Go further with The Greatest Works of Persian Literature! (11 Books): $119.99, instant PDF download. See inside the book

Hafez Ghazal 425: ⁧دامن‌کشان همی شد در شرب زرکشیده⁩

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

Ghazal 425 of Hafez (10 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
دامن‌کشان همی شد در شرب زرکشیدهصد ماهرو ز رشکش جَیب قصب دریده
dâman-keshân hami shod dar sharb-e zarkeshide / sad mâh-ru ze rashkash jeyb-e ghasab daride
Trailing her skirt, she walked by in gold-embroidered linen; a hundred moon-faced beauties, jealous of her, had torn the collars of their fine robes.
COUPLET 2
از تاب آتش مِی، بر گِرد عارضش خویچون قطره‌های شبنم بر برگ گل چکیده
az tâb-e âtash-e mey bar gerd-e ârezash khey / chon ghatre-hâ-ye shabnam bar barg-e gol chekide
From the glow of the wine's fire, sweat had beaded around her cheek like drops of dew on a rose petal.
COUPLET 3
لفظی فصیح، شیرین، قدی بلند، چابکرویی لطیف، زیبا، چشمی، خوش کشیده
lafzi fasih, shirin; ghaddi boland, châbok / ruyi latif, zibâ; cheshmi khosh keshide
Speech eloquent and sweet; a stature tall and nimble; a face delicate and lovely; an eye beautifully drawn.
COUPLET 4
یاقوت جان‌فزایش از آب لطف زادهشمشاد خوش‌خرامش در ناز پروریده
yâghut-e jân-fazâyash az âb-e lotf zâde / shemshâd-e khosh-khorâmash dar nâz parvaride
Her life-giving ruby lips were born of the water of grace; her gracefully moving boxwood figure was raised in coquetry.
COUPLET 5
آن لعل دلکشش بین، وآن خندهٔ دل‌آشوبوآن رفتن خوشش بین، وآن گام آرمیده
ân la'l-e delkashash bin, v-ân khande-ye del-âshub / v-ân raftan-e khoshash bin, v-ân gâm-e ârmide
Look at those charming ruby lips, and that heart-stirring smile; look at that lovely walk, and that unhurried step.
COUPLET 6
آن آهوی سیه‌چشم از دام ما برون شدیاران چه چاره سازم با این دل رمیده؟
ân âhu-ye siyah-cheshm az dâm-e mâ borun shod / yârân che châre sâzam bâ in del-e ramide
That dark-eyed gazelle has slipped out of our trap. Friends, what can I do with this frightened heart?
COUPLET 7
زنهار تا توانی اهل نظر میآزاردنیا وفا ندارد ای نور هر دو دیده
zenhâr tâ tavâni ahl-e nazar mayâzâr / donyâ vafâ nadârad ey nur-e har do dide
Take care: as long as you can, do not hurt people of vision; the world keeps no faith, O light of both my eyes.
COUPLET 8
تا کی کِشم عتیبت؟ از چشم دل‌فریبتروزی کرشمه‌ای کن، ای یار برگزیده!
tâ key kesham etibat? az cheshm-e delfaribat / ruzi karashme'i kon, ey yâr-e bargozide
How long must I bear your reproach? One day, from that enchanting eye, send me a flirtatious glance, O chosen beloved.
COUPLET 9
گر خاطر شریفت رنجیده شد ز حافظبازآ که توبه کردیم از گفته و شنیده
gar khâter-e sharifat ranjide shod ze Hâfez / bâz â ke towbe kardim az gofte o shenide
If your noble heart was hurt by Hafez, come back: we have repented of everything said and heard.
COUPLET 10
بس شکر بازگویم در بندگیِ خواجهگر اوفتد به دستم آن میوهٔ رسیده
bas shokr bâz guyam dar bandegi-ye khâje / gar oftad be dastam ân mive-ye reside
I will give thanks again and again in the master's service, if that ripe fruit falls into my hands.

What this fâl tells you

Something lovely has passed close by, and this fal asks you not to let pride or old words keep it away. Tradition reads it as advice to be gentle with people of good heart, since the world is short on loyalty. Make peace first; the ripe fruit you hope for may yet fall into your hands.

