Ghazal 405 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
به جان پیر خرابات و حق صحبت اوکه نیست در سر من جز هوای خدمت او
be jân-e pir-e kharâbât o hagh-e sohbat-e u / ke nist dar sar-e man joz havâ-ye khedmat-e u
By the soul of the tavern master and what I owe his company, there is nothing in my head but the wish to serve him.
COUPLET 2
بهشت اگر چه نه جای گناهکاران استبیار باده که مستظهرم به همت او
behesht agarche na jâ-ye gonahkârân ast / biyâr bâde ke mostazharam be hemmat-e u
Though paradise is no place for sinners, bring the wine: I rely on his blessing.
COUPLET 3
چراغ صاعقه آن سحاب روشن بادکه زد به خرمن ما آتش محبت او
cherâgh-e sâ'eghe-ye ân sahâb rowshan bâd / ke zad be kharman-e mâ âtash-e mohabbat-e u
May the lightning-lamp of that cloud stay bright, which struck our harvest with the fire of its love.
COUPLET 4
بر آستانه میخانه گر سری بینیمزن به پای که معلوم نیست نیت او
bar âstâne-ye meykhâne gar sari bini / mazan be pâ ke ma'lum nist niyyat-e u
If you see a head lying on the tavern threshold, do not kick it: no one knows what its intention is.
COUPLET 5
بیا که دوش به مستی سروش عالم غیبنوید داد که عام است فیض رحمت او
biyâ ke dush be masti sorush-e âlam-e gheyb / navid dâd ke âm ast feyz-e rahmat-e u
Come, for last night, in my drunkenness, the angel of the unseen world brought the good news that the grace of His mercy is for everyone.
COUPLET 6
مکن به چشم حقارت نگاه در من مستکه نیست معصیت و زهد بی مشیت او
makon be cheshm-e heghârat negâh dar man-e mast / ke nist ma'siyat o zohd bi mashiyyat-e u
Do not look at me, the drunkard, with contempt: neither sin nor piety happens without His will.
COUPLET 7
نمی‌کند دل من میل زهد و توبه ولیبه نام خواجه بکوشیم و فر دولت او
nemikonad del-e man meyl-e zohd o towbe vali / be nâm-e khâje bekushim o farr-e dowlat-e u
My heart has no appetite for piety and repentance, but we will try, in the name of the master and the glory of his fortune.
COUPLET 8
مدام خرقه حافظ به باده در گرو استمگر ز خاک خرابات بود فطرت او
modâm kherghe-ye Hâfez be bâde dar gerow ast / magar ze khâk-e kharâbât bud fetrat-e u
Hafez's cloak is forever pawned for wine; perhaps his nature was made from the dust of the tavern.
What this fâl tells you
Do not judge yourself or others too harshly: tradition reads this fal as good news that mercy is wide and reaches everyone. Serve the person or cause you believe in with a sincere heart, and lean on the support of someone generous. Intentions are hidden, so be slow to condemn.
A traditional-style reading for reflection and enjoyment.
How this ghazal is built
radif: u ("him, his"). qâfiye: -at (sohbat, khedmat, hemmat, mohabbat, niyyat, rahmat, mashiyyat, dowlat, fetrat).
Key words
| Word | Say it | Meaning (modern Persian) |
|---|---|---|
| be | to; for; with; in, by dictionary | |
| jân | life, soul dictionary | |
| پیر | pir | elder; spiritual master dictionary |
| و | va / o | and dictionary |
| hagh | right, claim dictionary | |
| sohbat | company, companionship (classical sense) dictionary | |
| u | him / her (Persian does not mark gender) dictionary | |
| نیست | nist | is not; there is not dictionary |
| dar | in; door dictionary | |
| sar | head; sar be kuh dâdan = to send someone off wandering dictionary | |
| من | man | I, me dictionary |
| joz | except, besides dictionary | |
| havâ-ye | longing for, desire for dictionary | |
| khedmat | service dictionary | |
| behesht | paradise dictionary | |
| agar | if dictionary | |
| چه | che | what; how much! dictionary |
| نه | na | not, no dictionary |
| jâ-ye | place of; be jâ-ye = toward, for (someone) (در حق) dictionary | |
| گناهکاران | gonahkârân | sinners dictionary |
| ast | is dictionary | |
| biyâr | bring! dictionary | |
| bâde | wine dictionary | |
| مستظهرم | mostazharam | I rely on, I am backed by (متکی‌ام) |
| چراغ | cherâgh | lamp dictionary |
| sâ'eghe | lightning, thunderbolt dictionary | |
| ân | that dictionary | |
| sahâb | cloud (Arabic) (ابر) | |
| rowshan | lit, bright dictionary | |
| bâd | may it be (باشد) dictionary | |
| zad | struck; dam zad = breathed out, shone; âtash zad = set on fire dictionary | |
| kharman | harvest, threshing heap dictionary | |
| ما | mâ | we, us; our dictionary |
| محبت | mohabbat | love, affection dictionary |
| bar | on, upon dictionary | |
| âstâne | threshold dictionary | |
| میخانه | meykhâne | tavern dictionary |
| گر | gar | if (= agar) (اگر) dictionary |
| bini | you see dictionary | |
| مزن | mazan | do not strike; do not tie dictionary |
| pâ | foot; az pâ oftâdan = to collapse dictionary | |
| معلوم | ma'lum | known dictionary |
| نیت | niyyat | intention dictionary |
| biyâ | come! dictionary | |
| dush | last night (دیشب) dictionary | |
| masti | intoxication dictionary | |
| sorush | angel, divine messenger dictionary | |
| âlam | world dictionary | |
| نوید | navid | good news, glad tidings dictionary |
| dâd | gave dictionary | |
| âm | general, for everyone (همگانی) dictionary | |
| فیض | feyz | grace, abundance dictionary |
| rahmat | mercy dictionary | |
| مکن | makon | do not do! (نکن) dictionary |
| چشم | cheshm | eye dictionary |
| نگاه | negâh | look; negâh dâshtan = to keep dictionary |
| مست | mast | drunk dictionary |
| معصیت | ma'siyat | sin, disobedience (گناه) dictionary |
| bi | without dictionary | |
| مشیت | mashiyyat | will (of God) (خواست) |
| نمی‌کند | nemikonad | does not do dictionary |
| del | heart dictionary | |
| میل | meyl | desire, appetite dictionary |
| vali | but dictionary | |
| نام | nâm | name, fame dictionary |
| khâje | master, lord dictionary | |
| bekushim | let us strive, we will try dictionary | |
| dowlat | good fortune (classical sense) (اقبال) dictionary | |
| مدام | modâm | always, constantly; also "wine" (pun) dictionary |
| kherghe | dervish's cloak, Sufi robe dictionary | |
| Hâfez | Hafez, the poet's pen name (takhallos); literally "one who knows the Quran by heart" dictionary | |
| گرو | gerow | pawn, pledge dictionary |
| مگر | magar | perhaps? could it be that? (in questions) dictionary |
| ze | from, of (= az) (از) | |
| khâk | dust, earth dictionary | |
| bud | was dictionary | |
| فطرت | fetrat | innate nature, original makeup (سرشت) dictionary |
Persian text: Ganjoor (ganjoor.net), Hafez, ghazal 405. Transliteration, translation, glosses and reading: Learn Persian Online.
Love Persian poetry? Learn to read it: free Starter Pack
Get the 14-page printable Starter Pack (all 32 letters, a 7-day reading plan, 100 core words and 20 survival phrases) and a short 5-email course. Free.