Ghazal 378 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
ما نگوییم بد و میل به ناحق نکنیمجامهٔ کس سیه و دلق خود ازرق نکنیم
mâ naguyim bad o meyl be nâhagh nakonim / jâme-ye kas siyah o dalgh-e khod azragh nakonim
We do not speak ill, and we do not lean toward injustice; we do not blacken anyone's garment, nor dye our own cloak the dark blue of the pious.
COUPLET 2
عیب درویش و توانگر به کم و بیش بد استکار بد مصلحت آن است که مطلق نکنیم
eyb-e darvish o tavângar be kam o bish bad ast / kâr-e bad maslahat ân ast ke motlagh nakonim
Finding fault with poor or rich, whether a little or a lot, is wrong. The wise course is never to do wrong at all.
COUPLET 3
رقم مغلطه بر دفتر دانش نزنیمسر حق بر ورق شعبده ملحق نکنیم
ragham-e moghâlate bar daftar-e dânesh nazanim / serr-e hagh bar varagh-e sho'bade molhagh nakonim
We do not write deceptions into the book of knowledge, nor do we bind God's secret into pages of trickery.
COUPLET 4
شاه اگر جرعهٔ رندان نه به حرمت نوشدالتفاتش به می صاف مروّق نکنیم
shâh agar jor'e-ye rendân na be hormat nushad / eltefâtash be mey-e sâf-e moravvagh nakonim
If the king does not drink the free spirits' wine with respect, we will not honor him with our clear, filtered wine.
COUPLET 5
خوش برانیم جهان در نظر راهروانفکر اسب سیه و زین مغرّق نکنیم
khosh berânim jahân dar nazar-e rahravân / fekr-e asb-e siyah o zin-e mogharragh nakonim
In the eyes of those on the path, let us ride through the world lightly, without a thought for a black horse and a gold-covered saddle.
COUPLET 6
آسمان کشتی ارباب هنر می‌شکندتکیه آن به که بر این بحر معلّق نکنیم
âsmân keshti-ye arbâb-e honar mishekanad / tekye ân beh ke bar in bahr-e mo'allagh nakonim
The sky wrecks the ship of people of talent; better not to rely on this sea that hangs over our heads.
COUPLET 7
گر بدی گفت حسودی و رفیقی رنجیدگو «تو خوش باش که ما گوش به احمق نکنیم»
gar badi goft hasudi o rafighi ranjid / gu "to khosh bâsh ke mâ gush be ahmagh nakonim"
If some envious person spoke ill and a friend was hurt by it, say: "Be at ease, we do not listen to fools."
COUPLET 8
حافظ ار خصم خطا گفت، نگیریم بر اوور به حق گفت، جدل با سخن حق نکنیم
Hâfez ar khasm khatâ goft nagirim bar u / var be hagh goft jadal bâ sokhan-e hagh nakonim
Hafez, if an opponent says something wrong, we will not hold it against him; and if he speaks the truth, we will not argue with the truth.
What this fâl tells you
This fal is a short code of good conduct: speak no ill, judge no one, and do not chase wealth or show. Tradition reads it as advice to stay calm when envious people talk, to reassure a hurt friend, and to accept the truth even from a rival. Keep your heart light and honest, and the world's storms will pass you by.
A traditional-style reading for reflection and enjoyment.
How this ghazal is built
radif: nakonim. qâfiye: -agh (nâhagh, azragh, motlagh, molhagh, moravvagh, mogharragh, mo'allagh, ahmagh, hagh).
Key words
| Word | Say it | Meaning (modern Persian) |
|---|---|---|
| ما | mâ | we, us; our dictionary |
| نگوییم | nagu'im | we do not say dictionary |
| bad | bad dictionary | |
| و | va / o | and dictionary |
| میل | meyl | desire, appetite dictionary |
| be | to; for; with; in, by dictionary | |
| نکنیم | nakonim | we do not do dictionary |
| jâme-ye | garment of (لباس) dictionary | |
| کس | kas | anyone; with negative: no one dictionary |
| siyah | black (سیاه) | |
| khod | our own dictionary | |
| eyb | fault, flaw dictionary | |
| tavângar | rich man dictionary | |
| کم | kam | little; be kam o bish = a little or a lot dictionary |
| bish | more; bish nist = is no more than dictionary | |
| ast | is dictionary | |
| کار | kâr | work; affair, matter dictionary |
| ân | that dictionary | |
| مطلق | motlagh | absolutely, at all dictionary |
| ragham | writing, mark dictionary | |
| bar | on, upon dictionary | |
| daftar | book, notebook dictionary | |
| dânesh | knowledge, learning dictionary | |
| نزنیم | nazanim | we do not strike; ragham zadan = to write dictionary |
| hagh | truth; God (the Truth); be hagh = rightly dictionary | |
| ورق | varagh | page, sheet dictionary |
| sho'bade | conjuring trick dictionary | |
| shâh | king dictionary | |
| agar | if dictionary | |
| jor'e | sip, mouthful dictionary | |
| rendân | free spirits, rogues who scorn hypocrisy dictionary | |
| نه | na | not, no dictionary |
| hormat | honor, sanctity dictionary | |
| نوشد | nushad | drinks dictionary |
| mey | wine (شراب) dictionary | |
| sâf | clear, pure dictionary | |
| khosh | well, sweetly; pleasant dictionary | |
| berânim | let us ride, drive on dictionary | |
| jahân | world dictionary | |
| dar | in; door dictionary | |
| نظر | nazar | sight; ahl-e nazar = people of insight, connoisseurs of beauty dictionary |
| فکر | fekr | thought dictionary |
| asb | horse; asb-e bâd = the wind that carried Solomon dictionary | |
| keshti | ship, ark dictionary | |
| arbâb | lords, masters dictionary | |
| هنر | honar | skill, art dictionary |
| می‌شکند | mishekanad | breaks; bar shekastan = to break, mock dictionary |
| tekye | leaning, reliance dictionary | |
| in | this dictionary | |
| bahr | sea (دریا) dictionary | |
| گر | gar | if (= agar) (اگر) dictionary |
| badi | something bad dictionary | |
| گفت | goft | say (with natavân: cannot say); said dictionary |
| hasudi | an envious person dictionary | |
| rafighi | a friend, companion dictionary | |
| ranjid | was hurt, took offense dictionary | |
| گو | gu | say! tell! (= begu) (بگو) dictionary |
| to | you dictionary | |
| bâsh | be! dictionary | |
| گوش | gush | ear; gush kon = listen dictionary |
| ahmagh | fool dictionary | |
| Hâfez | Hafez, the poet's pen name (takhallos); literally "one who knows the Quran by heart" dictionary | |
| ar | if (= agar) (اگر) | |
| khasm | enemy, rival (دشمن) dictionary | |
| khatâ | error, mistake dictionary | |
| نگیریم | nagirim | we do not take; bar kasi gereftan = to hold it against someone dictionary |
| u | him / her (Persian does not mark gender) dictionary | |
| ور | var | and if (= va agar) (و اگر) |
| bâ | with dictionary | |
| sokhan | speech, words dictionary |
Persian text: Ganjoor (ganjoor.net), Hafez, ghazal 378. Transliteration, translation, glosses and reading: Learn Persian Online.
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