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Hafez Ghazal 382: ⁧فاتحه‌ای چو آمدی بر سر خسته‌ای بخوان⁩

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

Ghazal 382 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.

Read it word by wordTake your own fâl

COUPLET 1
فاتحه‌ای چو آمَدی بَر سَر خَسته‌ای بخوانلَب بُگُشا که می‌دَهَد لَعلِ لَبَت به مُرده جان
fâtehe'i cho âmadi bar sar-e khaste'i bekhân / lab bogshâ ke midahad la'l-e labat be morde jân
Now that you have come to the bedside of a sick man, recite a Fatiha for him; open your lips, for your ruby lips give life to the dead.
COUPLET 2
آن که به پُرسش آمَد و فاتحه خواند و می‌رَوَدگو نَفَسی که روح را می‌کُنَم از پِیَش رَوان
ân ke be porsesh âmad o fâtehe khând o miravad / gu nafasi ke ruh râ mikonam az peyash ravân
You who came to ask after me, recited the Fatiha and are now leaving: wait just one breath, for I am sending my soul after you.
COUPLET 3
ای که طَبیبِ خَسته‌ای، رویِ زَبان مَن بِبینکـاین دَم و دودِ سینه‌ام، بارِ دل اَست بَر زَبان
ey ke tabib-e khaste'i ru-ye zabân-e man bebin / k-in dam o dud-e sine-am bâr-e del ast bar zabân
You who are the doctor of the sick, look at my tongue: this breath and smoke from my chest are the heart's burden lying on my tongue.
COUPLET 4
گرچه تَبْ اُستُخوانِ مَن کرد زِ مِهرْ گرم و رَفتهمچو تَبَم نمی‌رَوَد آتشِ مِهر از اُستُخوان
garche tab ostokhân-e man kard ze mehr garm o raft / hamcho tabam nemiravad âtash-e mehr az ostokhân
Though the fever warmed my bones for a while and then left, the fire of love does not leave my bones the way the fever did.
COUPLET 5
حالِ دِلَم زِ خالِ تو هَست دَر آتَشَش وَطنچَشمم از آن دو چَشمِ تو خسته شُده‌ست و ناتَوان
hâl-e delam ze khâl-e to hast dar âtashash vatan / cheshmam az ân do cheshm-e to khaste shode-st o nâtavân
As for my heart: because of your dark beauty spot, it has made its home in that spot's fire; and because of your two languid eyes, my own eyes have grown sick and weak.
COUPLET 6
بازنِشانْ حَرارَتَم ز آبِ دو دیده و ببیننَبضِ مَرا که می‌دَهَد هیچ زِ زندگی نِشان
bâz neshân harâratam z-âb-e do dide o bebin / nabz-e marâ ke midahad hich ze zendegi neshân
Cool my fever with the water of two eyes, and then see whether my pulse shows any sign of life.
COUPLET 7
آن که مُدام شیشه‌ام از پِی عیش داده اَستشیشه‌ام از چه می‌بَرَد پیشِ طَبیبْ هَر زَمان؟
ân ke modâm shishe-am az pey-e eysh dâde ast / shishe-am az che mibarad pish-e tabib har zamân?
The one who always handed me a flask for pleasure: why does that one now keep taking my flask to the doctor?
COUPLET 8
حافظ از آبِ زندگی شعرِ تو داد شَربَتَمتَرکِ طَبیب کُن بیا نُسخهٔ شَربَتَم بِخوان
Hâfez az âb-e zendegi she'r-e to dâd sharbatam / tark-e tabib kon biyâ noskhe-ye sharbatam bekhân
Hafez, your poetry has given me a drink from the water of life. Leave the doctor, come and read me the prescription for my cure.

What this fâl tells you

This fal is gentle and full of care: it speaks of a visitor at a sickbed whose kind words bring the patient back to life. Tradition reads it as a sign that a caring friend will come, and that loving words and good poetry can heal what medicine alone cannot. Take care of your health, and let the people who love you look after your heart.

A traditional-style reading for reflection and enjoyment.

