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Hafez Ghazal 477: ⁧دو یار زیرک و از بادهٔ کهن دو منی⁩

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

Ghazal 477 of Hafez (9 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
دو یار زیرک و از بادهٔ کهن دو منیفراغتی و کتابی و گوشهٔ چمنی
do yâr-e zirak o az bâde-ye kohan do mani / farâghati o ketâbi o gushe-ye chamani
Two clever friends, two measures of old wine, some free time, a book, and a corner of a meadow:
COUPLET 2
من این مقام به دنیا و آخرت ندهماگر چه در پِی‌ام افتند هر دم انجمنی
man in maghâm be donyâ va âkherat nadaham / agar che dar pey-am oftand har dam anjomani
I would not trade this place for this world or the next, even if a crowd came after me at every moment.
COUPLET 3
هر آن که کنج قناعت به گنج دنیا دادفروخت یوسف مصری به کمترین ثمنی
har ân ke konj-e ghanâ'at be ganj-e donyâ dâd / forukht yusof-e mesri be kamtarin samani
Whoever gave up the corner of contentment for the treasures of the world has sold Joseph of Egypt for the lowest price.
COUPLET 4
بیا که رونق این کارخانه کم نشودبه زهدِ همچو تویی، یا به فسق همچو منی
biyâ ke rownagh-e in kârkhâne kam nashavad / be zohd-e hamcho toyi yâ be fesgh-e hamcho mani
Come: the splendor of this workshop of the world is not lessened by the piety of someone like you or the sins of someone like me.
COUPLET 5
ز تندباد حوادث نمی‌توان دیدندر این چمن که گلی بوده است یا سَمنی
ze tondbâd-e havâdes nemitavân didan / dar in chaman ke goli bude ast yâ samani
Because of the storm of events, you can no longer tell in this meadow that a rose or a jasmine ever grew here.
COUPLET 6
ببین در آینهٔ جام، نقش‌بندیِ غیبکه کس به یاد ندارد چنین عجب زَمنی
bebin dar âyene-ye jâm naghsh-bandi-ye gheyb / ke kas be yâd nadârad chenin ajab zamani
Look in the mirror of the cup at the pictures painted by the unseen: no one remembers a time as strange as this.
COUPLET 7
از این سَموم که بر طَرْف بوستان بگذشتعجب که بوی گلی هست و رنگ نسترنی
az in samum ke bar tarf-e bustân bogzasht / ajab ke bu-ye goli hast o rang-e nastarani
After this burning wind that swept over the garden, it is a wonder there is still the scent of a rose or the color of a wild rose.
COUPLET 8
به صبر کوش تو ای دل که حق رها نکندچنین عزیز نگینی به دست اهرمنی
be sabr kush to ey del ke hagh rahâ nakonad / chenin aziz negini be dast-e ahremani
O heart, be patient: God will not leave so precious a ring stone in the hand of a demon.
COUPLET 9
مزاجِ دَهر تَبَه شد در این بلا حافظکجاست فکر حکیمی و رای برهمنی؟
mezâj-e dahr tabah shod dar in balâ Hâfez / kojâst fekr-e hakimi o ra'y-e barahmani?
The health of the age has been ruined by this disaster, Hafez. Where is the thinking of a sage, or the judgment of a Brahmin?

What this fâl tells you

A fal about simple happiness: good friends, a book, a quiet green corner. Tradition reads it as advice to value contentment above wealth, and to stay patient in hard times, because something precious will not be left in the wrong hands for long.

A traditional-style reading for reflection and enjoyment.

How this ghazal is built

radif: none. qâfiye: -ani (mani, chamani, anjomani, samani, zamani, nastarani, ahremani, barahmani).

Key words

WordSay itMeaning (modern Persian)
dotwo dictionary
یارyârbeloved; friend dictionary
zirakclever dictionary
وva / oand dictionary
bâdewine dictionary
کهنkohanold, aged dictionary
farâghatifree time, ease dictionary
ketâbia book dictionary
گوشهٔgushecorner dictionary
chamania meadow dictionary
منmanI, me dictionary
inthis dictionary
مقامmaghâmplace, station dictionary
beto; for; with; in, by dictionary
donyâworld dictionary
âkheratthe next world, the afterlife dictionary
ندهمnadahamI would not give dictionary
agarif dictionary
چهchewhat; how much! dictionary
darin; door dictionary
پی‌امpey-amafter me (دنبال من)
oftand(they) fall; dar pey oftâdan = to come after (بیفتند) dictionary
هرharevery dictionary
dammoment; breath dictionary
anjomania crowd dictionary
ânthat dictionary
کنجkonjcorner dictionary
گنجganjtreasure dictionary
dâdgave dictionary
فروختforukhtsold dictionary
mesriof Egypt; yusof-e mesri = Joseph of Egypt dictionary
کمترینkamtarinlowest dictionary
biyâcome! dictionary
کارخانهkârkhâneworkshop (here: the world) dictionary
کمkamless dictionary
نشودnashavaddoes not become dictionary
همچوhamcholike (مثل)
یاyâO (vocative); or dictionary
فسقfesghsin, immorality dictionary
zefrom, of (= az) (از)
tondbâdstorm, gale dictionary
havâdesevents, misfortunes dictionary
نمی‌توانnemitavânone cannot dictionary
didanto see dictionary
چمنchamanmeadow, lawn dictionary
golia rose, a flower dictionary
budehas been dictionary
astis dictionary
bebinsee! look! dictionary
âyenemirror (آیینه)
jâmcup dictionary
کسkasanyone; with negative: no one dictionary
یادyâdmemory dictionary
نداردnadâraddoes not have dictionary
چنینcheninsuch, so dictionary
ajabwonder, strange dictionary
zamania time (Arabic zaman) (زمانی)
baron, upon dictionary
bustângarden dictionary
bogzashtpassed (گذشت) dictionary
bu-yescent of (ezafe) dictionary
هستhastthere is dictionary
rangcolor dictionary
sabrpatience dictionary
کوشkushstrive! try! (بکوش) dictionary
toyou dictionary
eyO (vocative) dictionary
delheart dictionary
haghright, claim dictionary
rahâfree; rahâ nakardan = not to leave dictionary
نکندnakonaddoes not do dictionary
azizprecious, dear dictionary
dasthand dictionary
ahremania demon (Ahriman) dictionary
مزاجmezâjtemperament, health dictionary
dahrtime, the world, fate dictionary
tabahruined (تباه)
shodbecome (with khâhad: will become); became dictionary
balâcalamity dictionary
HâfezHafez, the poet's pen name (takhallos); literally "one who knows the Quran by heart" dictionary
فکرfekrthought dictionary
hakimia sage dictionary

Persian text: Ganjoor (ganjoor.net), Hafez, ghazal 477. Transliteration, translation, glosses and reading: Learn Persian Online.

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