Ghazal 352 of Hafez (8 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
روزگاری شد که در میخانه خدمت می‌کنمدر لباسِ فقر کارِ اهلِ دولت می‌کنم
ruzegâri shod ke dar meykhâne khedmat mikonam / dar lebâs-e faghr kâr-e ahl-e dowlat mikonam
For a long time now I have been serving in the tavern; dressed in poverty, I do the work of the fortunate.
COUPLET 2
تا کی اندر دام وصل آرم تَذَروی خوش‌خَرامدر کمینم و انتظار وقتِ فرصت می‌کنم
tâ key andar dâm-e vasl âram tazarvi khosh-khorâm / dar kaminam o entezâr-e vaght-e forsat mikonam
Hoping for the moment I can bring some gracefully strutting pheasant into the net of union, I lie in ambush and wait for my chance.
COUPLET 3
واعظِ ما بوی حق نشنید بشنو کاین سخندر حضورش نیز می‌گویم نه غیبت می‌کنم
vâ'ez-e mâ bu-ye hagh nashenid beshno k-in sokhan / dar hozurash niz miguyam na gheybat mikonam
Our preacher never caught the scent of truth. Listen: I would say this to his face too; I am not talking behind his back.
COUPLET 4
با صبا افتان و خیزان می‌روم تا کویِ دوستو از رفیقان ره استمدادِ همت می‌کنم
bâ sabâ oftân o khizân miravam tâ ku-ye dust / v-az rafighân-e rah estemdâd-e hemmat mikonam
Stumbling and rising with the morning breeze, I make my way to the Friend's street, and I ask my fellow travelers for the help of their prayers.
COUPLET 5
خاکِ کویت زحمت ما برنتابد بیش از اینلطف‌ها کردی بتا، تخفیفِ زحمت می‌کنم
khâk-e kuyat zahmat-e mâ bar natâbad bish az in / lotf-hâ kardi botâ takhfif-e zahmat mikonam
The dust of your street cannot bear my trouble any longer. You have been very kind, my idol; I will trouble you no more.
COUPLET 6
زلفِ دلبر دامِ راه و غمزه‌اش تیرِ بلاستیاد دار ای دل که چندینت نصیحت می‌کنم
zolf-e delbar dâm-e râh o ghamze-ash tir-e balâ-st / yâd dâr ey del ke chandinat nasihat mikonam
The beloved's curl is a trap on the road and that glance an arrow of misfortune; remember this, heart, for I have warned you so many times.
COUPLET 7
دیدهٔ بدبین بپوشان ای کریمِ عیب‌پوشزین دلیری‌ها که من در کُنجِ خلوت می‌کنم
dide-ye badbin bepushân ey karim-e eyb-push / z-in deliri-hâ ke man dar konj-e khalvat mikonam
O generous One who covers faults, close the eye of the ill-wisher to the bold things I do in my private corner.
COUPLET 8
حافظم در مجلسی دُردی‌کشم در محفلیبنگر این شوخی که چون با خلق، صنعت می‌کنم
Hâfezam dar majlesi dordi-kesham dar mahfeli / bengar in shukhi ke chon bâ khalgh san'at mikonam
In one gathering I am a reciter of the Quran, in another a drinker of dregs; look at this game, how I play my tricks on people.
What this fâl tells you
Patient service is not wasted: wait quietly for the right moment and it will come. Tradition reads this fal as advice to be honest and say to people's faces what you would say behind their backs. Ask friends for their good wishes, and do not overstay your welcome.
A traditional-style reading for reflection and enjoyment.
How this ghazal is built
radif: mikonam ("I do"). qâfiye: -at (khedmat, dowlat, forsat, gheybat, hemmat, zahmat, nasihat, khalvat, san'at). Beyt 8 plays on Hafez's pen name: a hâfez is one who knows the Quran by heart.
