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Hafez Ghazal 432: ⁧مخمور جام عشقم، ساقی بده شرابی⁩

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

Ghazal 432 of Hafez (6 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
مخمور جام عشقم، ساقی بده شرابیپُر کن قدح که بی مِی، مجلس ندارد آبی
makhmur-e jâm-e eshgham, sâghi bedeh sharâbi / por kon ghadah ke bi mey majles nadârad âbi
I am hungover from the cup of love; cupbearer, give me some wine. Fill the cup, for without wine the gathering has no luster.
COUPLET 2
وصف رخ چو ماهش، در پرده راست نآیدمطرب بزن نوایی، ساقی بده شرابی
vasf-e rokh cho mâhash dar parde râst nâyad / motreb bezan navâyi, sâghi bedeh sharâbi
Describing that moon-like face cannot come out right in veiled words; musician, play a tune; cupbearer, give me wine.
COUPLET 3
شد حلقه، قامت من، تا بعد از این رقیبتزین در دگر نراند، ما را به هیچ بابی
shod halghe ghâmat-e man tâ ba'd az in raghibat / z-in dar degar narânad mâ râ be hich bâbi
My figure has been bent into a ring (like a door knocker), so that from now on your rival cannot drive us from this door for any reason.
COUPLET 4
در انتظار رویت، ما و امیدواریدر عشوهٔ وصالت، ما و خیال و خوابی
dar entezâr-e ruyat mâ o omidvâri / dar eshve-ye vesâlat mâ o khiyâl o khâbi
Waiting for your face, we have only hope; in the charming promise of union with you, we have only fancy and a dream.
COUPLET 5
مخمور آن دو چشمم، آیا کجاست جامی؟بیمار آن دو لعلم، آخر کم از جوابی
makhmur-e ân do cheshmam, âyâ kojâst jâmi / bimâr-e ân do la'lam, âkhar kam az javâbi
I am hungover from those two eyes: where is a cup? I am sick for those two rubies: at least give me an answer.
COUPLET 6
حافظ چه می‌نهی دل، تو در خیال خوبانکی تشنه سیر گردد، از لمعهٔ سرابی؟
Hâfez che mineh-i del to dar khiyâl-e khubân / key teshne sir gardad az lam'e-ye sarâbi
Hafez, why do you set your heart on fancies about the beautiful? When does a thirsty man drink his fill from the shimmer of a mirage?

What this fâl tells you

You are waiting and hoping, and this fal asks you to tell real water from a mirage. Tradition reads it as advice to stay at the right door with patience, but not to feed only on dreams. Ask for a clear answer; even a short one will refresh you.

A traditional-style reading for reflection and enjoyment.

How this ghazal is built

radif: -i (the indefinite ending: sharâbi, âbi, bâbi ...). qâfiye: -âb (sharâb, âb, sharâb, bâb, khâb, javâb, sarâb).

Key words

WordSay itMeaning (modern Persian)
jâmcup dictionary
sâghicupbearer dictionary
bedehgive! pour! dictionary
sharâbia wine dictionary
پرporfull dictionary
کنkondo! make! (imperative of kardan) dictionary
قدحghadahcup, goblet dictionary
biwithout dictionary
meywine (شراب) dictionary
مجلسmajlesgathering, feast dictionary
نداردnadâraddoes not have dictionary
âbiluster, glory (âb also means brilliance) dictionary
وصفvasfdescription dictionary
rokhface, cheek dictionary
چوchosince, when; like (= chon) (چون)
ماهشmâhashits moon (rokh cho mâhash = that moon-like face) dictionary
darin; door dictionary
پردهpardeveil; also a musical mode dictionary
râstright, true; also the musical mode Rast dictionary
نآیدnâyaddoes not come; râst nâyad = does not come out right (نمی‌آید) dictionary
bezanplay! strike! dictionary
navâyia melody, a tune dictionary
shodbecome (with khâhad: will become); became dictionary
halghecircle, ring dictionary
قامتghâmatstature, figure dictionary
منmanI, me dictionary
tâto, until; so that dictionary
ba'dafter; ba'd az in = from now on dictionary
inthis dictionary
raghibatyour rival dictionary
z-infrom this (= az in); z-in pish = before this (از این)
degaragain; other (= digar) (دیگر)
نراندnarânaddoes not drive away dictionary
ماmâwe, us; our dictionary
beto; for; with; in, by dictionary
هیچhichany; no dictionary
bâbia reason, a way (also "door"); be hich bâbi = for any reason dictionary
entezârwaiting dictionary
ruyatyour face dictionary
وva / oand dictionary
eshveflirting, coaxing; eshve dâdan = to deceive with charm; eshve kharidan = to be taken in dictionary
وصالتvesâlatunion with you dictionary
khiyâlfancy, notion dictionary
khâbia sleep dictionary
ânthat dictionary
dotwo dictionary
چشممcheshmameyes ... I am (cheshm + -am) dictionary
âyâ(question word) whether dictionary
jâmia cup dictionary
bimârill dictionary
لعلمla'lamrubies ... I am (la'l + -am) dictionary
کمkamless; kam az javâbi = (not even) less than an answer, i.e. at least an answer dictionary
javâbian answer dictionary
HâfezHafez, the poet's pen name (takhallos); literally "one who knows the Quran by heart" dictionary
چهchewhat; how much! dictionary
mineh-iyou set, place; del nehâdan = to set your heart on dictionary
delheart dictionary
toyou dictionary
khubânthe beautiful ones (زیبارویان)
teshnethirsty dictionary
sirfull, satisfied dictionary
گرددgardadbecomes (بشود) dictionary
sarâbia mirage dictionary

Persian text: Ganjoor (ganjoor.net), Hafez, ghazal 432. Transliteration, translation, glosses and reading: Learn Persian Online.

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