Go further with The Greatest Works of Persian Literature! (11 Books): $119.99, instant PDF download. See inside the book

Hafez Ghazal 373: ⁧خیز تا خرقه صوفی به خرابات بریم⁩

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

Ghazal 373 of Hafez (12 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
خیز تا خرقه صوفی به خرابات بریمشطح و طامات به بازار خرافات بریم
khiz tâ kherghe-ye sufi be kharâbât barim / shath o tâmât be bâzâr-e khorâfât barim
Get up, let us take the Sufi's cloak to the tavern, and carry the bold boasts and showy talk to the market of nonsense.
COUPLET 2
سوی رندان قلندر به ره آورد سفردلق بسطامی و سجاده طامات بریم
su-ye rendân-e ghalandar be rah-âvard-e safar / dalgh-e bastâmi o sajjâde-ye tâmât barim
As gifts from our journey, let us bring the wandering free spirits the patched cloak of Bastami and the prayer rug of empty words.
COUPLET 3
تا همه خلوتیان جام صبوحی گیرندچنگ صبحی به در پیر مناجات بریم
tâ hame khalvatiyân jâm-e sabuhi girand / chang-e sobhi be dar-e pir-e monâjât barim
So that all the recluses take up the cup of morning wine, let us carry the dawn harp to the door of the elder who prays at night.
COUPLET 4
با تو آن عهد که در وادی ایمن بستیمهمچو موسی ارنی گوی به میقات بریم
bâ to ân ahd ke dar vâdi-ye ayman bastim / hamcho musâ arani-gu-y be mighât barim
The pledge we made with you in the holy Valley of Ayman we will carry, like Moses crying "Show me!", to the appointed meeting place.
COUPLET 5
کوس ناموس تو بر کنگره عرش زنیمعلم عشق تو بر بام سماوات بریم
kus-e nâmus-e to bar kongere-ye arsh zanim / alam-e eshgh-e to bar bâm-e samâvât barim
We will beat the drum of your good name on the battlements of God's throne, and raise the banner of your love on the roof of the heavens.
COUPLET 6
خاک کوی تو به صحرای قیامت فرداهمه بر فرق سر از بهر مباهات بریم
khâk-e ku-ye to be sahrâ-ye ghiyâmat fardâ / hame bar fargh-e sar az bahr-e mobâhât barim
Tomorrow, on the plain of Judgment Day, we will carry the dust of your street on the crown of our heads, as our pride.
COUPLET 7
ور نهد در ره ما خار ملامت زاهداز گلستانش به زندان مکافات بریم
var nahad dar rah-e mâ khâr-e malâmat zâhed / az golestânash be zendân-e mokâfât barim
And if the ascetic lays the thorn of blame on our path, we will lead him out of his rose garden into the prison of retribution.
COUPLET 8
شرممان باد ز پشمینه آلوده خویشگر بدین فضل و هنر نام کرامات بریم
sharmemân bâd ze pashmine-ye âlude-ye khish / gar bedin fazl o honar nâm-e kerâmât barim
Let us be ashamed of our own stained woolen cloak if, with such poor learning and skill, we dare to speak of miracles.
COUPLET 9
قدر وقت ار نشناسد دل و کاری نکندبس خجالت که از این حاصل اوقات بریم
ghadr-e vaght ar nashenâsad del o kâri nakonad / bas khejâlat ke az in hâsel-e owghât barim
If the heart does not know the worth of time and does nothing, how much shame we will reap from the harvest of our hours.
COUPLET 10
فتنه می‌بارد از این سقف مقرنس برخیزتا به میخانه پناه از همه آفات بریم
fetne mibârad az in saghf-e mogharnas barkhiz / tâ be meykhâne panâh az hame âfât barim
Trouble is raining down from this honeycomb-vaulted ceiling of the sky. Get up, let us take refuge in the tavern from every calamity.
COUPLET 11
در بیابان فنا گم شدن آخر تا کیره بپرسیم مگر پی به مهمات بریم
dar biyâbân-e fanâ gom shodan âkher tâ key / rah beporsim magar pey be mohemmât barim
How long must we stay lost in the desert of mortality? Let us ask the way; perhaps we will find a trail to what truly matters.
COUPLET 12
حافظ آب رخ خود بر در هر سفله مریزحاجت آن به که بر قاضی حاجات بریم
Hâfez âb-e rokh-e khod bar dar-e har sefle mariz / hâjat ân beh ke bar ghâzi-ye hâjât barim
Hafez, do not pour away your honor at the door of every mean person; it is better to take our needs to the One who fulfills all needs.

What this fâl tells you

This fal calls you to drop pretense and false display and to value your time before it slips away. Tradition reads it as advice to ask for directions when you feel lost, since the way can be found. Do not beg favors from unworthy people; bring your needs to God, who answers needs, and keep your dignity.