Key words
| Word | Say it | Meaning (modern Persian) |
|---|---|---|
| ruzegâri | a time, a period of life dictionary | |
| shod | become (with khâhad: will become); became dictionary | |
| dar | in; door dictionary | |
| میخانه | meykhâne | tavern dictionary |
| khedmat | service dictionary | |
| می‌کنم | mikonam | I do, I make dictionary |
| لباس | lebâs | clothes, robe dictionary |
| فقر | faghr | poverty dictionary |
| کار | kâr | work; affair, matter dictionary |
| ahl | people (of) dictionary | |
| dowlat | good fortune (classical sense) (اقبال) dictionary | |
| tâ | to, until; so that dictionary | |
| andar | in (= dar) (در) | |
| dâm | trap, net dictionary | |
| âram | I bring; be dast âram = I will obtain dictionary | |
| کمینم | kaminam | in ambush (+ -am: I am) dictionary |
| و | va / o | and dictionary |
| entezâr | waiting dictionary | |
| وقت | vaght | time dictionary |
| فرصت | forsat | chance, opportunity dictionary |
| واعظ | vâ'ez | preacher dictionary |
| ما | mâ | we, us; our dictionary |
| bu-ye | scent of (ezafe) dictionary | |
| hagh | truth; God dictionary | |
| نشنید | nashenid | did not hear dictionary |
| beshno | listen! dictionary | |
| کاین | k-in | that these (= ke in) (که این) |
| sokhan | speech, words dictionary | |
| hozurash | his presence; dar hozur = to one's face dictionary | |
| نیز | niz | also dictionary |
| می‌گویم | miguyam | I say, I talk dictionary |
| نه | na | not, no dictionary |
| gheybat | backbiting, speaking behind someone's back dictionary | |
| bâ | with dictionary | |
| sabâ | the morning breeze, which carries messages between lovers in poetry (نسیم صبح) | |
| oftân | falling; oftân o khizân = stumbling along dictionary | |
| می‌روم | miravam | I go dictionary |
| کوی | ku-ye | street, quarter (of) (کوچه) |
| dust | friend; (in Hafez) the beloved, or God dictionary | |
| rafighân | friends, companions dictionary | |
| rah | road, way (short for râh) (راه) | |
| khâk | dust, earth dictionary | |
| کویت | kuyat | your street dictionary |
| zahmat | trouble, bother dictionary | |
| bish | more; bish nist = is no more than dictionary | |
| in | this dictionary | |
| لطف‌ها | lotf-hâ | kindnesses; lotf kardan = to be kind dictionary |
| kardi | you made dictionary | |
| botâ | O idol! (the beautiful beloved) dictionary | |
| takhfif | lightening, reducing; takhfif-e zahmat = to stop being a bother dictionary | |
| zolf | curl, lock of hair dictionary | |
| delbar | heart-stealer, the beloved dictionary | |
| râh | way, road dictionary | |
| tir | arrow dictionary | |
| balâst | is of misfortune (= balâ ast) dictionary | |
| یاد | yâd | memory dictionary |
| dâr | keep! hold! (imperative of dâshtan) dictionary | |
| ey | O (vocative) dictionary | |
| del | heart dictionary | |
| چندینت | chandinat | so many times (+ -at: to you) dictionary |
| نصیحت | nasihat | advice dictionary |
| dide | eye (چشم) | |
| badbin | ill-wisher, one who looks with malice dictionary | |
| bepushân | cover! dictionary | |
| z-in | from this (= az in); z-in pish = before this (از این) | |
| deliri-hâ | bold acts dictionary | |
| من | man | I, me dictionary |
| کنج | konj | corner dictionary |
| khalvat | private room, solitude dictionary | |
| hâfezam | I am a hâfez (one who knows the Quran by heart) dictionary | |
| majlesi | a gathering dictionary | |
| mahfeli | a gathering dictionary | |
| bengar | look! (نگاه کن) dictionary | |
| shukhi | joking, teasing; shukhi makon = do not jest dictionary | |
| چون | chon | since, when; like dictionary |
| khalgh | people dictionary | |
| san'at | craft, trick dictionary |
Persian text: Ganjoor (ganjoor.net), Hafez, ghazal 352. Transliteration, translation, glosses and reading: Learn Persian Online.
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