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Hafez Ghazal 473: ⁧وقت را غنیمت دان آن قدر که بتوانی⁩

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

Ghazal 473 of Hafez (13 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
وقت را غنیمت دان آن قدر که بتْوانیحاصل از حیات ای جان این دم است تا دانی
vaght râ ghanimat dân ân ghadar ke betvâni / hâsel az hayât ey jân in dam ast tâ dâni
Treasure your time as much as you can: the harvest of life, my dear, is this very moment, as you well know.
COUPLET 2
کام‌بخشیِ گردون عمر در عوض داردجهد کن که از دولت دادِ عیش بستانی
kâmbakhshi-ye gardun omr dar evaz dârad / jahd kon ke az dowlat dâd-e eysh bestâni
Whatever the turning sky grants, it takes your life in exchange; strive to take from good fortune joy's full due.
COUPLET 3
باغبان چو من زین جا بگذرم حرامت بادگر به جای من سروی غیر دوست بنشانی
bâghbân cho man z-in jâ bogzaram harâmat bâd / gar be jâ-ye man sarvi gheyr-e dust beneshâni
Gardener, when I pass on from this place, let it be forbidden to you to plant in my place any cypress but the Friend.
COUPLET 4
زاهد پشیمان را ذوق باده خواهد کشتعاقلا! مکن کاری کآورد پشیمانی
zâhed-e pashimân râ zowgh-e bâde khâhad kosht / âghelâ makon kâri k-âvarad pashimâni
The craving for wine will be the death of the ascetic who repented of it; wise one, do nothing that brings regret.
COUPLET 5
محتسب نمی‌داند این قدر که صوفی راجنس خانگی باشد همچو لعل رمانی
mohtaseb nemidânad in ghadar ke sufi râ / jens-e khânegi bâshad hamcho la'l-e rommâni
The morals officer does not even know that the Sufi keeps a homemade stock, red as a pomegranate ruby.
COUPLET 6
با دعای شب‌خیزان ای شکردهان مستیزدر پناه یک اسم است خاتم سلیمانی
bâ do'â-ye shabkhizân ey shekkar-dahân mastiz / dar panâh-e yek esm ast khâtam-e soleymâni
Sweet-mouthed one, do not fight against the prayers of those who rise at night: Solomon's seal ring itself rests under the protection of a single Name.
COUPLET 7
پند عاشقان بشنو و از در طرب بازآکاین همه نمی‌ارزد شغل عالم فانی
pand-e âsheghân beshno v-az dar-e tarab bâz â / k-in hame nemiarzad shoghl-e âlam-e fâni
Listen to the lovers' advice and come back in through the door of joy, for the business of this passing world is not worth all this.
COUPLET 8
یوسف عزیزم رفت ای برادران رحمیکز غمش عجب بینم حال پیر کنعانی
yusof-e azizam raft ey barâdarân rahmi / k-az ghamash ajab binam hâl-e pir-e kan'âni
My dear Joseph has gone: brothers, have some mercy, for I see the old man of Canaan in a sorry state from grief.
COUPLET 9
پیش زاهد از رندی دم مزن که نتوان گفتبا طبیب نامحرم حال درد پنهانی
pish-e zâhed az rendi dam mazan ke natavân goft / bâ tabib-e nâmahram hâl-e dard-e penhâni
Do not say a word about the rogue's life in front of the ascetic, for you cannot tell a hidden pain to a doctor who is a stranger to the secret.
COUPLET 10
می‌روی و مژگانت خون خلق می‌ریزدتیز می‌روی جانا ترسمت فرومانی
miravi o mozhgânat khun-e khalgh mirizad / tiz miravi jânâ tarsamat foru mâni
You pass by, and your lashes shed people's blood; you are going so fast, my dear, I fear you will stumble and be stopped.
COUPLET 11
دل ز ناوک چشمت گوش داشتم لیکنابروی کماندارت می‌برد به پیشانی
del ze nâvak-e cheshmat gush dâshtam likan / abru-ye kamândârat mibarad be pishâni
I guarded my heart against the darts of your eyes, but your archer eyebrow carries it off boldly.
COUPLET 12
جمع کن به احسانی حافظ پریشان راای شکنج گیسویت مجمع پریشانی
jam' kon be ehsâni Hâfez-e parishân râ / ey shekanj-e gisuyat majma'-e parishâni
With some kindness, gather the scattered Hafez together, you whose twisting tresses are the meeting place of all distress.
COUPLET 13
گر تو فارغی از ما ای نگار سنگین‌دلحال خود بخواهم گفت پیش آصف ثانی
gar to fâreghi az mâ ey negâr-e sangin-del / hâl-e khod bekhâham goft pish-e âsef-e sâni
If you, stone-hearted beauty, care nothing for us, I will tell my story to the second Asaf.

What this fâl tells you

Now is the moment that matters: tradition reads this fal as a clear call to treasure your time and not do anything you will regret. Do not underestimate the sincere prayers of humble people. If something dear seems lost, like Joseph, keep hope and seek kindness from those who can help.

A traditional-style reading for reflection and enjoyment.

How this ghazal is built

radif: none. qâfiye: -âni (betvâni, dâni, bestâni, beneshâni, pashimâni, rommâni, soleymâni, fâni, kan'âni, penhâni, foru mâni, pishâni, parishâni, sâni).