How this ghazal is built

radif: none. qâfiye: -ân (bekhân, jân, ravân, zabân, ostokhân, nâtavân, neshân, zamân). Beyt 3 puns on bâr "burden" and the coating on a sick person's tongue; beyt 7 on shishe "wine flask" and the flask a doctor examined.

Key words

WordSay itMeaning (modern Persian)
fâtehe'ia Fatiha (prayer recited for the sick or the dead) dictionary
چوchosince, when; like (= chon) (چون)
âmadiyou came dictionary
baron, upon dictionary
sarhead; bar sar-e kasi âmadan = to come to someone's bedside dictionary
khaste'ia sick person; you are (the doctor of the) sick dictionary
bekhânread! sing! recite! dictionary
لبlablip dictionary
begoshâopen! lift! dictionary
می‌دهدmidahadgives; neshân midahad = describes dictionary
لعلla'lruby; lab-e la'l = ruby lips dictionary
لبتlabatyour lips dictionary
beto; for; with; in, by dictionary
مردهmordedead; gone out dictionary
jânlife, soul dictionary
ânthat dictionary
پرسشporseshasking after (a sick person), visiting dictionary
âmadcame dictionary
وva / oand dictionary
فاتحهfâtehethe Fatiha, opening chapter of the Quran dictionary
khândsang, read; called dictionary
می‌رودmiravadis going dictionary
گوgusay! tell! (= begu) (بگو) dictionary
nafasifor one breath, a moment dictionary
ruhsoul, spirit dictionary
می‌کنمmikonamI do, I make dictionary
پیشpeyashafter him / her (pey + -ash) dictionary
eyO (vocative) dictionary
tabibdoctor (پزشک) dictionary
ru-yeface of (ezafe) (چهره) dictionary
zabântongue; language dictionary
منmanI, me dictionary
bebinsee! look! dictionary
کـاینk-inthat these (= ke in) (که این)
dammoment; breath dictionary
dudsmoke dictionary
sine-ammy chest, my breast dictionary
bârburden; also the coating on a sick person's tongue (pun) dictionary
delheart dictionary
astis dictionary
گرچهgarchealthough dictionary
ostokhânbone(s) dictionary
کردkarddo (with tavân: can do) dictionary
zefrom, of (= az) (از)
مهرmehrlove, kindness dictionary
گرمgarmwarm, hot dictionary
raftwent dictionary
همچوhamcholike (مثل)
نمی‌رودnemiravaddoes not go dictionary
hâlstate, condition dictionary
delammy heart dictionary
khâlmole, beauty spot dictionary
toyou dictionary
هستhastthere is dictionary
darin; door dictionary
وطنvatanhomeland dictionary
چشممcheshmammy eye dictionary
dotwo dictionary
چشمcheshmeye dictionary
khastetired, wounded dictionary
shode-sthas become (= shode ast) (شده است) dictionary
ناتوانnâtavânweak, helpless dictionary
bâz neshânput out! calm down! (a fever) (فرو بنشان) dictionary
harâratammy fever, my heat dictionary
âbwater; stream dictionary
dideeye (چشم)
نبضnabzpulse dictionary
مراmarâme; for me (= man râ) (من را / برای من)
هیچhichany; no dictionary
zendegilife dictionary
نشانneshânsign dictionary
مدامmodâmconstant, lasting; also "wine" (pun) dictionary
shishe-ammy flask, my bottle dictionary
peyafter; pey-e kâri gereftan = to go off about some business dictionary
eyshpleasure, enjoyment dictionary
dâdehas given dictionary
چهchewhat; how much! dictionary
می‌بردmibaradtakes away dictionary
پیشpishin the eyes of, for dictionary
هرharevery dictionary
zamântime dictionary
HâfezHafez, the poet's pen name (takhallos); literally "one who knows the Quran by heart" dictionary
she'rpoem, poetry dictionary
dâdgave dictionary
sharbatammy drink, my syrup (medicine) dictionary
tarkabandoning; tark kardan = to leave, give up dictionary
کنkondo! make! (imperative of kardan) dictionary
biyâcome! dictionary

Persian text: Ganjoor (ganjoor.net), Hafez, ghazal 382. Transliteration, translation, glosses and reading: Learn Persian Online.

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