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

Hafez Ghazal 45: ⁧در این زمانه، رفیقی که خالی از خلل است⁩

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

Ghazal 45 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
در این زمانه، رفیقی که خالی از خَلَل استصُراحیِ مِیِ ناب و سَفینهٔ غزل است
dar in zamâne rafighi ke khâli az khalal ast / sorâhi-ye mey-e nâb o safine-ye ghazal ast
In these times the only flawless companion is a flask of pure wine and a book of ghazals.
COUPLET 2
جَریده رُو که گُذَرگاهِ عافیت، تَنْگ استپیاله گیر که عُمرِ عزیز، بی‌بَدَل است
jaride row ke gozargâh-e âfiyat tang ast / piyâle gir ke omr-e aziz bi-badal ast
Go alone and unburdened, for the pass to safety is narrow; take up the cup, for precious life cannot be replaced.
COUPLET 3
نه من ز بی‌عَمَلی، در جهان، مَلولَم و بَسمَلالَتِ عُلما هم ز عِلْمِ بی‌عَمَل است
na man ze bi-amali dar jahân malulam o bas / malâlat-e olamâ ham ze elm-e bi-amal ast
I am not the only one in the world weary of doing nothing; the weariness of the scholars too comes from knowledge without practice.
COUPLET 4
به چَشْمِ عَقْل در این رَهْگُذارِ پُرآشوبجهان و کارِ جهان، بی‌ثُبات و بی‌مَحَل است
be cheshm-e aghl dar in rahgozâr-e por-âshub / jahân o kâr-e jahân bi-sobât o bi-mahal ast
To the eye of reason, on this troubled road, the world and its affairs are unstable and worthless.
COUPLET 5
بگیر طُرِّهٔ مه‌چهره‌ای و قِصِّه مَخوانکه سَعْد و نَحْس ز تأثیرِ زُهْرِه و زُحَل است
begir torre-ye mah-chehre'i o ghesse makhân / ke sa'd o nahs ze ta'sir-e zohre o zohal ast
Take hold of a moon-faced beauty's curl and stop reciting the tale that good and bad luck come from Venus and Saturn.
COUPLET 6
دلم، امیدِ فراوان به وَصْلِ رویِ تو داشتولی اَجَل به رَهِ عمر، رَهْزَنِ اَمَل است
delam omid-e farâvân be vasl-e ru-ye to dâsht / vali ajal be rah-e omr rahzan-e amal ast
My heart had great hope of reaching your face, but on the road of life death waylays every hope.
COUPLET 7
به هیچ دور نخواهند یافت هُشیارشچُنین که «حافظِ» ما، مَسْتِ بادهٔ اَزَل است
be hich dowr nakhâhand yâft hoshyârash / chenin ke Hâfez-e mâ mast-e bâde-ye azal ast
In no age will they find him sober, since our Hafez is drunk on the wine of eternity.

What this fâl tells you

Keep close the simple, faithful companions: a good book, honest joys, a true friend. Tradition reads this fal as advice to stop blaming the stars and to act, since knowledge without action only brings weariness. Travel light and make good use of the time you have.

A traditional-style reading for reflection and enjoyment.

How this ghazal is built

radif: ast. qâfiye: -al (khalal, ghazal, badal, amal, mahal, zohal, amal, azal).

Key words

WordSay itMeaning (modern Persian)
darin; door dictionary
inthis dictionary
rafighia friend, companion dictionary
khâliempty, free dictionary
astis dictionary
میmeywine (شراب) dictionary
نابnâbpure dictionary
وva / oand dictionary
safineanthology, notebook of poems (lit. ship) dictionary
ghazalghazal, lyric poem dictionary
rowgo! (= borow) (برو) dictionary
گذرگاهgozargâhpassage, pass dictionary
پیالهpiyâlecup dictionary
گیرgirtake! yâd gir = learn! (بگیر) dictionary
omrlife, lifetime dictionary
azizprecious, dear dictionary
نهnanot, no dictionary
منmanI, me dictionary
zefrom, of (= az) (از)
jahânworld dictionary
ملولمmalulamI am weary (خسته‌ام) dictionary
basmuch, many dictionary
همhamalso, too dictionary
elmknowledge dictionary
beto; for; with; in, by dictionary
چشمcheshmeye dictionary
aghlreason, intellect dictionary
پرآشوبpor-âshubfull of turmoil dictionary
کارkârwork; affair, matter dictionary
bi-sobâtunstable dictionary
begirtake! dictionary
torrelock of hair, curl dictionary
قصهghessestory dictionary
مخوانmakhândo not recite! do not read! (نخوان) dictionary
نحسnahsill fortune dictionary
zohreVenus, the planet of music in old astronomy dictionary
zohalSaturn, the planet of ill luck dictionary
delammy heart dictionary
omidhope dictionary
فراوانfarâvânabundant, great dictionary
ru-yeface of (ezafe) (چهره) dictionary
toyou dictionary
dâshthad dictionary
valibut dictionary
rahroad, way (short for râh) (راه)
amalhope, long-held wish (آرزو)
هیچhichany; no dictionary
dowrturn; the passing round of the cup; the age dictionary
نخواهندnakhâhand(they) will not dictionary
یافتyâftfind (with nakhâhi: will not find) (پیدا کرد) dictionary
هشیارشhoshyârashhim sober dictionary
چنینcheninsuch, so dictionary
HâfezHafez, the poet's pen name (takhallos); literally "one who knows the Quran by heart" dictionary
ماmâwe, us; our dictionary
مستmastdrunk dictionary
bâdewine dictionary

Persian text: Ganjoor (ganjoor.net), Hafez, ghazal 45. 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