Ghazal 395 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
گُلبرگ را ز سُنْبُلِ مُشکین، نِقاب کُنیعنی که رُخ بپوش و جهانی، خراب کُن
golbarg râ ze sonbol-e moshkin neghâb kon / ya'ni ke rokh bepush o jahâni kharâb kon
Veil the rose petal with musky hyacinth; that is, cover your face and lay a whole world in ruins.
COUPLET 2
بِفْشان عَرَق ز چهره و اطرافِ باغ راچون شیشه‌هایِ دیدهٔ ما پُرگُلاب کُن
befshân aragh ze chehre o atrâf-e bâgh râ / chon shishe-hâ-ye dide-ye mâ por-golâb kon
Shake the drops of sweat from your face, and fill every corner of the garden with rosewater, like the flasks of our eyes.
COUPLET 3
اَیّامِ گُل، چو عمر به رفتن شتاب کردساقی به دورِ بادهٔ گلگون، شتاب کُن
ayyâm-e gol cho omr be raftan shetâb kard / sâghi be dowr-e bâde-ye golgun shetâb kon
The days of the rose, like life itself, have hurried away; cupbearer, hurry to pass round the rose-red wine.
COUPLET 4
بُگْشا به شیوه، نرگسِ پُرخوابِ مست راوز رَشک، چَشمِ نرگسِ رَعنا به خواب کن
bogshâ be shive narges-e por-khâb-e mast râ / v-az rashk cheshm-e narges-e ra'nâ be khâb kon
Gracefully open your drowsy, drunken narcissus eyes, and let the eye of the proud narcissus close in jealousy.
COUPLET 5
بویِ بنفشه بشنو و زُلْفِ نگار گیربِنْگَر به رنگِ لاله و عَزْمِ شراب کُن
bu-ye banafshe beshno o zolf-e negâr gir / bengar be rang-e lâle o azm-e sharâb kon
Breathe the scent of the violet and take hold of the beloved's curl; look at the color of the tulip and resolve to drink wine.
COUPLET 6
زآن جا که رسم و عادتِ عاشق‌کشی توستبا دشمنان، قَدَح کَش و با ما عِتاب کُن
z-ân jâ ke rasm o âdat-e âshegh-koshi tost / bâ doshmanân ghadah kesh o bâ mâ etâb kon
Since killing lovers is your custom and habit, go on: drink with my enemies and scold me.
COUPLET 7
همچون حُباب، دیده به رویِ قَدَح گُشایوین خانه را قیاسِ اساس از حُباب کُن
hamchon hobâb dide be ru-ye ghadah goshây / v-in khâne râ ghiyâs-e asâs az hobâb kon
Like a bubble, open your eye on the face of the cup, and judge the foundation of this house by the bubble.
COUPLET 8
حافظ وِصال می‌طَلَبَد از رهِ دُعایا رب! دعایِ خسته‌دلان، مُسْتَجاب کُن
Hâfez vesâl mitalabad az rah-e do'â / yâ rab do'â-ye khaste-delân mostajâb kon
Hafez seeks union by way of prayer; O Lord, answer the prayer of the broken-hearted.
What this fâl tells you
The season of roses is short, so do not postpone the good things you can enjoy today. Tradition reads this fal as a reminder that life passes quickly, like a bubble on a cup, and that sincere prayer is heard. If someone seems cold to you, keep your heart gentle and keep hoping.
A traditional-style reading for reflection and enjoyment.
How this ghazal is built
radif: kon ("do!, make!"). qâfiye: -âb (neghâb, kharâb, golâb, shetâb, khâb, sharâb, etâb, hobâb, mostajâb).
Key words
| Word | Say it | Meaning (modern Persian) |
|---|---|---|
| گلبرگ | golbarg | rose petal (the beloved's cheek) dictionary |
| ze | from, of (= az) (از) | |
| نقاب | neghâb | veil dictionary |
| کن | kon | do! make! (imperative of kardan) dictionary |
| ya'ni | that is, I mean dictionary | |
| rokh | face, cheek dictionary | |
| bepush | cover! hide! dictionary | |
| و | va / o | and dictionary |
| jahâni | a whole world dictionary | |
| kharâb | ruined; (in Hafez) drunk, wrecked by love dictionary | |
| befshân | scatter! shake off! dictionary | |
| aragh | sweat dictionary | |
| چهره | chehre | face dictionary |
| atrâf | sides, corners, surroundings dictionary | |
| bâgh | garden dictionary | |
| چون | chon | since, when; like dictionary |
| shishe-hâ-ye | glass flasks of dictionary | |
| dide | eye (چشم) | |
| ما | mâ | we, us; our dictionary |
| ayyâm | days, times dictionary | |
| گل | gol | rose; flower dictionary |
| چو | cho | since, when; like (= chon) (چون) |
| omr | life, lifetime dictionary | |
| be | to; for; with; in, by dictionary | |
| raftan | to go, leaving dictionary | |
| shetâb | haste, hurry dictionary | |
| کرد | kard | do (with tavân: can do) dictionary |
| sâghi | cupbearer dictionary | |
| dowr | turn; the passing round of the cup; the age dictionary | |
| bâde | wine dictionary | |
| گلگون | golgun | rose-colored, rose-red dictionary |
| begoshâ | open! lift! dictionary | |
| shive | manner, way dictionary | |
| نرگس | narges | narcissus (image of the beloved's languid eye) dictionary |
| مست | mast | drunk dictionary |
| وز | v-az | and from (= va az) (و از) |
| rashk | jealousy dictionary | |
| چشم | cheshm | eye dictionary |
| khâb | sleep dictionary | |
| bu-ye | scent of (ezafe) dictionary | |
| beshno | listen! dictionary | |
| zolf | curl, lock of hair dictionary | |
| گیر | gir | take! yâd gir = learn! (بگیر) dictionary |
| bengar | look! (نگاه کن) dictionary | |
| rang | color dictionary | |
| azm | resolve, decision dictionary | |
| sharâb | wine dictionary | |
| z-ân | from that (= az ân) (از آن) | |
| jâ | place dictionary | |
| rasm | custom, way dictionary | |
| âdat | habit dictionary | |
| tost | is yours (= to ast) (تو است) | |
| bâ | with dictionary | |
| doshmanân | enemies dictionary | |
| قدح | ghadah | cup, goblet dictionary |
| کش | kesh | drink! (ghadah keshidan = to drain a cup) (بکش) dictionary |
| همچون | hamchon | like (مثل) |
| hobâb | bubble dictionary | |
| ru-ye | face of (ezafe) (چهره) dictionary | |
| goshây | open! (بگشا) dictionary | |
| وین | v-in | and this (= va in) (و این) |
| khâne | house dictionary | |
| قیاس | ghiyâs | comparison; ghiyâs-e kâr gereftan = to take as a model dictionary |
| asâs | foundation dictionary | |
| Hâfez | Hafez, the poet's pen name (takhallos); literally "one who knows the Quran by heart" dictionary | |
| وصال | vesâl | union with the beloved dictionary |
| می‌طلبد | mitalabad | seeks, longs for dictionary |
| rah | road, way (short for râh) (راه) | |
| do'â | prayer, blessing dictionary | |
| یا | yâ | O (vocative); or dictionary |
| do'â-ye | prayer of dictionary |
Persian text: Ganjoor (ganjoor.net), Hafez, ghazal 395. Transliteration, translation, glosses and reading: Learn Persian Online.
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