How delightful is Shiraz and its unparalleled situation! Ghazal 279 by Hafez
How delightful is Shiraz and its unparalleled situation! Ghazal 279 by Hafez
By
@hamed | poet: Hafez Shirazi
خوشا شیراز و وضعِ بی‌مثالش
خداوندا نگه دار از زَوالش
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ز رکن آباد ما صد لوحش الله
که عمرِ خضر می‌بخشد زلالش
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میانِ جعفرآباد و مُصَلّا
عبیرآمیز می‌آید شِمالش
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به شیراز آی و فیضِ روحِ قدسی
بجوی از مردمِ صاحب کمالش
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که نامِ قند مصری برد آنجا؟
که شیرینان ندادند اِنفِعالش
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صبا زان لولیِ شنگولِ سرمست
چه داری آگهی؟ چون است حالش؟
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گر آن شیرین پسر خونم بریزد
دلا چون شیرِ مادر کن حلالش
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مکن از خواب بیدارم خدا را
که دارم خلوتی خوش با خیالش
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چرا حافظ چو می‌ترسیدی از هجر
نکردی شُکرِ ایامِ وصالش؟
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Description:
English Translation:
How delightful is Shiraz and its unparalleled situation!
O God, preserve it from decline.
From the Rock of Paradise, a hundred tablets of God have descended,
Whose clear waters bestow the life of Khizr.
Between Jaʿfarābād and the place of prayer,
Its north wind wafts with fragrance.
Come to Shiraz and seek the blessing of the Holy Spirit
From its people of great virtue.
Who has taken the name of Egyptian sugar there?
Who have not enjoyed its sweetness?
O Saba, what news do you bring from that
joyful, intoxicated wanderer? How is he?
If that sweet boy sheds my blood,
O heart, consider it lawful, like a mother’s milk.
O God, do not wake me from my sleep,
For I have a sweet solitude with his thoughts.
Why, Hafez, when you feared separation,
Did you not give thanks for the days of union?
Explanation of the Ghazal
In this ghazal, Hafez extols the beauty and virtues of Shiraz, his beloved city. He expresses a deep longing for his beloved and the peace he finds in solitude and contemplation.
Key Themes:
Love for Shiraz: The poet expresses his deep love for Shiraz and its people.
Longing for the beloved: Hafez conveys a longing for his beloved and the joy of their union.
The spiritual journey: The poet uses imagery of the garden, the wine, and the mystic to symbolize the spiritual journey and the search for meaning.
Key Persian terms and nuances:
شیراز: Shiraz (a city in Iran)
رکن آباد: Rock of Paradise (a place associated with spiritual purity)
خضر: Khizr (a mythical figure associated with immortality and spiritual knowledge)
جعفرآباد و مصلا: Jaʿfarābād and the place of prayer (places in Shiraz)
صبا: Zephyr (a gentle west wind)
لولی: Wanderer
شیر: Milk
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.