In the winding corridors of passion and sorrow, Hatef Isfahani’s words beckon us to wander through the maze of the heart. His ghazal, steeped in the delicate interplay of honor, loss, and the quiet agony of unfulfilled dreams, speaks of a journey where every step is a lesson in vulnerability. It is a reminder that in the pursuit of dignity and love, one may find oneself unexpectedly ensnared by fate.
The Original Ghazal
من پس از عزّت و حرمت ، شدم ار خوارِ کَسی،
کار دل بود که با دل نفتد کار کسیدین و دنیا و دل و جان همه دادم چه کنم
وای بر حال کسی کوست گرفتار کسیناامید است ز درمان دو بیمار طبیب
چشم بیمار کسی و دل بیمار کسیآخر کار فروشند به هیچش این است
سود آن کس که به جان است خریدار کسیهاتف این پند ز من بشنو و تا بتوانی
بکش آزار کسان و مکن آزار کسی
An English Translation
In seeking honor and revered esteem,
I became a wretch in another’s dream;
The heart’s pure work, sincere and true,
Fell into a snare not meant for you.
I surrendered faith, the world, my heart, my soul—
What remedy remains when all is given whole?
Alas for those ensnared by fate’s design,
Caught in a web of longing, hopeless and confined.
No healer can cure twin wounds that deeply bind—
One’s weary eye and a heart by sorrow defined.
In the end, nothing’s free in life’s merciless sale;
Profit belongs to those whose souls are bought without fail.
Heed this counsel as long as strength allows:
Bear the harms inflicted by others, yet harm none in your vows.
Reflections on the Verses
Hatef Isfahani’s words unfold like a gentle lament—each couplet a mirror reflecting the perennial struggle between our lofty ideals and the cruel, unpredictable turns of destiny. The poet speaks of a transformation wrought by the pursuit of honor, where the heart’s sincere intentions become entangled in the snares of another’s desires. This duality, where giving everything can lead to being trapped in an unseen net, resonates with anyone who has ever sacrificed too much in the name of love or duty.
The imagery of a healer rendered powerless over two ailing souls—one with a troubled eye, the other with a shattered heart—serves as a poignant metaphor for the limitations of worldly remedies. Ultimately, Isfahani reminds us of a profound truth: true profit in life is not measured by what we gain materially, but by the integrity of our spirit, even when the cost is dear.
His final counsel is both an admonition and an elegy—a call to endure the inevitable pains of life with grace, while refraining from inflicting the same suffering upon others. In these lines, there is an invitation to reflect on the nature of compassion, resilience, and the quiet dignity of self-restraint.
Concluding Thoughts
In this ghazal, we find not just the sorrow of a wounded heart but also the resilient beauty of human experience. Hatef Isfahani’s verses, both in their original Persian and in this humble translation, beckon us to consider the delicate balance between giving all we have and preserving the sanctity of our inner being. May these words inspire us to navigate our own heart’s labyrinth with wisdom, empathy, and a steadfast commitment to our true selves.
