Ghazal 485 of Hafez (8 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
ساقیا سایهٔ ابر است و بهار و لب جویمن نگویم چه کن ار اهل دلی خود تو بگوی
sâghiyâ sâye-ye abr ast o bahâr o lab-e juy / man naguyam che kon ar ahl-e deli khod to beguy
Cupbearer, there is the shade of clouds, and spring, and the bank of a stream. I will not tell you what to do; if you have a heart, say it yourself.
COUPLET 2
بوی یک‌رنگی از این نقش نمی‌آید خیزدلق آلودهٔ صوفی به می ناب بشوی
bu-ye yekrangi az in naghsh nemiâyad khiz / dalgh-e âlude-ye sufi be mey-e nâb beshuy
No scent of sincerity comes from this picture; get up and wash the Sufi's stained cloak with pure wine.
COUPLET 3
سفله‌طبع است جهان، بر کَرَمَش تکیه مکنای جهان‌دیده! ثباتِ قدم از سفله مجوی
sefle-tab' ast jahân bar karamash tekye makon / ey jahân-dide sabât-e ghadam az sefle maju
The world is mean by nature, do not rely on its generosity; O you who have seen the world, do not look for steadfastness in the base.
COUPLET 4
دو نصیحت کنمت بشنو و صد گنج ببر«از در عیش درآ و به ره عیب مپوی»
do nasihat konamat beshno o sad ganj bebar / "az dar-e eysh darâ o be rah-e eyb mapuy"
I will give you two pieces of advice; listen and carry off a hundred treasures: "Come in through the door of joy, and do not run along the road of faultfinding."
COUPLET 5
شکر آن را که دگربار رسیدی به بهاربیخ نیکی بنشان و ره تحقیق بجوی
shokr-e ân râ ke degarbâr rasidi be bahâr / bikh-e niki beneshân o rah-e tahghigh bejuy
In thanks for reaching spring once again, plant the root of goodness and seek the path of truth.
COUPLET 6
روی جانان طلبی، آینه را قابل سازور نه هرگز گل و نسرین ندمد ز آهن و روی
ru-ye jânân talabi âyene râ ghâbel sâz / var na hargez gol o nasrin nadamad ze âhan o ruy
If you seek the beloved's face, make your mirror worthy of it; otherwise no rose or eglantine will ever grow from iron and brass.
COUPLET 7
گوش بگشای که بلبل به فغان می‌گویدخواجه تقصیر مفرما گل توفیق ببوی
gush bogshây ke bolbol be faghân miguyad / khâje taghsir mafarmâ gol-e towfigh bebuy
Open your ears, for the nightingale cries out: "Master, do not fall short; smell the rose of good fortune."
COUPLET 8
گفتی از حافظِ ما بوی ریا می‌آیدآفرین بر نفست باد که خوش بردی بوی
gofti az Hâfez-e mâ bu-ye riyâ miâyad / âfarin bar nafasat bâd ke khosh bordi buy
You said that our Hafez smells of hypocrisy; bravo to your breath, how well you caught the scent!
What this fâl tells you
This fal opens in spring, by a stream under the clouds: a season to be grateful for. Tradition reads it as advice to plant something good, avoid finding fault with others, and not to lean on the world's fickle favors. Polish your own heart like a mirror, and the good fortune you seek can show itself.
A traditional-style reading for reflection and enjoyment.
How this ghazal is built
radif: none. qâfiye: -uy (juy, beguy, beshuy, maju, mapuy, bejuy, ruy, bebuy, buy). Beyt 8 is ironic: the critic is praised for "smelling" what Hafez admits.
