Ghazal 491 of Hafez (10 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
به چشم کرده‌ام ابرویِ ماه‌سیماییخیالِ سبزخطی، نقش بسته‌ام جایی
be cheshm karde'am abru-ye mâh-simâyi / khiyâl-e sabz-khatti naghsh baste'am jâyi
I have taken into my eye the eyebrow of one with a moon face; I have painted somewhere in my mind the image of one with fresh green down on the cheek.
COUPLET 2
امید هست که منشورِ عشق‌بازیِ مناز آن کمانچهٔ ابرو رسد به طُغرایی
omid hast ke manshur-e eshghbâzi-ye man / az ân kamânche-ye abru resad be toghrâyi
There is hope that the decree of my love will receive a royal seal from that little bow of an eyebrow.
COUPLET 3
سَرم زِ دست بشد، چشم از انتظار بسوختدر آرزویِ سر و چشمِ مجلس‌آرایی
saram ze dast beshod cheshm az entezâr besukht / dar ârezu-ye sar o cheshm-e majles-ârâyi
My head is lost and my eyes have burned with waiting, in longing for the head and eyes of one who adorns the gathering.
COUPLET 4
مُکدّر است دِل، آتش به خرقه خواهم زدبیا! ببین! که کِرا می‌کُند تماشایی
mokadder ast del âtash be kherghe khâham zad / biyâ bebin ke kerâ mikonad tamâshâyi
My heart is clouded; I will set fire to my Sufi robe. Come and see who will enjoy the sight.
COUPLET 5
به روزِ واقعه، تابوتِ ما زِ سرو کنیدکه می‌رَویم به داغِ بلندبالایی
be ruz-e vâghe'e tâbut-e mâ ze sarv konid / ke miravim be dâgh-e boland-bâlâyi
On the day of my death, make my coffin of cypress wood, for I am going with the scar of love for a tall one.
COUPLET 6
زمامِ دِل به کسی دادِه‌ام منِ دَرویشکه نیستش به کس از تاج و تخت، پروایی
zemâm-e del be kasi dâde'am man-e darvish / ke nistash be kas az tâj o takht parvâyi
I, a poor dervish, have given the reins of my heart to someone who cares nothing for anyone's crown and throne.
COUPLET 7
در آن مَقام که خوبان ز غَمزه، تیغ زنندعجب مدار سَری اوفتاده در پایی
dar ân maghâm ke khubân ze ghamze tigh zanand / ajab madâr sari oftâde dar pâyi
In that place where the beautiful strike with the swords of their glances, do not be surprised at a head fallen at someone's feet.
COUPLET 8
مرا که از رخِ او، ماه در شبستان استکجا بود به فروغِ ستاره، پروایی؟
marâ ke az rokh-e u mâh dar shabestân ast / kojâ bovad be forugh-e setâre parvâyi
Since the moon of that face is in my night chamber, why would I care for the light of a star?
COUPLET 9
فراق و وصل چه باشد؟ رضایِ دوست طلبکه حیف باشد از او، غیرِ او، تمنایی
ferâgh o vasl che bâshad rezâ-ye dust talab / ke heyf bâshad az u gheyr-e u tamannâyi
What do separation and union matter? Seek the friend's pleasure, for it is a pity to ask the friend for anything but the friend.
COUPLET 10
دُرَر ز شوق برآرند ماهیان به نثاراگر سفینهٔ حافظ رسد به دریایی
dorar ze showgh barârand mâhiyân be nesâr / agar safine-ye Hâfez resad be daryâyi
The fish will bring up pearls in their longing, to scatter as an offering, if Hafez's ship of poems reaches the sea.
What this fâl tells you
This fal speaks of a hope that is close to being sealed and confirmed. Tradition reads it as advice not to measure love by meeting or parting, but to seek what pleases the one you love. Once you have the moon you need not chase the stars: be content with what is truly precious, and your words and work may be welcomed far and wide.
A traditional-style reading for reflection and enjoyment.
How this ghazal is built
radif: none. qâfiye: -âyi (simâyi, jâyi, toghrâyi, ârâyi, tamâshâyi, bâlâyi, parvâyi, pâyi, tamannâyi, daryâyi). Beyt 10 plays on safine "ship" and "notebook of poems".
