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Hafez Ghazal 379: ⁧سرم خوش است و به بانگ بلند می‌گویم⁩

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

Ghazal 379 of Hafez (9 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
سرم خوش است و به بانگ بلند می‌گویمکه من نسیم حیات از پیاله می‌جویم
saram khosh ast o be bâng-e boland miguyam / ke man nasim-e hayât az piyâle mijuyam
My head is merry, and I say it out loud: I look for the breeze of life in the wine cup.
COUPLET 2
عبوس زهد به وجه خمار ننشیندمرید خرقهٔ دردی‌کشان خوش‌خویم
abus-e zohd be vajh-e khomâr nanshinad / morid-e kherghe-ye dordi-keshân-e khosh-khuyam
The frown of piety does not sit well on a face that has drunk the night before; I am a follower of the cloak of the good-natured drinkers of the dregs.
COUPLET 3
شدم فسانه به سرگشتگی و ابروی دوستکشید در خم چوگان خویش چون گویم
shodam fasâne be sargashtegi o abru-ye dust / keshid dar kham-e chowgân-e khish chon guyam
I have become a byword for wandering, and the beloved's eyebrow has pulled me like a ball into the curve of its polo stick.
COUPLET 4
گرم نه پیر مغان در به روی بگشایدکدام در بزنم؟ چاره از کجا جویم؟
garam na pir-e moghân dar be ru-y bogshâyad / kodâm dar bezanam? châre az kojâ juyam?
If the elder of the Magi does not open the door to me, at which door should I knock? Where should I look for a remedy?
COUPLET 5
مکن در این چمنم سرزنش به خودروییچنان که پرورشم می‌دهند، می‌رویم
makon dar in chamanam sarzanesh be khodruyi / chenân ke parvaresham midahand miruyam
Do not scold me for growing wild in this meadow: I grow just as I am tended.
COUPLET 6
تو خانقاه و خرابات در میانه مبینخدا گواه که هر جا که هست، با اویم
to khânghâh o kharâbât dar miyâne mabin / khodâ govâh ke har jâ ke hast bâ u-yam
Do not let the Sufi lodge or the tavern stand between us; God is my witness, wherever that one is, I am there too.
COUPLET 7
غبار راه طلب، کیمیای بهروزی‌ستغلام دولت آن خاک عنبرین بویم
ghobâr-e râh-e talab kimiyâ-ye behruzi-st / gholâm-e dowlat-e ân khâk-e anbarin-buyam
The dust of the road of seeking is the alchemy of happiness; I am the servant of the good fortune of that ambergris-scented dust.
COUPLET 8
ز شوق نرگس مست بلندبالاییچو لاله با قدح افتاده بر لب جویم
ze showgh-e narges-e mast-e boland-bâlâyi / cho lâle bâ ghadah oftâde bar lab-e juyam
Longing for the drunken narcissus eyes of a tall beauty, I lie like a tulip with its cup on the bank of a stream.
COUPLET 9
بیار می که به فتوی حافظ از دل پاکغبار زرق به فیض قدح فروشویم
biyâr mey ke be fatvâ-ye Hâfez az del-e pâk / ghobâr-e zargh be feyz-e ghadah forushuyam
Bring wine, for by Hafez's ruling I will wash the dust of pretense from my pure heart by the grace of the cup.

What this fâl tells you

This fal speaks with a cheerful, open voice: the poet says out loud what he loves and does not pretend otherwise. Tradition reads it as reassurance that you grow according to how you are cared for, so do not let others' criticism shame you. Keep knocking at the one door you trust, and the dust of the road you travel will turn into good fortune.

A traditional-style reading for reflection and enjoyment.

How this ghazal is built

radif: none. qâfiye: -uyam (miguyam, mijuyam, khosh-khuyam, guyam, juyam, miruyam, u-yam, buyam, forushuyam).

