Her face is a gathering of beauty and grace, like the moon, Ghazal 289 by Hafez
Her face is a gathering of beauty and grace, like the moon, Ghazal 289 by Hafez
By
@hamed | poet: Hafez Shirazi
مَجمَعِ خوبی و لطف است عِذار چو مَهَش
لیکَنَش مِهر و وفا نیست خدایا بِدَهَش
***
دلبرم شاهد و طفل است و به بازی روزی
بِکُشد زارم و در شرع نباشد گُنَهَش
***
من همان بِه که از او نیک نگه دارم دل
که بد و نیک ندیده‌ست و ندارد نِگَهَش
***
بویِ شیر از لبِ همچون شِکَرَش می‌آید
گرچه خون می‌چکد از شیوهٔ چشمِ سیَهَش
***
چارده ساله بُتی چابُکِ شیرین دارم
که به جان حلقه به گوش است مَهِ چاردَهَش
***
از پِی آن گُلِ نورُستِه دلِ ما یارب
خود کجا شد که ندیدیم در این چند گَهَش
***
یارِ دلدارِ من ار قلب بدین سان شِکَنَد
بِبَرَد زود به جانداریِ خود پادشهَش
***
جان به شکرانه کنم صرف گَر آن دانهٔ دُر
صدفِ سینهٔ حافظ بُوَد آرامگَهَش
***
Description:
English Translation:
Her face is a gathering of beauty and grace, like the moon,
But alas, she has no love or loyalty, O God, give it to her.
My beloved is a witness and a child, and she plays with me daily,
She kills me, yet there is no sin in the eyes of religion.
It is better for me to guard my heart from her,
For she has seen neither good nor evil, and has no regard.
The scent of milk comes from her lips like sugar,
Although blood drips from the manner of her black eyes.
I have a fourteen-year-old, agile, sweet idol,
Whose fourteenth night is a ring around my heart.
O my God, where has that newborn flower of our hearts gone?
Why haven’t we seen her in all these days?
If my beloved’s heart breaks mine like this,
May the king take her to himself in his royal domain.
I will gladly sacrifice my life for that pearl of a grain,
If the oyster of Hafez's heart can be its resting place.
Explanation of the Ghazal
This ghazal by Hafez is a complex and layered exploration of love, pain, and longing. The poet presents a paradoxical image of his beloved: she is both beautiful and cruel, innocent and yet capable of causing great suffering.
Key Themes:
The pain of love: The poet expresses the intense pain caused by his love for a seemingly heartless beloved.
The innocence and cruelty of love: The beloved is depicted as both innocent and cruel, highlighting the complex nature of love.
Spiritual longing: The poem hints at a spiritual longing and a search for divine love.
The transience of life: The poet reflects on the fleeting nature of life and the impermanence of earthly pleasures.
Key Persian terms and nuances:
مَهَش: Her moon-like face
شاهد: Witness
نِگَهَش: Her regard, her attention
شِکَرَش: Her sugar-like lips
مَهِ چاردَهَش: The fourteenth night (a reference to the full moon and a metaphor for beauty)
نُورُستِه: Newborn
جانداری: Royal domain
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.