Key words
| Word | Say it | Meaning (modern Persian) |
|---|---|---|
| be | to; for; with; in, by dictionary | |
| چشم | cheshm | eye dictionary |
| کرده‌ام | karde-am | I have done dictionary |
| abru-ye | eyebrow of dictionary | |
| khiyâl | fancy, notion dictionary | |
| نقش | naghsh | image, shape dictionary |
| baste'am | I have made, fixed; naghsh bastan = to paint, picture dictionary | |
| jâyi | somewhere dictionary | |
| omid | hope dictionary | |
| هست | hast | there is dictionary |
| منشور | manshur | royal decree, charter dictionary |
| من | man | I, me dictionary |
| ân | that dictionary | |
| abru | eyebrow dictionary | |
| resad | reaches (برسد) dictionary | |
| saram | my head dictionary | |
| ze | from, of (= az) (از) | |
| dast | hand dictionary | |
| beshod | went, passed away (رفت / گذشت) dictionary | |
| entezâr | waiting dictionary | |
| besukht | burned (سوخت) dictionary | |
| dar | in; door dictionary | |
| sar | head; sar be kuh dâdan = to send someone off wandering dictionary | |
| و | va / o | and dictionary |
| ast | is dictionary | |
| del | heart dictionary | |
| kherghe | dervish's cloak, Sufi robe dictionary | |
| khâham | I will (future auxiliary) dictionary | |
| zad | struck; dam zad = breathed out, shone; âtash zad = set on fire dictionary | |
| biyâ | come! dictionary | |
| bebin | see! look! dictionary | |
| کرا | kerâ | whom, for whom (= ke râ) (چه کسی را) |
| می‌کند | mikonad | does, is doing dictionary |
| tamâshâyi | enjoyment of a sight, a spectacle dictionary | |
| ruz | day dictionary | |
| واقعه | vâghe'e | event, affair dictionary |
| tâbut | coffin dictionary | |
| ما | mâ | we, us; our dictionary |
| sarv | cypress (image of a tall beloved) dictionary | |
| کنید | konid | make! (plural) dictionary |
| می‌رویم | miravim | we go, we are leaving dictionary |
| dâgh | brand, burning mark (like the dark spot in a tulip) dictionary | |
| zemâm | reins dictionary | |
| kasi | someone; har kasi = everyone dictionary | |
| dâde-am | I have given dictionary | |
| کس | kas | anyone; with negative: no one dictionary |
| tâj | crown dictionary | |
| takht | throne dictionary | |
| parvâyi | any care, any concern dictionary | |
| مقام | maghâm | place, station dictionary |
| khubân | the beautiful ones (زیبارویان) | |
| tigh | sword, blade dictionary | |
| zanand | strike; be tir zadan = to shoot with arrows dictionary | |
| ajab | wonder, strange dictionary | |
| مدار | madâr | do not have (old imperative of dâshtan) (نداشته باش) dictionary |
| oftâde | fallen (افتاده) dictionary | |
| pâyi | a foot; pish-e pâ = the way before one's feet dictionary | |
| مرا | marâ | me; for me (= man râ) (من را / برای من) |
| rokh | face, cheek dictionary | |
| u | him / her (Persian does not mark gender) dictionary | |
| ماه | mâh | moon (image for a beautiful face) dictionary |
| کجا | kojâ | where; how? (rhetorical) dictionary |
| bovad | is, will be (old form of bâshad) (باشد) dictionary | |
| فروغ | forugh | light, radiance dictionary |
| setâre | star dictionary | |
| چه | che | what; how much! dictionary |
| bâshad | is, would be dictionary | |
| dust | friend; (in Hafez) the beloved, or God dictionary | |
| talab | request, search dictionary | |
| heyf | pity, shame dictionary | |
| gheyr | other; gheyr az = apart from dictionary | |
| dorar | pearls (مرواریدها) dictionary | |
| showgh | longing, eagerness dictionary | |
| ماهیان | mâhiyân | the fish dictionary |
| نثار | nesâr-e | scattered as an offering on (فدای) |
| agar | if dictionary | |
| safine | ship; also a notebook of poems (pun) dictionary | |
| Hâfez | Hafez, the poet's pen name (takhallos); literally "one who knows the Quran by heart" dictionary | |
| daryâyi | a sea dictionary |
Persian text: Ganjoor (ganjoor.net), Hafez, ghazal 491. Transliteration, translation, glosses and reading: Learn Persian Online.
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