Ghazal 456 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
نوبهار است در آن کوش که خوش‌دل باشیکه بسی گُل بدمد باز و تو در گِل باشی
nowbahâr ast dar ân kush ke khoshdel bâshi / ke basi gol bedamad bâz o to dar gel bâshi
It is early spring: try to be glad at heart, for many a rose will bloom again when you are under the clay.
COUPLET 2
من نگویم که کنون با که نشین و چه بنوشکه تو خود دانی اگر زیرک و عاقل باشی
man naguyam ke konun bâ ke neshin o che benush / ke to khod dâni agar zirak o âghel bâshi
I will not tell you whom to sit with now or what to drink, for you will know that yourself, if you are clever and wise.
COUPLET 3
چنگ در پرده همین می‌دهدت پند ولیوعظت آن گاه کند سود که قابل باشی
chang dar parde hamin midahadat pand vali / va'zat ângah konad sud ke ghâbel bâshi
The harp, in its melody, gives you just this advice; but advice only does you good when you are ready to receive it.
COUPLET 4
در چمن هر ورقی دفتر حالی دگر استحیف باشد که ز کار همه غافل باشی
dar chaman har varaghi daftar-e hâli degar ast / heyf bâshad ke ze kâr-e hame ghâfel bâshi
In the meadow every leaf is a notebook of a different state; it would be a pity to remain unaware of them all.
COUPLET 5
نقد عمرت ببرد غصهٔ دنیا به گزافگر شب و روز در این قصهٔ مشکل باشی
naghd-e omrat bebarad ghosse-ye donyâ be gazâf / gar shab o ruz dar in ghesse-ye moshkel bâshi
Worry about the world will carry off the ready coin of your life for nothing, if night and day you stay caught in this hard story.
COUPLET 6
گر چه راهی‌ست پر از بیم ز ما تا بر دوسترفتن آسان بود ار واقف منزل باشی
garche râhi-st por az bim ze mâ tâ bar-e dust / raftan âsân bovad ar vâghef-e manzel bâshi
Though the road from us to the Friend's side is full of fear, the going is easy if you know the stages of the way.
COUPLET 7
حافظا گر مدد از بخت بلندت باشدصید آن شاهد مطبوع‌شمایل باشی
Hâfezâ gar madad az bakht-e bolandat bâshad / seyd-e ân shâhed-e matbu'-shamâyel bâshi
Hafez, if your high fortune lends you its help, you will become the prey of that beauty of graceful form.
What this fâl tells you
Spring has come: tradition reads this fal as an invitation to be glad at heart and to read the many lessons the season offers. Do not let worry spend your life for nothing. The road ahead may look frightening, but it becomes easy once you understand it, and good fortune is on your side.
A traditional-style reading for reflection and enjoyment.
How this ghazal is built
radif: bâshi. qâfiye: -el (khoshdel, gel, âghel, ghâbel, ghâfel, moshkel, manzel, shamâyel).
Key words
| Word | Say it | Meaning (modern Persian) |
|---|---|---|
| ast | is dictionary | |
| dar | in; door dictionary | |
| ân | that dictionary | |
| کوش | kush | strive! try! (بکوش) dictionary |
| khoshdel | glad-hearted dictionary | |
| bâshi | you are, you may be dictionary | |
| گل | gol / gel | gol = rose; gel = clay (spelled alike: roses bloom while you lie in the clay) dictionary |
| bedamad | blooms, springs up dictionary | |
| bâz | again dictionary | |
| و | va / o | and dictionary |
| to | you dictionary | |
| من | man | I, me dictionary |
| نگویم | naguyam | I do not say dictionary |
| کنون | konun | now (اکنون) |
| bâ | with dictionary | |
| نشین | neshin | sit! (بنشین) dictionary |
| چه | che | what; how much! dictionary |
| benush | drink! dictionary | |
| khod | self; here "and indeed, after all" dictionary | |
| dâni | you know (می‌دانی) dictionary | |
| agar | if dictionary | |
| zirak | clever dictionary | |
| âghel | wise, rational dictionary | |
| چنگ | chang | harp dictionary |
| پرده | parde | veil; also a musical mode (dar parde = in its melody, and in veiled words) dictionary |
| می‌دهدت | midahadat | gives you dictionary |
| پند | pand | advice dictionary |
| vali | but dictionary | |
| وعظت | va'zat | preaching to you, advice to you dictionary |
| گاه | gâh | time; ângah = then dictionary |
| کند | konad | does; makes dictionary |
| sud | profit, gain dictionary | |
| قابل | ghâbel | fit for, worthy of dictionary |
| چمن | chaman | meadow, lawn dictionary |
| هر | har | every dictionary |
| varaghi | a page, a leaf dictionary | |
| daftar | book, notebook dictionary | |
| hâli | state, condition dictionary | |
| degar | again; other (= digar) (دیگر) | |
| heyf | pity, shame dictionary | |
| bâshad | may it be; bâshad ke = perhaps, so that maybe dictionary | |
| ze | from, of (= az) (از) | |
| کار | kâr | work; affair, matter dictionary |
| همه | hame | all, whole dictionary |
| omrat | your life dictionary | |
| bebarad | carries off dictionary | |
| ghosse | sorrow, worry dictionary | |
| donyâ | world dictionary | |
| be | to; for; with; in, by dictionary | |
| گزاف | gazâf | waste; be gazâf = for nothing dictionary |
| گر | gar | if (= agar) (اگر) dictionary |
| shab | night dictionary | |
| ruz | day dictionary | |
| in | this dictionary | |
| قصهٔ | ghesse | story dictionary |
| مشکل | moshkel | hard, difficult dictionary |
| râhi-st | is a road (= râhi ast) dictionary | |
| پر | por | full dictionary |
| bim | fear dictionary | |
| ما | mâ | we, us; our dictionary |
| tâ | to, until; so that dictionary | |
| bar | side, presence; bar-e dust = the Friend's side dictionary | |
| dust | friend; (in Hafez) the beloved, or God dictionary | |
| raftan | to go, leaving dictionary | |
| bovad | is, will be (old form of bâshad) (باشد) dictionary | |
| ar | if (= agar) (اگر) | |
| واقف | vâghef | aware dictionary |
| منزل | manzel | stopping place, lodging; house dictionary |
| مدد | madad | help dictionary |
| bakht | fortune, luck dictionary | |
| bolandat | your high dictionary | |
| seyd | prey; hunting dictionary | |
| shâhed | beauty, the beloved (classical sense) dictionary |
Persian text: Ganjoor (ganjoor.net), Hafez, ghazal 456. Transliteration, translation, glosses and reading: Learn Persian Online.
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