Key words

WordSay itMeaning (modern Persian)
sarammy head; over me dictionary
khoshwell, sweetly; pleasant dictionary
astis dictionary
وva / oand dictionary
beto; for; with; in, by dictionary
bângcry, call dictionary
bolandhigh; famous dictionary
می‌گویمmiguyamI say, I talk dictionary
منmanI, me dictionary
نسیمnasimbreeze dictionary
hayâtlife; âb-e hayât = the water of life dictionary
پیالهpiyâlecup dictionary
می‌جویمmijuyamI seek, I look for dictionary
abusfrown, scowling face dictionary
وجهvajhface dictionary
khomârhangover dictionary
ننشیندnanshinaddoes not settle dictionary
مریدmoriddisciple dictionary
kherghedervish's cloak, Sufi robe dictionary
shodamI became dictionary
فسانهfasânetale, story (افسانه)
abru-yeeyebrow of dictionary
dustfriend; (in Hafez) the beloved, or God dictionary
کشیدkeshidpulled, led (to) dictionary
darin; door dictionary
چوگانchowgânpolo stick dictionary
khishone's own (خود) dictionary
چونchonsince, when; like dictionary
گویمguyamball + -am: (like a ball) me dictionary
گرمgaramif... me (= agar ... marâ) (اگر مرا)
نهnanot, no dictionary
پیرpirelder; spiritual master dictionary
ru-yface; dar be ru-y goshudan = to open the door to someone dictionary
bogshâyadmay open, untie (باز کند) dictionary
کدامkodâmwhich dictionary
bezanamI beat, I strike dictionary
چارهchâreremedy, way out dictionary
کجاkojâwhere; how? (rhetorical) dictionary
juyamI seek dictionary
مکنmakondo not do! (نکن) dictionary
inthis dictionary
چمنمchamanamof the meadow (+ -am: I am) dictionary
sarzaneshscolding, reproach dictionary
khodruyigrowing wild, by itself dictionary
چنانchenânso, in such a way dictionary
پرورشمparvareshamnurture, care ... to me dictionary
می‌دهندmidahandthey give dictionary
می‌رویمmiruyamI grow dictionary
toyou dictionary
میانهmiyânethe middle; dar miyâne = in the midst, at that moment dictionary
مبینmabindo not look (old imperative) (نگاه نکن) dictionary
khodâGod; khodâ râ = for God's sake dictionary
گواهgovâhwitness dictionary
هرharevery dictionary
jâplace dictionary
هستhastthere is dictionary
bâwith dictionary
u-yam(with) that one + -am "I am" dictionary
ghobârdust; also a fine script, like the down of a cheek dictionary
râhway, road dictionary
talabrequest, search dictionary
kimiyâ-yealchemy of (کیمیا)
gholâmservant dictionary
dowlatgood fortune (classical sense) (اقبال) dictionary
ânthat dictionary
khâkdust, earth dictionary
buyamscent + -am: (ambergris-)scented (dust) I am (servant of) dictionary
zefrom, of (= az) (از)
showghlonging, eagerness dictionary
نرگسnargesnarcissus (image of the beloved's languid eye) dictionary
مستmastdrunk dictionary
چوchosince, when; like (= chon) (چون)
قدحghadahcup, goblet dictionary
oftâdehas fallen; looks dictionary
baron, upon dictionary
لبlabbank, edge (of a stream) dictionary
biyârbring! dictionary
meywine (شراب) dictionary
fatvâreligious ruling (فتوا)
HâfezHafez, the poet's pen name (takhallos); literally "one who knows the Quran by heart" dictionary
delheart dictionary
پاکpâkpure, clean dictionary
zarghpretense, sanctimonious show (ریا) dictionary
فیضfeyzgrace, abundance dictionary
فروشویمforushuyamI wash away dictionary

Persian text: Ganjoor (ganjoor.net), Hafez, ghazal 379. Transliteration, translation, glosses and reading: Learn Persian Online.

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