A traditional-style reading for reflection and enjoyment.

How this ghazal is built

radif: none. qâfiye: -ide (zarkeshide, daride, chekide, keshide, parvaride, ârmide, ramide, dide, bargozide, shenide, reside).

Key words

WordSay itMeaning (modern Persian)
hamiold prefix of continuing action (= mi-) (می‌)
shodbecome (with khâhad: will become); became dictionary
darin; door dictionary
sadhundred dictionary
zefrom, of (= az) (از)
rashkashjealousy of her dictionary
daridetorn; cheshm-daride = shameless, bold (بی‌حیا) dictionary
tâbheat, glow dictionary
meywine (شراب) dictionary
baron, upon dictionary
ârezashher cheek (گونه)
چونchonsince, when; like dictionary
shabnamdew dictionary
bargleaf, petal dictionary
گلgolrose; flower dictionary
چکیدهchekidedripped, beaded dictionary
lafzispeech, wording dictionary
فصیحfasiheloquent dictionary
ghaddia stature dictionary
bolandhigh; famous dictionary
چابکchâbokquick, agile dictionary
ruyia face, any face dictionary
لطیفlatifgentle, delicate dictionary
zibâbeautiful dictionary
cheshmian eye dictionary
khoshwell, sweetly; pleasant dictionary
کشیدهkeshidedrawn, long-shaped (of an eye) dictionary
یاقوتyâghutruby; here the beloved's lips dictionary
âbwater; stream dictionary
لطفlotfkindness, grace; be lotf = kindly, gently dictionary
نازnâzcoquetry, airs dictionary
پروریدهparvarideraised, nurtured dictionary
ânthat dictionary
لعلla'lruby; lab-e la'l = ruby lips dictionary
delkashashher charming dictionary
binsee! (= bebin) (ببین) dictionary
وآنv-ânand that (= va ân) (و آن)
khande-ye del-âshubheart-stirring smile dictionary
raftanto go, leaving dictionary
khoshashsweet (+ its) dictionary
گامgâmstep dictionary
ârmidecalm, unhurried dictionary
âhu-yethe gazelle of dictionary
dâmtrap, net dictionary
ماmâwe, us; our dictionary
borunout (= birun) (بیرون) dictionary
یارانyârânfriends dictionary
چهchewhat; how much! dictionary
چارهchâreremedy, way out dictionary
sâzamI make; châre sâkhtan = to find a remedy dictionary
bâwith dictionary
inthis dictionary
delheart dictionary
zenhârbe sure! take care! dictionary
tâto, until; so that dictionary
tavâniyou can dictionary
ahlpeople (of) dictionary
نظرnazarsight; ahl-e nazar = people of insight, connoisseurs of beauty dictionary
میآزارmayâzârdo not hurt! (نیازار) dictionary
donyâworld dictionary
وفاvafâloyalty, faithfulness dictionary
نداردnadâraddoes not have dictionary
eyO (vocative) dictionary
نورnurlight dictionary
هرharevery dictionary
dotwo dictionary
dideeye (چشم)
کشمkeshamI bear, endure dictionary
etibatyour reproach (سرزنش تو) dictionary
چشمcheshmeye dictionary
delfaribatyour enchanting dictionary
کنkondo! make! (imperative of kardan) dictionary
یارyârbeloved; friend dictionary
bargozidechosen dictionary
گرgarif (= agar) (اگر) dictionary
khâtermind, heart dictionary
sharifatyour noble dictionary
ranjidehurt, offended dictionary
HâfezHafez, the poet's pen name (takhallos); literally "one who knows the Quran by heart" dictionary
bâz âcome back! dictionary
کردیمkardimwe did dictionary
گفتهgoftewords, what is said dictionary
وva / oand dictionary
shenidewhat is heard dictionary
basmuch, many dictionary
shokrthanks, gratitude dictionary
bâz guyamlet me say again dictionary
khâjemaster, lord dictionary
oftadfalls (افتد) dictionary
beto; for; with; in, by dictionary
dastammy hand; az dast raftan = to slip out of one's control dictionary
میوهٔmivefruit dictionary
resideripe dictionary

Persian text: Ganjoor (ganjoor.net), Hafez, ghazal 425. 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.

Become a tutor