Ghazal 466 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.
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COUPLET 1
این خرقه که من دارم در رهن شراب اولیوین دفتر بی‌معنی غرق می ناب اولی
in kherghe ke man dâram dar rahn-e sharâb owlâ / v-in daftar-e bima'ni gharg-e mey-e nâb owlâ
This cloak I wear would be better pawned for wine, and this meaningless notebook better drowned in pure wine.
COUPLET 2
چون عمر تبه کردم چندان که نگه کردمدر کنج خراباتی افتاده خراب اولی
chon omr tabah kardam chandân ke negah kardam / dar konj-e kharâbâti oftâde kharâb owlâ
Since I have wasted my life, as far as I can see, I had better lie wrecked in the corner of a tavern.
COUPLET 3
چون مصلحت اندیشی دور است ز درویشیهم سینه پر از آتش هم دیده پرآب اولی
chon maslahat-andishi dur ast ze darvishi / ham sine por az âtash ham dide por-âb owlâ
Since calculating one's interest is far from the dervish way, better a chest full of fire and eyes full of tears.
COUPLET 4
من حالت زاهد را با خلق نخواهم گفتاین قصه اگر گویم با چنگ و رباب اولی
man hâlat-e zâhed râ bâ khalgh nakhâham goft / in ghesse agar guyam bâ chang o rabâb owlâ
I will not tell people about the ascetic's state; if I tell this story at all, better to tell it with the harp and the rebab.
COUPLET 5
تا بی سر و پا باشد اوضاع فلک زین دستدر سر هوس ساقی در دست شراب اولی
tâ bisar-o-pâ bâshad owzâ'-e falak z-in dast / dar sar havas-e sâghi dar dast sharâb owlâ
As long as the ways of heaven stay this aimless, better to have longing for the cupbearer in your head and wine in your hand.
COUPLET 6
از همچو تو دلداری دل برنکنم آریچون تاب کشم باری زان زلف به تاب اولی
az hamcho to deldâri del bar nakanam âri / chon tâb kesham bâri z-ân zolf-e be tâb owlâ
I will not tear my heart away from a beloved like you; yes, if I must suffer twisting, better it come from that twisting curl.
COUPLET 7
چون پیر شدی حافظ از میکده بیرون آیرندی و هوسناکی در عهد شباب اولی
chon pir shodi Hâfez az meykade birun ây / rendi o havasnâki dar ahd-e shabâb owlâ
Now that you have grown old, Hafez, come out of the tavern: roguery and pleasure-seeking suit the days of youth better.
What this fâl tells you
Drop the outward show and be honest about who you are: tradition reads this fal as advice to choose sincerity over careful calculation. Keep your heart with the one you truly love, even if the road has its twists. Each season of life has its own fitting pleasures, so act in a way that suits where you are now.
A traditional-style reading for reflection and enjoyment.
How this ghazal is built
radif: owlâ. qâfiye: -âb (sharâb, nâb, kharâb, âb, rabâb, tâb, shabâb).
Key words
| Word | Say it | Meaning (modern Persian) |
|---|---|---|
| in | this dictionary | |
| kherghe | dervish's cloak, Sufi robe dictionary | |
| من | man | I, me dictionary |
| dâram | I have dictionary | |
| dar | in; door dictionary | |
| sharâb | wine dictionary | |
| owlâ | better, more fitting (بهتر) | |
| وین | v-in | and this (= va in) (و این) |
| daftar | book, notebook dictionary | |
| bi-ma'ni | meaningless dictionary | |
| ghargh | drowned, immersed dictionary | |
| mey | wine (شراب) dictionary | |
| ناب | nâb | pure dictionary |
| چون | chon | since, when; like dictionary |
| omr | life, lifetime dictionary | |
| tabah | ruined (تباه) | |
| کردم | kardam | I did, I made dictionary |
| چندان | chandân | so long, only so much dictionary |
| نگه | negah | look; negah kon = look! (نگاه) |
| کنج | konj | corner dictionary |
| oftâde | has fallen; looks dictionary | |
| kharâb | ruined; (in Hafez) drunk, wrecked by love dictionary | |
| andishi | thinking, calculation (maslahat-andishi = calculating one's interest) dictionary | |
| dowr | turn; the passing round of the cup; the age dictionary | |
| ast | is dictionary | |
| ze | from, of (= az) (از) | |
| هم | ham | also, too dictionary |
| sine | chest dictionary | |
| پر | por | full dictionary |
| dide | eye (چشم) | |
| hâlat | state, condition dictionary | |
| zâhed | ascetic, outwardly pious man dictionary | |
| bâ | with dictionary | |
| khalgh | people dictionary | |
| نخواهم | nakhâham | I will not dictionary |
| گفت | goft | say (with natavân: cannot say); said dictionary |
| قصه | ghesse | story dictionary |
| agar | if dictionary | |
| گویم | guyam | I say dictionary |
| چنگ | chang | harp dictionary |
| و | va / o | and dictionary |
| tâ | to, until; so that dictionary | |
| bi | without dictionary | |
| sar | head; bisar-o-pâ = aimless, in disorder dictionary | |
| پا | pâ | foot dictionary |
| bâshad | may it be; bâshad ke = perhaps, so that maybe dictionary | |
| owzâ' | state of things, situations dictionary | |
| فلک | falak | the sky, the heavens; fate dictionary |
| z-in | from this (= az in); z-in pish = before this (از این) | |
| dast | hand; z-in dast = of this kind, like this dictionary | |
| sar | head; sar be kuh dâdan = to send someone off wandering dictionary | |
| هوس | havas | longing, desire dictionary |
| sâghi | cupbearer dictionary | |
| dast | hand dictionary | |
| همچو | hamcho | like (مثل) |
| to | you dictionary | |
| del | heart dictionary | |
| tâb | twist; torment (tâb keshidan = to suffer; zolf-e be tâb = twisting curl) dictionary | |
| کشم | kesham | I suffer, I endure dictionary |
| z-ân | from that (= az ân) (از آن) | |
| zolf | curl, lock of hair dictionary | |
| be | to; for; with; in, by dictionary | |
| پیر | pir | elder; spiritual master dictionary |
| shodi | you became dictionary | |
| Hâfez | Hafez, the poet's pen name (takhallos); literally "one who knows the Quran by heart" dictionary | |
| میکده | meykade | tavern dictionary |
| birun | outside dictionary | |
| ây | come! (بیا) dictionary | |
| rendi | free-spirited life of the "rend" (a rogue who scorns hypocrisy) dictionary | |
| ahd | time, era dictionary | |
| shabâb | youth (جوانی) |
Persian text: Ganjoor (ganjoor.net), Hafez, ghazal 466. Transliteration, translation, glosses and reading: Learn Persian Online.
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