Ghazal 50 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.
Read it word by wordTake your own fâl
COUPLET 1
به دامِ زلفِ تو دل مبتلایِ خویشتن استبکُش به غمزه که اینَش سزایِ خویشتن است
be dâm-e zolf-e to del mobtalâ-ye khishtan ast / bekosh be ghamze ke inash sezâ-ye khishtan ast
In the trap of your curls my heart is caught by its own doing: kill it with a glance, for that is what it deserves.
COUPLET 2
گَرَت ز دست برآید مُرادِ خاطرِ مابه دست باش که خیری به جایِ خویشتن است
garat ze dast bar âyad morâd-e khâter-e mâ / be dast bâsh ke kheyri be jâ-ye khishtan ast
If you are able to grant my heart's wish, be quick to do it, for a good deed is done for one's own sake.
COUPLET 3
به جانت ای بتِ شیرین دهن که همچون شمعشبانِ تیره، مُرادم فنایِ خویشتن است
be jânat ey bot-e shirin-dahan ke hamchon sham' / shabân-e tire morâdam fanâ-ye khishtan ast
By your life, sweet-mouthed idol, like a candle on dark nights my wish is to burn myself away.
COUPLET 4
چو رای عشق زدی با تو گفتم ای بلبلمَکُن که آن گلِ خندان به رای خویشتن است
cho râ'y-e eshgh zadi bâ to goftam ey bolbol / makon ke ân gol-e khandân be râ'y-e khishtan ast
When you set your mind on love, nightingale, I told you: don't, for that laughing rose follows only its own will.
COUPLET 5
به مُشکِ چین و چِگِل نیست بویِ گُل مُحتاجکه نافه‌هاش ز بندِ قَبایِ خویشتن است
be moshk-e chin o chegel nist bu-ye gol mohtâj / ke nâfe-hâsh ze band-e ghabâ-ye khishtan ast
The rose's scent has no need of the musk of China and Chegel, for its musk pods come from the fastenings of its own robe.
COUPLET 6
مرو به خانهٔ اربابِ بی‌مُروتِ دهرکه گنجِ عافیتت در سرایِ خویشتن است
marow be khâne-ye arbâb-e bi-morovvat-e dahr / ke ganj-e âfiyatat dar sarâ-ye khishtan ast
Do not go to the houses of the world's ungenerous lords, for the treasure of your peace is in your own home.
COUPLET 7
بسوخت حافظ و در شرطِ عشقبازی اوهنوز بر سرِ عهد و وفایِ خویشتن است
besukht Hâfez o dar shart-e eshghbâzi u / hanuz bar sar-e ahd o vafâ-ye khishtan ast
Hafez has burned away, yet by the rules of love he still keeps his own promise and faithfulness.
What this fâl tells you
What you need is already in your own home and your own nature; do not go asking at the doors of the ungenerous. Tradition reads this fal as advice to do good while you can, since kindness returns to the giver. Stay true to your word, and your worth will show by itself, like the scent of a rose.
A traditional-style reading for reflection and enjoyment.
How this ghazal is built
radif: khishtan ast ("is one's own"). qâfiye: -â (mobtalâ, sezâ, jâ, fanâ, râ'y, ghabâ, sarâ, vafâ).
Key words
| Word | Say it | Meaning (modern Persian) |
|---|---|---|
| be | to; for; with; in, by dictionary | |
| dâm | trap, net dictionary | |
| zolf | curl, lock of hair dictionary | |
| to | you dictionary | |
| del | heart dictionary | |
| khishtan | oneself, one's own (خود) dictionary | |
| ast | is dictionary | |
| bekosh | kill! dictionary | |
| inash | this (is) its dictionary | |
| گرت | garat | if ... you (= agar to-râ) (اگر به تو) |
| ze | from, of (= az) (از) | |
| dast | hand dictionary | |
| bar âyad | rises; comes true; comes out (برمی‌آید) | |
| مراد | morâd | wish, desire dictionary |
| khâter | mind, heart dictionary | |
| ما | mâ | we, us; our dictionary |
| bâsh | be! dictionary | |
| kheyri | a good deed dictionary | |
| jâ-ye | place of; be jâ-ye khishtan = for one's own sake dictionary | |
| jânat | your life (as an oath: "by your life") dictionary | |
| ey | O (vocative) dictionary | |
| bot | idol; the beautiful beloved dictionary | |
| dahan | mouth (دهان) | |
| همچون | hamchon | like (مثل) |
| sham' | candle dictionary | |
| shabân | nights dictionary | |
| tire | dark dictionary | |
| مرادم | morâdam | my desire, my goal dictionary |
| چو | cho | since, when; like (= chon) (چون) |
| zadi | you shot, you struck dictionary | |
| bâ | with dictionary | |
| گفتم | goftam | I said dictionary |
| bolbol | nightingale dictionary | |
| مکن | makon | do not do! (نکن) dictionary |
| ân | that dictionary | |
| گل | gol | rose; flower dictionary |
| khandân | smiling, laughing dictionary | |
| چین | chin | China; also a curl, fold (pun) dictionary |
| و | va / o | and dictionary |
| نیست | nist | is not; there is not dictionary |
| bu-ye | scent of (ezafe) dictionary | |
| محتاج | mohtâj | in need dictionary |
| band | rope, bond dictionary | |
| مرو | marow | do not go! (نرو) dictionary |
| khâne | house dictionary | |
| arbâb | lords, masters dictionary | |
| dahr | time, the world, fate dictionary | |
| گنج | ganj | treasure dictionary |
| dar | in; door dictionary | |
| besukht | burned (سوخت) dictionary | |
| Hâfez | Hafez, the poet's pen name (takhallos); literally "one who knows the Quran by heart" dictionary | |
| shart | rule, condition dictionary | |
| u | him / her (Persian does not mark gender) dictionary | |
| هنوز | hanuz | still, yet dictionary |
| bar | on, upon dictionary | |
| sar | head; sar be kuh dâdan = to send someone off wandering dictionary | |
| ahd | promise, pledge dictionary |
Persian text: Ganjoor (ganjoor.net), Hafez, ghazal 50. Transliteration, translation, glosses and reading: Learn Persian Online.
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