A traditional-style reading for reflection and enjoyment.

How this ghazal is built

radif: barim. qâfiye: -ât (kharâbât, khorâfât, tâmât, monâjât, mighât, samâvât, mobâhât, mokâfât, kerâmât, owghât, âfât, mohemmât, hâjât). Beyt 4 alludes to Moses at Mount Sinai asking God "arani" (show me Yourself), Quran 7:143.

Key words

WordSay itMeaning (modern Persian)
khizrise! get up! (برخیز)
tâto, until; so that dictionary
kherghedervish's cloak, Sufi robe dictionary
beto; for; with; in, by dictionary
barimlet us take, carry dictionary
وva / oand dictionary
bâzârbazaar, market dictionary
khorâfâtsuperstitions, nonsense dictionary
su-yetoward dictionary
rendânfree spirits, rogues who scorn hypocrisy dictionary
safarjourney dictionary
همهhameall, whole dictionary
jâmcup dictionary
گیرندgirandthey take; ayâr gereftan = to assay dictionary
چنگchangharp dictionary
sobhimorning (adj.); chang-e sobhi = the dawn harp dictionary
darin; door dictionary
پیرpirelder; spiritual master dictionary
مناجاتmonâjâtwhispered prayer to God, night prayer dictionary
bâwith dictionary
toyou dictionary
ânthat dictionary
ahdpledge, pact dictionary
vâdivalley; vâdi-ye ayman = the holy valley where Moses saw the fire dictionary
bastimwe made (a pledge); ahd bastan = to make a pact dictionary
همچوhamcholike (مثل)
gu-ysaying; arani-gu-y = saying "show me" dictionary
ناموسnâmushonor, good repute dictionary
baron, upon dictionary
کنگرهkongerebattlement dictionary
arshthe throne of God, highest heaven dictionary
zanimwe strike, we beat (a drum) dictionary
samâvâtthe heavens (Arabic) (آسمان‌ها)
khâkdust, earth dictionary
ku-yestreet, quarter (of) (کوچه)
فرداfardâtomorrow dictionary
فرقfarghcrown (of the head); fargh-e sar = top of the head dictionary
sarhead; sar be kuh dâdan = to send someone off wandering dictionary
bahrsake; ze bahr-e = for the sake of (برای)
مباهاتmobâhâtboasting, pride dictionary
ورvarand if (= va agar) (و اگر)
نهدnahadlays, puts dictionary
rahroad, way (short for râh) (راه)
ماmâwe, us; our dictionary
khârthorn dictionary
ملامتmalâmatblame, reproach dictionary
zâhedascetic, outwardly pious man dictionary
گلستانشgolestânashhis rose garden dictionary
zendânprison dictionary
sharmemânour shame; sharmemân bâd = may we be ashamed dictionary
bâdmay it be dictionary
zefrom, of (= az) (از)
âludestained, polluted dictionary
khishone's own (خود) dictionary
گرgarif (= agar) (اگر) dictionary
bedinwith this, in this (= be in) (با این)
هنرhonarskill, art dictionary
نامnâmname, fame dictionary
کراماتkerâmâtmiracles of saints dictionary
قدرghadrworth, value dictionary
وقتvaghttime dictionary
arif (= agar) (اگر)
نشناسدnashenâsaddoes not know, does not recognize dictionary
delheart dictionary
kâria deed, what (it) did dictionary
نکندnakonaddoes not do dictionary
basmuch, many dictionary
inthis dictionary
hâselyield, harvest dictionary
owghâttimes dictionary
فتنهfetneturmoil, strife dictionary
می‌باردmibâradis raining down dictionary
saghfroof, ceiling dictionary
barkhizrise! get up! dictionary
میخانهmeykhânetavern dictionary
پناهpanâhrefuge; din-panâh = protector of the faith dictionary
âfâtcalamities, disasters dictionary
فناfanâmortality, passing away dictionary
shodanbecoming; gom shodan = to get lost dictionary
beporsimlet us ask dictionary
مگرmagarperhaps? could it be that? (in questions) dictionary
peytrace, track; pey bordan be = to discover, find the way to dictionary
مهماتmohemmâtimportant matters, what truly matters dictionary
HâfezHafez, the poet's pen name (takhallos); literally "one who knows the Quran by heart" dictionary
âbwater; âb-e rokh = honor, self-respect (آبرو) dictionary
rokhface, cheek dictionary
khodone's own dictionary
هرharevery dictionary
مریزmarizdo not pour! (نریز) dictionary
hâjatneed (نیاز)
ghâzijudge; ghâzi-ye hâjât = the One who fulfills needs (God) dictionary

Persian text: Ganjoor (ganjoor.net), Hafez, ghazal 373. 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.

Become a tutor