Except for your threshold, I have no refuge in the world: Ghazal 76 by Hafez
Except for your threshold, I have no refuge in the world: Ghazal 76 by Hafez
By
@admin | poet: Hafez Shirazi
جز آستان توام در جهان پناهی نیست
سرِ مرا به جز این در، حواله گاهی نیست
***
عدو چو تیغ کِشد، من سپر بیندازم
که تیغِ ما به جز از ناله‌ای و آهی نیست
***
چرا ز کویِ خرابات روی برتابم
کز این بِهَم، به جهان هیچ رسم و راهی نیست
***
زمانه گر بزند آتشم به خرمنِ عمر
بگو بسوز که بر من به برگِ کاهی نیست
***
غلامِ نرگسِ جَمّاشِ آن سَهی سَروم
که از شرابِ غرورش به کس نگاهی نیست
***
مباش در پی آزار و هر چه خواهی کن
که در شریعتِ ما غیر از این گناهی نیست
***
عِنان کشیده رو ای پادشاهِ کشورِ حُسن
که نیست بر سر راهی که دادخواهی نیست
***
چنین که از همه سو دامِ راه می‌بینم
بِه از حمایتِ زلفش مرا پناهی نیست
***
خزینهٔ دلِ حافظ به زلف و خال مده
که کارهای چنین، حَدِّ هر سیاهی نیست
***
Description:
English Translation:
Except for your threshold, I have no refuge in the world,
My head has no place to turn but to this door.
When the enemy draws his sword, I will raise my shield,
For our sword is nothing but a moan and a sigh.
Why should I turn away from the tavern's alley?
For there is no better custom or path in the world than this.
If time sets fire to my harvest of life,
Tell it to burn, for I am worth no more than a blade of straw.
I am the slave of the captivating narcissus of that slender cypress,
Who with the wine of her pride gives no glance to anyone.
Pursue harm and do whatever you wish,
For in our religion, there is no sin other than this.
Rein in your horse, O king of the realm of beauty,
For there is no path on which there is no seeking of justice.
Seeing traps on every side of the path,
There is no refuge better for me than the protection of her locks.
Do not give the treasure of Hafez's heart to curls and moles,
For such deeds are not the limit of every darkness.
Explanation of the Ghazal
In this ghazal, Hafez explores themes of love, divine connection, and the challenges of the spiritual journey. He uses vivid imagery and paradoxical statements to convey deeper meanings.
Key Themes:
Divine Love: The beloved is often seen as a symbol of the divine, and the poet's love for them is spiritual.
Longing and Separation: The poet expresses a deep longing for his beloved and the pain of separation.
The Power of Beauty: The beloved's beauty is described as captivating and irresistible.
Sufi Mysticism: The ghazal alludes to Sufi concepts of love, divine union, and the journey of the soul.
Key Persian terms and their nuances:
آستان: Threshold
نرگس: Narcissus (a type of flower often used to describe beautiful eyes)
سَهی سَروم: Slender cypress
حُسن: Beauty
زلف: Locks of hair
خال: Mole
This ghazal is a beautiful example of Hafez's poetic mastery, combining deep emotional expression with rich imagery. The poet's use of metaphors and similes creates a vivid and evocative picture of his longing for his beloved.