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Hafez Ghazal 41: ⁧اگر چه باده فرح بخش و باد گل‌بیز است⁩

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

Ghazal 41 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
اگر چه باده فَرَح بخش و باد گُل‌بیز استبه بانگِ چَنگ مخور مِی که مُحتَسِب تیز است
agarche bâde farah-bakhsh o bâd gol-biz ast / be bâng-e chang makhor mey ke mohtaseb tiz ast
Though wine brings joy and the wind scatters roses, do not drink to the sound of the harp: the morals officer is watchful.
COUPLET 2
صُراحی‌ای و حریفی گَرَت به چَنگ افتدبه عقل نوش که ایام فتنه‌ انگیز است
sorâhi'i o harifi garat be chang oftad / be aghl nush ke ayyâm fetne-angiz ast
If a flask and a companion come into your hands, drink wisely, for these are troubled times.
COUPLET 3
در آستینِ مُرَقَع پیاله پنهان کنکه همچو چشمِ صُراحی، زمانه خونریز است
dar âstin-e moragha' piyâle penhân kon / ke hamcho cheshm-e sorâhi zamâne khunriz ast
Hide the cup in the sleeve of your patched robe, for like the spout of the flask, the age is pouring blood.
COUPLET 4
به آبِ دیده بشوییم خِرقه‌ها از میکه موسمِ وَرَع و روزگارِ پرهیز است
be âb-e dide bashuyim kherghe-hâ az mey / ke mowsem-e vara' o ruzgâr-e parhiz ast
Let us wash the wine from our robes with tears, for this is the season of piety and the time of abstinence.
COUPLET 5
مجوی عیشِ خوش از دورِ باژگونِ سِپِهرکه صاف این سر خُم جمله دُردی آمیز است
majuy eysh-e khosh az dowr-e bâzhgun-e sepehr / ke sâf-e in sar-e khom jomle dordi-âmiz ast
Do not look for pure joy from the upside-down turning of the sky: even the clear wine at the top of this jar is all mixed with dregs.
COUPLET 6
سپهرِ بَر شده پرویزنی‌ست خون افشانکه ریزه‌اش سر کَسری و تاجِ پرویز است
sepehr-e bar shode parvizani-st khun-afshân / ke rize-ash sar-e kasrâ o tâj-e parviz ast
The lofty sky is a sieve that scatters blood, and what falls through it are the head of Khosrow and the crown of Parviz.
COUPLET 7
عراق و فارس گرفتی به شعرِ خوش حافظبیا که نوبتِ بغداد و وقتِ تبریز است
erâgh o fârs gerefti be she'r-e khosh Hâfez / biyâ ke nowbat-e baghdâd o vaght-e tabriz ast
With your sweet poetry you have conquered Iraq and Fars, Hafez. Come: now it is Baghdad's turn and the time for Tabriz.

What this fâl tells you

These are times that call for discretion. Tradition reads this fal as advice to enjoy your pleasures quietly and wisely, without drawing attention, and not to expect any joy to be completely pure. At the same time, your talent is spreading: new places and new audiences are waiting for your work.

A traditional-style reading for reflection and enjoyment.

How this ghazal is built

radif: ast. qâfiye: -iz (gol-biz, tiz, angiz, khunriz, parhiz, âmiz, parviz, tabriz). Written in a strict period when a mohtaseb (morals officer) closed the taverns. Kasrâ and Parviz are Sasanian kings.

Key words

WordSay itMeaning (modern Persian)
agarif dictionary
چهchewhat; how much! dictionary
bâdewine dictionary
bakhsh-giving (farah-bakhsh = joy-giving) dictionary
وva / oand dictionary
bâdwind dictionary
astis dictionary
beto; for; with; in, by dictionary
bângcry, call dictionary
چنگchangharp dictionary
مخورmakhordo not eat; gham makhor = do not grieve (نخور) dictionary
meywine (شراب) dictionary
tizsharp, watchful dictionary
harifia companion dictionary
گرتgaratif ... you (= agar to-râ) (اگر به تو)
oftadfalls; ghabul oftâdan = to be accepted (بیفتد) dictionary
aghlreason, intellect dictionary
نوشnushdrink! (= benush) (بنوش) dictionary
ayyâmdays, times dictionary
fetneturmoil, strife dictionary
angiz-stirring (fetne-angiz = trouble-stirring) dictionary
darin; door dictionary
âstinsleeve; jân dar âstin = ready to give one's life dictionary
پیالهpiyâlecup dictionary
پنهانpenhânhidden dictionary
کنkondo! make! (imperative of kardan) dictionary
همچوhamcholike (مثل)
چشمcheshmeye dictionary
khunrizbloodshedding, pouring blood dictionary
âbwater; stream dictionary
dideeye (چشم)
bashuyimlet us wash dictionary
kherghe-hâSufi robes dictionary
ruzegârtime, days dictionary
پرهیزparhizabstaining; parhiz kon = beware dictionary
majudo not seek! (نجو) dictionary
eyshpleasure, enjoyment dictionary
khoshwell, sweetly; pleasant dictionary
dowrturn; the passing round of the cup; the age dictionary
bâzhgunupside-down, inverted (واژگون)
sepehrsky, the heavens dictionary
sâfclear, pure dictionary
inthis dictionary
sarhead; sar be kuh dâdan = to send someone off wandering dictionary
jomleall (همه) dictionary
dordidregs; dordi-keshi = drinking the dregs dictionary
âmizmixed (dordi-âmiz = mixed with dregs) dictionary
baron, upon dictionary
shodegone, past dictionary
khunblood dictionary
tâjcrown dictionary
gereftiyou took, conquered dictionary
she'rpoem, poetry dictionary
HâfezHafez, the poet's pen name (takhallos); literally "one who knows the Quran by heart" dictionary
biyâcome! dictionary
نوبتnowbatturn dictionary
وقتvaghttime dictionary

Persian text: Ganjoor (ganjoor.net), Hafez, ghazal 41. Transliteration, translation, glosses and reading: Learn Persian Online.

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