Key words

WordSay itMeaning (modern Persian)
وقتvaghttime dictionary
ghanimatgodsend; ghanimat dânestan = to treasure dictionary
dânknow! consider! (بدان) dictionary
ânthat dictionary
betvâniyou can dictionary
hâselachieved, obtained dictionary
hayâtlife; âb-e hayât = the water of life dictionary
eyO (vocative) dictionary
jânlife, soul dictionary
inthis dictionary
dammoment; breath dictionary
astis dictionary
tâto, until; so that dictionary
dâniyou know (می‌دانی) dictionary
گردونgardunthe turning sky; fortune dictionary
omrlife, lifetime dictionary
darin; door dictionary
dâradhas; (with arze) shows dictionary
کنkondo! make! (imperative of kardan) dictionary
dowlatgood fortune (classical sense) (اقبال) dictionary
dâdjustice, one's full due dictionary
eyshpleasure, enjoyment dictionary
bestâniyou take dictionary
bâghbângardener dictionary
چوchosince, when; like (= chon) (چون)
منmanI, me dictionary
z-infrom this (= az in); z-in pish = before this (از این)
jâplace dictionary
bogzaram(that) I pass over, leave aside dictionary
harâmatforbidden to you dictionary
bâdmay it be dictionary
گرgarif (= agar) (اگر) dictionary
beto; for; with; in, by dictionary
jâ-yeplace; be jâ-ye = in place of dictionary
sarvia cypress (a tall beloved) dictionary
gheyrother; gheyr az = apart from dictionary
dustfriend; (in Hafez) the beloved, or God dictionary
beneshâniyou plant dictionary
zâhedascetic, outwardly pious man dictionary
پشیمانpashimânregretful dictionary
zowgh-etaste, delight of dictionary
bâdewine dictionary
khâhadwill (future auxiliary) dictionary
کشتkoshtkilled dictionary
âghelâO wise one (âghel + vocative -â) dictionary
مکنmakondo not do! (نکن) dictionary
kâria deed, anything dictionary
کآوردk-âvaradthat brings (= ke âvarad) (که آورد) dictionary
pashimâniregret dictionary
نمی‌داندnemidânaddoes not know dictionary
jensgoods, merchandise dictionary
khânegi-yehomemade, domestic dictionary
bâshadmay it be; bâshad ke = perhaps, so that maybe dictionary
همچوhamcholike (مثل)
لعلla'lruby; lab-e la'l = ruby lips dictionary
bâwith dictionary
do'â-yeprayer of dictionary
مستیزmastizdo not fight! (نستیز)
پناهpanâhrefuge; din-panâh = protector of the faith dictionary
یکyekone dictionary
esmname; esm-e a'zam = the Greatest Name of God dictionary
khâtamseal ring dictionary
پندpandadvice dictionary
âsheghânlovers dictionary
beshnolisten! dictionary
وva / oand dictionary
tarabjoy, merriment dictionary
bâz âcome back! dictionary
کاینk-inthat these (= ke in) (که این)
همهhameall, whole dictionary
shoghloccupation, business, dealing dictionary
âlamworld dictionary
fânipassing, mortal dictionary
azizammy dear dictionary
raftwent dictionary
barâdarânbrothers dictionary
rahmisome mercy dictionary
کزk-azthat from (= ke az) (که از)
ghamashits sorrow, his/her grief dictionary
ajabwonder, strange dictionary
binamI see (ببینم) dictionary
hâlstate, condition dictionary
پیرpirelder; spiritual master dictionary
پیشpishin the eyes of, for dictionary
rendifree-spirited life of the "rend" (a rogue who scorns hypocrisy) dictionary
مزنmazando not strike; dam mazan = do not say a word dictionary
گفتgoftsay (with natavân: cannot say); said dictionary
tabibdoctor (پزشک) dictionary
dardpain dictionary
penhânihidden dictionary
miraviyou go dictionary
مژگانتmozhgânatyour eyelashes dictionary
khunblood dictionary
khalghpeople dictionary
می‌ریزدmirizadpours dictionary
tizfast dictionary
jânâO dear one (jân + vocative -â) (عزیزم) dictionary
tarsamatI fear that ... you (tarsam + -at) dictionary
delheart dictionary
zefrom, of (= az) (از)
چشمتcheshmatyour eye dictionary
گوشgushear; gush dâshtan = to guard, watch over dictionary
dâshtamI had dictionary
لیکنlikanbut (ولی)
abru-yeeyebrow of dictionary
کماندارتkamândâratyour archer (eyebrow) dictionary
می‌بردmibaradtakes away dictionary
pishâniforehead, brow dictionary
jam'gathering; jam' kardan = to gather, to set at ease dictionary
ehsânisome kindness dictionary
HâfezHafez, the poet's pen name (takhallos); literally "one who knows the Quran by heart" dictionary
پریشانparishânscattered, disheveled; distressed dictionary
گیسویتgisuyatyour tresses dictionary
مجمعmajma'gathering place dictionary
parishânidistress, disorder dictionary
toyou dictionary
ماmâwe, us; our dictionary
khodown dictionary
bekhâhamI will dictionary
sânisecond; âsef-e sâni = "a second Asaf", a praised vizier dictionary

Persian text: Ganjoor (ganjoor.net), Hafez, ghazal 473. Transliteration, translation, glosses and reading: Learn Persian Online.

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