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Hafez Ghazal 349: ⁧دوش سودای رخش گفتم ز سر بیرون کنم⁩

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

Ghazal 349 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
دوش سودایِ رُخَش گفتم ز سر بیرون کُنَمگفت کو زنجیر؟ تا تدبیرِ این مجنون کُنَم
dush sowdâ-ye rokhash goftam ze sar birun konam / goft ku zanjir tâ tadbir-e in majnun konam
Last night I said I would drive my passion for that face out of my head; the beloved said, "Where is a chain, so I can deal with this madman?"
COUPLET 2
قامتش را سرو گفتم، سر کشید از من به خشمدوستان از راست می‌رَنجَد نِگارم، چون کنم؟
ghâmatash râ sarv goftam sar keshid az man be khashm / dustân az râst miranjad negâram chon konam
I called that tall figure a cypress, and it turned its head away from me in anger. Friends, my beloved is offended by the truth: what am I to do?
COUPLET 3
نکته ناسنجیده گفتم دلبرا معذور دارعشوه‌ای فرمای تا من طبع را موزون کنم
nokte nâsanjide goftam delbarâ ma'zur dâr / eshve'i farmây tâ man tab' râ mowzun konam
I spoke a careless word, heart-stealer; forgive me. Grant me one charming look, so that I can set my talent back in measure.
COUPLET 4
زردرویی می‌کَشَم زان طبعِ نازک، بی‌گناهساقیا جامی بده تا چهره را گُلگون کنم
zardruyi mikesham z-ân tab'-e nâzok bigonâh / sâghiyâ jâmi bede tâ chehre râ golgun konam
Innocent as I am, I am pale with shame before that delicate temper; cupbearer, give me a cup so I can make my face rosy again.
COUPLET 5
ای نسیمِ منزلِ لیلی خدا را تا به کیرَبع را برهم زنم، اَطلال را جیحون کنم
ey nasim-e manzel-e leyli khodâ râ tâ be key / rab' râ barham zanam atlâl râ jeyhun konam
O breeze from Leyli's dwelling, for God's sake, how long must I turn the old campsite upside down and turn its ruins into an Oxus of tears?
COUPLET 6
من که رَه بُردم به گنجِ حُسنِ بی‌پایان دوستصد گدایِ همچو خود را بعد از این قارون کنم
man ke rah bordam be ganj-e hosn-e bi-pâyân-e dust / sad gedâ-ye hamcho khod râ ba'd az in ghârun konam
Now that I have found the way to the treasure of the Friend's endless beauty, from now on I will make a hundred beggars like me as rich as Qarun.
COUPLET 7
ای مَهِ صاحب قران، از بنده حافظ یاد کنتا دعایِ دولتِ آن حُسنِ روزافزون کنم
ey mah-e sâheb-gherân az bande Hâfez yâd kon / tâ do'â-ye dowlat-e ân hosn-e ruzafzun konam
O moon, lord of the lucky conjunction, remember your servant Hafez, so that I may pray for the good fortune of that ever-growing beauty.

What this fâl tells you

A small misunderstanding can be mended with kind words. Tradition reads this fal as advice to apologize gracefully if you have spoken carelessly, and to trust that warmth will return. Once you find what you truly value, you will have enough to share with many others.

A traditional-style reading for reflection and enjoyment.

How this ghazal is built

radif: konam ("I do"). qâfiye: -un (birun, majnun, chon, mowzun, golgun, jeyhun, ghârun, ruzafzun). Beyt 5 uses the Arabic desert images of the old campsite (rab') and ruins (atlâl) from the Leyli and Majnun tradition.

Key words

WordSay itMeaning (modern Persian)
dushlast night (دیشب) dictionary
sodâ-yepassion, longing for dictionary
rokhashhis/her face dictionary
گفتمgoftamI said dictionary
zefrom, of (= az) (از)
sarhead; sar be kuh dâdan = to send someone off wandering dictionary
birunoutside dictionary
کنمkonamI make, I do dictionary
گفتgoftsay (with natavân: cannot say); said dictionary
کوkuwhere is? (کجاست) dictionary
zanjirchain dictionary
tâto, until; so that dictionary
tadbirplan, course of action dictionary
inthis dictionary
مجنونmajnunMajnun, the lover driven mad by love for Leyli dictionary
قامتشghâmatashhis/her stature, figure dictionary
sarvcypress (image of a tall beloved) dictionary
کشیدkeshidpulled; sar keshidan = to turn one's head away, rebel dictionary
منmanI, me dictionary
beto; for; with; in, by dictionary
khashmanger dictionary
dustânfriends dictionary
râsttruth; also "straight" (pun on the straight cypress) dictionary
می‌رنجدmiranjadis offended dictionary
چونchonhow? chon konam = what shall I do? (چگونه) dictionary
نکتهnoktepoint, subtle point dictionary
delbarâO heart-stealer (vocative) dictionary
dârkeep! hold! (imperative of dâshtan) dictionary
eshve'ia flirtatious gesture dictionary
farmâygrant, be so kind as to (polite imperative) (بفرما) dictionary
tab'nature; poetic talent dictionary
موزونmowzunwell measured, rhythmic dictionary
می‌کشمmikeshamI suffer, endure dictionary
z-ânfrom that (= az ân) (از آن)
نازکnâzokdelicate dictionary
bigonâhinnocent dictionary
sâghiyâO cupbearer (sâghi + vocative -â) dictionary
jâmia cup dictionary
bedehgive! pour! dictionary
چهرهchehreface dictionary
گلگونgolgunrose-colored, rose-red dictionary
eyO (vocative) dictionary
نسیمnasimbreeze dictionary
منزلmanzelstopping place, lodging; house dictionary
khodâGod; khodâ râ = for God's sake dictionary
zanamI strike; buse zanam = I kiss dictionary
rahroad, way (short for râh) (راه)
bordamI took dictionary
گنجganjtreasure dictionary
hosnbeauty dictionary
bi-pâyânendless dictionary
dustfriend; (in Hafez) the beloved, or God dictionary
sadhundred dictionary
گدایgedâ-yebeggar of dictionary
همچوhamcholike (مثل)
khodself; here "and indeed, after all" dictionary
ba'dafter; ba'd az in = from now on dictionary
مهmahmoon (= mâh) (ماه)
sâhebowner, master; one who has dictionary
bandeservant; humble "I" dictionary
HâfezHafez, the poet's pen name (takhallos); literally "one who knows the Quran by heart" dictionary
یادyâdmemory dictionary
کنkondo! make! (imperative of kardan) dictionary
do'â-yeprayer of dictionary
dowlatgood fortune (classical sense) (اقبال) dictionary
ânthat dictionary

Persian text: Ganjoor (ganjoor.net), Hafez, ghazal 349. Transliteration, translation, glosses and reading: Learn Persian Online.

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