Come, Sufi, let us cast off the hypocritical robe, Ghazal 375 by Hafez

By hamed @hamed | poet: Hafez Shirazi

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Description:

This ghazāl by Hafez is a celebration of a life devoted to love and pleasure. The poet rejects the constraints of conventional religion and embraces a life of spiritual seeking and intoxication.

Key Themes:

Love and devotion: The poet expresses a deep and unwavering devotion to his beloved.
Spiritual journey: The poet's journey towards spiritual enlightenment is often associated with the path of love.
Rejection of hypocrisy: The poet criticizes hypocrisy and the superficiality of religious practices.
The tavern as a symbol: The tavern is often used as a metaphor for a place of spiritual enlightenment.


English Translation for Ghazal

Come, Sufi, let us cast off the hypocritical robe
And draw a line through this ornate design.

Let us offer the vows and conquests of the monastery for wine
And wash the cloak of hypocrisy in the water of the tavern.

If tomorrow they do not give us the garden of paradise
Let us take the boys and the houris from the garden of paradise.

Let us emerge drunk from the gathering of the Sufis
And plunder the wine and the beloved.

Let us revel, or else regret will consume us
On the day we take our garments to another world.

Let us boldly unveil the face of God hidden in the obscurity of the unseen
Let us strike the ball of the heavens with the crook of a golden mace.

Hafez, it is not our place to boast so much
Why should we stretch our legs beyond our own carpet?

Ghazal in Persian

صوفی بیا که خرقه سالوس برکشیم

وین نقش زرق را خط بطلان به سر کشیم

 

نذر و فتوح صومعه در وجه می نهیم

دلق ریا به آب خرابات برکشیم

 

فردا اگر نه روضه رضوان به ما دهند

غلمان ز روضه حور ز جنت به درکشیم

 

بیرون جهیم سرخوش و از بزم صوفیان

غارت کنیم باده و شاهد به بر کشیم

 

عشرت کنیم ور نه به حسرت کشندمان

روزی که رخت جان به جهانی دگر کشیم

 

سر خدا که در تتق غیب منزویست

مستانه‌اش نقاب ز رخسار برکشیم

 

کو جلوه‌ای ز ابروی او تا چو ماه نو

گوی سپهر در خم چوگان زر کشیم

 

حافظ نه حد ماست چنین لاف‌ها زدن

پای از گلیم خویش چرا بیشتر کشیم


hamed
@hamed Oct. 9, 2024, 9:54 a.m.

Key Persian terms and nuances:

خرقه: Sufi robe
صومعه: monastery
غلمان: young boys, often used as a metaphor for beautiful servants in paradise
حور: houris, beautiful maidens of paradise
Some of the nuances that are difficult to fully capture in translation include:

The intricate use of imagery: Hafez often uses multiple layers of symbolism and metaphor to convey his meaning.
The musicality of the Persian language: The sounds and rhythms of the Persian language contribute significantly to the emotional impact of the poem.
Sufi concepts: The poem is rich in Sufi symbolism and concepts, which can be challenging to convey in a different cultural context.