Ghazal 399 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.
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COUPLET 1
کرشمه‌ای کن و بازار ساحری بشکنبه غمزه رونق و ناموس سامری بشکن
kereshme-i kon o bâzâr-e sâheri beshkan / be ghamze rownagh o nâmus-e sâmeri beshkan
Give one coquettish look and break the market of sorcery; with a wink, shatter the splendor and fame of the Samaritan magician.
COUPLET 2
به باد ده سر و دستار عالمی یعنیکلاه گوشه به آیین سروری بشکن
be bâd deh sar o dastâr-e âlami ya'ni / kolâh gushe be âyin-e sarvari beshkan
Toss a whole world's heads and turbans to the wind; that is, tilt the corner of your cap like a ruler.
COUPLET 3
به زلف گوی که آیین دلبری بگذاربه غمزه گوی که قلب ستمگری بشکن
be zolf guy ke âyin-e delbari bogzâr / be ghamze guy ke ghalb-e setamgari beshkan
Tell your curl to give up the ways of heart-stealing; tell your glance to break the center of cruelty's army.
COUPLET 4
برون خرام و ببر گوی خوبی از همه کسسزای حور بده رونق پری بشکن
borun khorâm o bebar gu-ye khubi az hame kas / sezâ-ye hur bedeh rownagh-e pari beshkan
Step out gracefully and win the ball of beauty from everyone; give the houri what she deserves, and break the fairy's glory.
COUPLET 5
به آهوان نظر شیر آفتاب بگیربه ابروان دوتا قوس مشتری بشکن
be âhovân-e nazar shir-e âftâb begir / be abrovân-e dotâ ghows-e moshtari beshkan
With the gazelles of your gaze, catch the lion of the sun; with your bow-shaped brows, break the bow of Jupiter.
COUPLET 6
چو عطرسای شود زلف سنبل از دم بادتو قیمتش به سر زلف عنبری بشکن
cho atr-sây shavad zolf-e sonbol az dam-e bâd / to ghimatash be sar-e zolf-e anbari beshkan
When the hyacinth's curls grow fragrant from the breath of the wind, bring down their price with the tip of your ambergris curl.
COUPLET 7
چو عندلیب فصاحت فروشد ای حافظتو قدر او به سخن گفتن دری بشکن
cho andalib fesâhat forushad ey Hâfez / to ghadr-e u be sokhan goftan-e dari beshkan
When the nightingale shows off its eloquence, O Hafez, lower its worth by speaking in fine Dari Persian.
What this fâl tells you
You have a gift that can outshine the tricks and noise around you. Tradition reads this fal as encouragement to step forward with confidence and grace: your sincerity and charm will win where cleverness fails. If others boast, answer simply with your own best words.
A traditional-style reading for reflection and enjoyment.
How this ghazal is built
radif: beshkan ("break!"). qâfiye: -ari (sâheri, sâmeri, sarvari, setamgari, pari, moshtari, anbari, dari).
Key words
| Word | Say it | Meaning (modern Persian) |
|---|---|---|
| کن | kon | do! make! (imperative of kardan) dictionary |
| و | va / o | and dictionary |
| bâzâr | bazaar, market dictionary | |
| beshkan | break!; kolâh-gushe shekastan = to tilt one's cap (a sign of pride) dictionary | |
| be | to; for; with; in, by dictionary | |
| ناموس | nâmus | honor, good repute dictionary |
| bâd | wind dictionary | |
| deh | give! (= bedeh) (بده) dictionary | |
| sar | head; sar be kuh dâdan = to send someone off wandering dictionary | |
| dastâr | turban dictionary | |
| âlami | a whole world dictionary | |
| ya'ni | that is, I mean dictionary | |
| کلاه | kolâh | cap, hat dictionary |
| گوشه | gushe | corner dictionary |
| zolf | curl, lock of hair dictionary | |
| guy | say! (= begu) (بگو) dictionary | |
| bogzâr | leave, hand over! dictionary | |
| قلب | ghalb | center of an army; also "heart" (pun) dictionary |
| setamgari | cruelty dictionary | |
| borun | out (= birun) (بیرون) dictionary | |
| khorâm | stroll!, walk gracefully! (بخرام) dictionary | |
| bebar | carry off! (gu bordan = to win) dictionary | |
| gu-ye | ball of; gu bordan = to win the game dictionary | |
| khubi | goodness, beauty dictionary | |
| همه | hame | all, whole dictionary |
| کس | kas | anyone; with negative: no one dictionary |
| bedeh | give! pour! dictionary | |
| âhovân | gazelles (the beloved's eyes) dictionary | |
| نظر | nazar | sight; ahl-e nazar = people of insight, connoisseurs of beauty dictionary |
| shir | lion; shir-e âftâb = the sun in Leo dictionary | |
| âftâb | sun dictionary | |
| begir | take! dictionary | |
| abrovân | eyebrows dictionary | |
| قوس | ghows | bow; Sagittarius, the house of Jupiter dictionary |
| moshtari | Jupiter (the planet of good fortune) dictionary | |
| چو | cho | since, when; like (= chon) (چون) |
| shavad | becomes dictionary | |
| dam | moment; breath dictionary | |
| to | you dictionary | |
| قیمتش | ghimatash | its price dictionary |
| andalib | nightingale (بلبل) | |
| فروشد | forushad | sells; fesâhat forushad = shows off its eloquence dictionary |
| ey | O (vocative) dictionary | |
| Hâfez | Hafez, the poet's pen name (takhallos); literally "one who knows the Quran by heart" dictionary | |
| قدر | ghadr | worth, value dictionary |
| u | him / her (Persian does not mark gender) dictionary | |
| sokhan | speech, words dictionary | |
| گفتن | goftan | to say; tark goftan = to give up dictionary |
Persian text: Ganjoor (ganjoor.net), Hafez, ghazal 399. Transliteration, translation, glosses and reading: Learn Persian Online.
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