake dictionary | |
| من | man | I, me dictionary |
| چرا | cherâ | why dictionary |
| emruz | today dictionary | |
| فردا | fardâ | tomorrow dictionary |
Persian text: Ganjoor (ganjoor.net), Hafez, ghazal 348. Transliteration, translation, glosses and reading: Learn Persian Online.
Love Persian poetry? Learn to read it: free Starter Pack
Get the 14-page printable Starter Pack (all 32 letters, a 7-day reading plan, 100 core words and 20 survival phrases) and a short 5-email course. Free.