Key words
| Word | Say it | Meaning (modern Persian) |
|---|---|---|
| sâghiyâ | O cupbearer (sâghi + vocative -â) dictionary | |
| sâye | shade, shadow dictionary | |
| abr | cloud dictionary | |
| ast | is dictionary | |
| و | va / o | and dictionary |
| bahâr | spring dictionary | |
| لب | lab | lip dictionary |
| juy | stream (جوی) dictionary | |
| من | man | I, me dictionary |
| نگویم | naguyam | I do not say dictionary |
| چه | che | what; how much! dictionary |
| کن | kon | do! make! (imperative of kardan) dictionary |
| ar | if (= agar) (اگر) | |
| ahl | people (of) dictionary | |
| deli | a heart dictionary | |
| khod | self; here "and indeed, after all" dictionary | |
| to | you dictionary | |
| beguy | tell! (بگو) dictionary | |
| bu-ye | scent of (ezafe) dictionary | |
| in | this dictionary | |
| نقش | naghsh | image, shape dictionary |
| نمی‌آید | nemiâyad | does not come; dar nemiâyad = does not enter dictionary |
| khiz | get up! (برخیز) | |
| âlude | stained, polluted dictionary | |
| be | to; for; with; in, by dictionary | |
| mey | wine (شراب) dictionary | |
| ناب | nâb | pure dictionary |
| beshuy | wash! dictionary | |
| jahân | world dictionary | |
| bar | on, upon dictionary | |
| کرمش | karamash | His generosity dictionary |
| tekye | leaning, reliance dictionary | |
| مکن | makon | do not do! (نکن) dictionary |
| ey | O (vocative) dictionary | |
| sabât | stability, permanence dictionary | |
| قدم | ghadam | step dictionary |
| maju | do not seek! (نجو) dictionary | |
| do | two dictionary | |
| نصیحت | nasihat | advice dictionary |
| کنمت | konamat | I give you (advice) dictionary |
| beshno | listen! dictionary | |
| sad | hundred dictionary | |
| گنج | ganj | treasure dictionary |
| bebar | carry off! take! dictionary | |
| dar | in; door dictionary | |
| eysh | pleasure, enjoyment dictionary | |
| darâ | come in! (بیا تو) | |
| rah | road, way (short for râh) (راه) | |
| eyb | fault, flaw dictionary | |
| mapuy | do not run, do not go! (نرو) dictionary | |
| shokr | thanks, gratitude; shokr-e ân râ ke = in thanks that dictionary | |
| ân | that dictionary | |
| degarbâr | once again (دوباره) dictionary | |
| rasidi | you reached dictionary | |
| bikh | root dictionary | |
| niki | goodness, a good deed dictionary | |
| beneshân | plant! (بکار) dictionary | |
| tahghigh | certainty; be tahghigh = truly dictionary | |
| bejuy | seek! (بجو) dictionary | |
| ru-ye | face of (ezafe) (چهره) dictionary | |
| jânân | the beloved (معشوق) | |
| talabi | you seek dictionary | |
| âyene | mirror (آیینه) | |
| قابل | ghâbel | fit for, worthy of dictionary |
| sâz | make! (بساز) dictionary | |
| ور | var | and if (= va agar) (و اگر) |
| نه | na | not, no dictionary |
| هرگز | hargez | never dictionary |
| گل | gol | rose; flower dictionary |
| ندمد | nadamad | does not grow, does not spring up dictionary |
| ze | from, of (= az) (از) | |
| âhan | iron dictionary | |
| گوش | gush | ear; gush kon = listen dictionary |
| bogshây | open! untie! (باز کن) dictionary | |
| bolbol | nightingale dictionary | |
| فغان | faghân | alas! cry of lament dictionary |
| می‌گوید | miguyad | says dictionary |
| khâje | master, lord dictionary | |
| taghsir | falling short, holding back dictionary | |
| مفرما | mafarmâ | do not (polite form) (نکنید) dictionary |
| bebuy | smell! (ببو) dictionary | |
| gofti | you said; you composed dictionary | |
| Hâfez | Hafez, the poet's pen name (takhallos); literally "one who knows the Quran by heart" dictionary | |
| ما | mâ | we, us; our dictionary |
| riyâ | hypocrisy, showing off piety dictionary | |
| می‌آید | miâyad | comes dictionary |
| âfarin | bravo, praise dictionary | |
| نفست | nafasat | your breath dictionary |
| bâd | may it be (باشد) dictionary | |
| khosh | well, sweetly; pleasant dictionary | |
| bordi | you took dictionary | |
| buy | scent dictionary |
Persian text: Ganjoor (ganjoor.net), Hafez, ghazal 485. Transliteration, translation, glosses and reading: Learn Persian Online.
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