Ghazal 376 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
دوستان وقت گل آن به که به عشرت کوشیمسخن اهل دل است این و به جان بنیوشیم
dustân vaght-e gol ân beh ke be eshrat kushim / sokhan-e ahl-e del ast in o be jân beniyushim
Friends, in the season of roses the best thing is to strive for joy. These are the words of people with heart; let us listen with all our soul.
COUPLET 2
نیست در کس کرم و وقت طرب می‌گذردچاره آن است که سجاده به مِی بفروشیم
nist dar kas karam o vaght-e tarab migozarad / châre ân ast ke sajjâde be mey befrushim
No one has any generosity left, and the time for merriment is slipping by; the only way out is to sell our prayer rug for wine.
COUPLET 3
خوش هوایی‌ست فرح‌بخش خدایا بفرستنازنینی که به رویش مِی گل‌گون نوشیم
khosh havâyi-st farahbakhsh, khodâyâ befrest / nâzanini ke be ruyash mey-e golgun nushim
The air is fine and full of cheer. O God, send us a darling, so that we may drink rose-red wine to that lovely face.
COUPLET 4
ارغنون ساز فلک ره‌زن اهل هنر استچون از این غصه ننالیم و چرا نخروشیم؟
arghanun-sâz-e falak rahzan-e ahl-e honar ast / chon az in ghosse nanâlim o cherâ nakhrushim?
The organ-player of the sky is a highway robber of the talented. How could we not moan at this grief, and why should we not cry out?
COUPLET 5
گل به جوش آمد و از مِی نزدیمش آبیلاجرم زآتش حرمان و هوس می‌جوشیم
gol be jush âmad o az mey nazadimash âbi / lâjaram z-âtash-e hermân o havas mijushim
The rose has burst into bloom, and we have not sprinkled it with a drop of wine; no wonder we are boiling in the fire of deprivation and longing.
COUPLET 6
می‌کشیم از قدح لاله شرابی موهومچشم بد دور که بی‌مطرب و مِی مدهوشیم
mikeshim az ghadah-e lâle sharâbi mowhum / cheshm-e bad dur ke bi motreb o mey madhushim
From the tulip's cup we drink an imaginary wine. May the evil eye stay away: without minstrel or wine we are already in a daze.
COUPLET 7
حافظ این حال عجب با که توان گفت که مابلبلانیم که در مُوسم گل خاموشیم
Hâfez in hâl-e ajab bâ ke tavân goft ke mâ / bolbolânim ke dar mowsem-e gol khâmushim
Hafez, to whom can one tell this strange state? We are nightingales who are silent in the season of the rose.
What this fâl tells you
This fal arrives in the season of roses and tells you not to let it pass in silence. Tradition reads it as a call to enjoy the good days that have come, to share them with dear company, and to speak up rather than keep your song inside. If the world seems ungenerous, find your joy in simple things; even the tulip offers a cup.
A traditional-style reading for reflection and enjoyment.
How this ghazal is built
radif: none. qâfiye: -ushim (kushim, beniyushim, befrushim, nushim, nakhrushim, mijushim, madhushim, khâmushim).
Key words
| Word | Say it | Meaning (modern Persian) |
|---|---|---|
| dustân | friends dictionary | |
| وقت | vaght | time dictionary |
| گل | gol | rose; flower dictionary |
| ân | that dictionary | |
| کوشیم | kushim | we strive dictionary |
| sokhan | speech, words dictionary | |
| ahl | people (of) dictionary | |
| del | heart dictionary | |
| ast | is dictionary | |
| in | this dictionary | |
| و | va / o | and dictionary |
| be | to; for; with; in, by dictionary | |
| jân | life, soul dictionary | |
| نیست | nist | is not; there is not dictionary |
| dar | in; door dictionary | |
| کس | kas | anyone; with negative: no one dictionary |
| tarab | joy, merriment dictionary | |
| می‌گذرد | migozarad | passes dictionary |
| چاره | châre | remedy, way out dictionary |
| mey | wine (شراب) dictionary | |
| befrushim | let us sell dictionary | |
| khosh | well, sweetly; pleasant dictionary | |
| هوایی‌ست | havâyi-st | is a (fine) weather (= havâyi ast) dictionary |
| فرح‌بخش | farahbakhsh | joy-giving dictionary |
| khodâyâ | O God! dictionary | |
| befrest | send! dictionary | |
| nâzanini | a darling dictionary | |
| ruyash | his/her face dictionary | |
| گل‌گون | golgun | rose-colored, rose-red dictionary |
| نوشیم | nushim | we may drink dictionary |
| فلک | falak | the sky, the heavens; fate dictionary |
| هنر | honar | skill, art dictionary |
| چون | chon | how? (چگونه) dictionary |
| ghosse | sorrow, worry dictionary | |
| ننالیم | nanâlim | we do not moan dictionary |
| چرا | cherâ | why dictionary |
| نخروشیم | nakhrushim | we do not cry out dictionary |
| jush | boiling; be jush âmad = came to a boil dictionary | |
| âmad | came dictionary | |
| نزدیمش | nazadimash | we did not strike it; âb zadan = to sprinkle water on dictionary |
| âbi | a drop of water dictionary | |
| z-âtash | from the fire (= az âtash) (از آتش) | |
| هوس | havas | longing, desire dictionary |
| می‌جوشیم | mijushim | we are boiling dictionary |
| می‌کشیم | mikeshim | we drink (mey keshidan) dictionary |
| قدح | ghadah | cup, goblet dictionary |
| sharâbi | a wine dictionary | |
| موهوم | mowhum | imaginary dictionary |
| چشم | cheshm | eye dictionary |
| bad | bad dictionary | |
| dur | far; cheshm-e bad dur = may the evil eye stay away dictionary | |
| Hâfez | Hafez, the poet's pen name (takhallos); literally "one who knows the Quran by heart" dictionary | |
| hâl | state, condition dictionary | |
| ajab | wonder, strange dictionary | |
| bâ | with dictionary | |
| tavân | one can dictionary | |
| گفت | goft | say (with natavân: cannot say); said dictionary |
| ما | mâ | we, us; our dictionary |
| bolbolânim | we are nightingales dictionary | |
| khâmushim | we are silent dictionary |
Persian text: Ganjoor (ganjoor.net), Hafez, ghazal 376. 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.