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Hafez Ghazal 403: ⁧شراب لعل‌کش و روی مه‌جبینان بین⁩

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

Ghazal 403 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.

Read it word by wordTake your own fâl

COUPLET 1
شراب لعل‌کش و روی مه‌جبینان بینخلاف مذهب آنان جمال اینان بین
sharâb-e la'l kesh o ru-ye mah-jabinân bin / khelâf-e mazhab-e ânân jamâl-e inân bin
Drink ruby wine and look at the faces of the moon-browed; against the creed of those (ascetics), behold the beauty of these.
COUPLET 2
به زیر دلق ملمّع کمندها دارنددرازدستی این کوته‌آستینان بین
be zir-e dalgh-e molamma' kamand-hâ dârand / derâz-dasti-ye in kutah-âstinân bin
Under their many-colored patched cloaks they keep lassos; see how far these short-sleeved ones reach.
COUPLET 3
به خرمن دو جهان سر فرونمی‌آرنددماغ و کبر گدایان و خوشه‌چینان بین
be kharman-e do jahân sar foru nemiârand / demâgh o kebr-e gedâyân o khushe-chinân bin
They will not bow their heads to the harvest of both worlds: see the pride and haughtiness of these beggars and gleaners.
COUPLET 4
بهای نیم کرشمه هزار جان طلبندنیاز اهل دل و ناز نازنینان بین
bahâ-ye nim-kereshme hezâr jân talaband / niyâz-e ahl-e del o nâz-e nâzaninân bin
For half a glance they ask a thousand lives; see the pleading of the people of heart and the airs of the darlings.
COUPLET 5
حقوق صحبت ما را به باد داد و برفتوفای صحبت یاران و همنشینان بین
hoghugh-e sohbat-e mâ râ be bâd dâd o beraft / vafâ-ye sohbat-e yârân o hamneshinân bin
He threw the rights of our friendship to the wind and left; there you see the faithfulness of friends and companions!
COUPLET 6
اسیر عشق شدن چارهٔ خلاص من استضمیر عاقبت‌اندیش پیش‌بینان بین
asir-e eshgh shodan châre-ye khalâs-e man ast / zamir-e âghebat-andish-e pish-binân bin
Becoming love's captive is my way to freedom; see the far-sighted minds of those who look ahead.
COUPLET 7
کدورت از دل حافظ ببرد صحبت دوستصفای همّت پاکان و پاک‌دینان بین
kodurat az del-e Hâfez bebord sohbat-e dust / safâ-ye hemmat-e pâkân o pâk-dinân bin
The company of the Friend has cleared the gloom from Hafez's heart; see the pure spirit of the pure and the pure in faith.

What this fâl tells you

Look past outward show: some who seem humble hide grasping hands, and some who seem proud are simply honest. Tradition reads this fal as advice to judge people by their faithfulness, not their robes. Good company will clear the cloud from your heart, and surrendering to love may turn out to be your freedom.

A traditional-style reading for reflection and enjoyment.

How this ghazal is built

radif: bin ("see!"). qâfiye: -inân (mah-jabinân, inân, kutah-âstinân, khushe-chinân, nâzaninân, hamneshinân, pish-binân, pâk-dinân).

Key words

WordSay itMeaning (modern Persian)
sharâbwine dictionary
وva / oand dictionary
ru-yeface of (ezafe) (چهره) dictionary
binsee! (= bebin) (ببین) dictionary
مذهبmazhabcreed, religion dictionary
jamâlbeauty dictionary
inânthese (people) dictionary
beto; for; with; in, by dictionary
zirunder dictionary
کمندهاkamand-hâlassos, snares dictionary
dârand(they) hold, have dictionary
inthis dictionary
kharmanharvest, threshing heap dictionary
dotwo dictionary
jahânworld dictionary
sarhead; sar be kuh dâdan = to send someone off wandering dictionary
فرونمی‌آرندforu nemiâranddo not bow (sar foru âvardan = to bow the head) dictionary
کبرkebrpride, arrogance (تکبر)
گدایانgedâyânbeggars dictionary
bahâprice dictionary
نیمnimhalf; nim-shab = midnight dictionary
کرشمهkereshmeflirtatious glance, coquetry (عشوه)
هزارhezârthousand; also "nightingale" (hezâr-dastân) dictionary
jânlife, soul dictionary
talabandthey seek; one obtains dictionary
نیازniyâzneed, humble pleading dictionary
ahlpeople (of) dictionary
delheart dictionary
نازnâzcoquetry, airs dictionary
نازنینانnâzaninânlovely ones, darlings dictionary
hoghughrights; hoghugh-e namak = the debt owed for shared bread and salt dictionary
sohbatcompany, companionship (classical sense) dictionary
ماmâwe, us; our dictionary
bâdwind dictionary
dâdgave dictionary
beraftwent away (رفت) dictionary
یارانyârânfriends dictionary
shodanto become dictionary
چارهٔchâreremedy, way out dictionary
منmanI, me dictionary
astis dictionary
zamirmind, inner self dictionary
کدورتkoduratcloudiness, ill feeling dictionary
HâfezHafez, the poet's pen name (takhallos); literally "one who knows the Quran by heart" dictionary
bebordtook away; az yâd bordan = to forget (برد) dictionary
dustfriend; (in Hafez) the beloved, or God dictionary
safâ-yepurity, brightness of dictionary
پاکانpâkânthe pure ones dictionary

Persian text: Ganjoor (ganjoor.net), Hafez, ghazal 403. Transliteration, translation, glosses and reading: Learn Persian Online.

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