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

Hafez Ghazal 43: ⁧صحن بستان ذوق‌بخش و صحبت یاران خوش است⁩

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

Ghazal 43 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
صَحنِ بُستان ذوق‌بخش و صحبتِ یاران خوش استوقتِ گل خوش باد کز وی وقتِ می‌خواران خوش است
sahn-e bostân zowgh-bakhsh o sohbat-e yârân khosh ast / vaght-e gol khosh bâd k-az vey vaght-e meykhârân khosh ast
The garden lawn is delightful and the company of friends is sweet. May the rose season be happy, for it makes the wine-drinkers' time happy.
COUPLET 2
از صبا هر دم مشامِ جانِ ما خوش می‌شودآری آری طیبِ اَنفاسِ هواداران خوش است
az sabâ har dam mashâm-e jân-e mâ khosh mishavad / âri âri tib-e anfâs-e havâdârân khosh ast
Every moment the morning breeze makes our soul's sense of smell happy. Yes, yes: the fragrant breath of those who love us is sweet.
COUPLET 3
ناگشوده گُل نِقاب، آهنگِ رحلت ساز کردناله‌ کن بلبل که گلبانگِ دل‌اَفکاران خوش است
nâgoshude gol neghâb, âhang-e rehlat sâz kard / nâle kon bolbol ke golbâng-e del-afkârân khosh ast
Before it had even lifted its veil, the rose made ready to leave. Cry out, nightingale: the song of wounded hearts is sweet.
COUPLET 4
مرغِ خوشخوان را بشارت باد کاندر راهِ عشقدوست را با نالهٔ شب‌های بیداران خوش است
morgh-e khosh-khân râ beshârat bâd k-andar râh-e eshgh / dust râ bâ nâle-ye shab-hâ-ye bidârân khosh ast
Good news to the sweet-singing bird: on the road of love, the beloved is pleased with the night-long laments of those who stay awake.
COUPLET 5
نیست در بازارِ عالَم خوشدلی ور زان که هستشیوهٔ رندی و خوش‌باشیِ عیاران خوش است
nist dar bâzâr-e âlam khoshdeli var z-ân ke hast / shive-ye rendi o khosh-bâshi-ye ayyârân khosh ast
There is no happiness in the market of this world; and if there is any, it is the free-spirited, easygoing way of the bold rogues.
COUPLET 6
از زبانِ سوسنِ آزاده‌ام آمد به گوشکاندر این دِیرِ کهن، کارِ سبکباران خوش است
az zabân-e susan-e âzâde'am âmad be gush / k-andar in deyr-e kohan kâr-e sabokbârân khosh ast
From the tongue of the free lily this reached my ear: in this old monastery of the world, those who travel light fare well.
COUPLET 7
حافظا! تَرکِ جهان گفتن طریقِ خوشدلیستتا نپنداری که احوالِ جهان‌داران خوش است
Hâfezâ tark-e jahân goftan tarigh-e khoshdeli-st / tâ napendâri ke ahvâl-e jahândârân khosh ast
Hafez, giving up the world is the way to a happy heart; do not imagine that the rulers of the world are happy.

What this fâl tells you

Enjoy the season of roses and good friends while it lasts, for it passes quickly. Tradition reads this fal as advice to travel light: set down heavy worries and envy of the powerful, and contentment will come more easily. Your sincere longing does not go unheard.

A traditional-style reading for reflection and enjoyment.

How this ghazal is built

radif: khosh ast ("is sweet, is good"). qâfiye: -ârân (yârân, meykhârân, havâdârân, del-afkârân, bidârân, ayyârân, sabokbârân, jahândârân).

Key words

WordSay itMeaning (modern Persian)
sahncourtyard, open lawn dictionary
bostângarden (باغ)
وva / oand dictionary
sohbatcompany, companionship (classical sense) dictionary
یارانyârânfriends dictionary
khoshwell, sweetly; pleasant dictionary
astis dictionary
وقتvaghttime dictionary
گلgolrose; flower dictionary
bâdwind dictionary
کزk-azthat from (= ke az) (که از)
veyit, him, her (= u) (او)
sabâthe morning breeze, which carries messages between lovers in poetry (نسیم صبح)
هرharevery dictionary
dammoment; breath dictionary
jânlife, soul dictionary
ماmâwe, us; our dictionary
می‌شودmishavadbecomes dictionary
tibfragrance, sweetness (بوی خوش)
anfâsbreaths; here prayers (نفس‌ها)
هوادارانhavâdârândevoted friends, lovers dictionary
ناگشودهnâgoshudenot yet opened dictionary
نقابneghâbveil dictionary
âhangintention; âhang-e chizi sâz kardan = to set out for something dictionary
sâzmaking ready; sâz kard = prepared dictionary
کردkarddo (with tavân: can do) dictionary
nâlelament, cry dictionary
کنkondo! make! (imperative of kardan) dictionary
bolbolnightingale dictionary
مرغmorghbird dictionary
beshâratgood news (مژده)
کاندرk-andarthat in (= ke andar) (که در)
râhway, road dictionary
dustfriend; (in Hafez) the beloved, or God dictionary
bâwith dictionary
shab-hâ-yenights of dictionary
bidârânthose who stay awake at night dictionary
نیستnistis not; there is not dictionary
darin; door dictionary
bâzârbazaar, market dictionary
âlamworld dictionary
ورvarand if (= va agar) (و اگر)
z-ânfrom that (= az ân) (از آن)
هستhastthere is dictionary
shivemanner, way dictionary
rendifree-spirited life of the "rend" (a rogue who scorns hypocrisy) dictionary
ayyârânbold rogues, chivalrous free men dictionary
zabântongue; language dictionary
âzâde'amfree (the -am belongs to the verb: "came to my ear"); susan-e âzâde = the "free" lily dictionary
âmadcame dictionary
beto; for; with; in, by dictionary
گوشgushear; gush kon = listen dictionary
inthis dictionary
کهنkohanold, aged dictionary
کارkârwork; affair, matter dictionary
sabokbârânthose with light loads, the carefree (آدم‌های بی‌دغدغه)
tarkgiving up, abandoning; tark goftan = to renounce dictionary
jahânworld dictionary
گفتنgoftanto say; tark goftan = to give up dictionary
tarighway, path dictionary
tâto, until; so that dictionary
napendâri(so that) you do not imagine dictionary

Persian text: Ganjoor (ganjoor.net), Hafez, ghazal 43. 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