I crave a bitter wine, so potent it can fell a man, Ghazal 278 by Hafez
I crave a bitter wine, so potent it can fell a man, Ghazal 278 by Hafez
By
@hamed | poet: Hafez Shirazi
شرابِ تلخ می‌خواهم که مردافکن بُوَد زورش
که تا یک دَم بیاسایم ز دنیا و شر و شورش
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سِماطِ دَهرِ دون‌پرور ندارد شهدِ آسایش
مَذاقِ حرص و آز ای دل، بشو از تلخ و از شورَش
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بیاور مِی که نَتْوان شد ز مکرِ آسمان ایمن
به لَعبِ زهرهٔ چنگیّ و مرّیخِ سلحشورش
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کمندِ صیدِ بهرامی بیفکن، جامِ جم بردار
که من پیمودم این صحرا، نه بهرام است و نه گورش
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بیا تا در مِی صافیت رازِ دَهر بِنْمایم
به شرطِ آن که نَنْمایی به کج‌طبعانِ دل‌کورش
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نظر کردن به درویشان مُنافیِّ بزرگی نیست
سلیمان با چُنان حشمت، نظرها بود با مورش
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کمانِ ابرویِ جانان نمی‌پیچد سر از حافظ
ولیکن خنده می‌آید، بدین بازویِ بی‌زورش
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Description:
English Translation:
I crave a bitter wine, so potent it can fell a man,
So that I may rest for a moment from the world and its tumult.
The banquet of this lowly world-nourishing fortune holds no sweetness of tranquility,
Wash the taste of greed and desire from your heart, O heart, cleanse it of bitterness and saltiness.
Bring wine, for one cannot be safe from the deceit of the sky,
From the playful mischief of Venus and the warlike Mars.
Cast the net of Bahram's hunt, lift the Jamshid cup,
For I have traversed this desert, and it is neither Bahram nor his wild ass.
Come, let us reveal the secret of the world in pure wine,
On the condition that you do not reveal it to the crooked-hearted and the blind.
To look upon the dervishes is not contrary to greatness,
Solomon, with such majesty, had his gaze upon the ants.
The bow of my beloved's eyebrow does not bend over Hafez,
But a smile comes, despite this weak arm of mine.
Explanation of the Ghazal
In this ghazal, Hafez expresses a desire for escape from the world's troubles and seeks solace in wine. He uses rich imagery and symbolism to convey his intense emotions.
Key Themes:
Escape from worldly troubles: The poet seeks refuge from the world's turmoil through wine.
Spiritual longing: The poet expresses a desire for spiritual enlightenment and a deeper understanding of the universe.
The power of love: The poet explores the power of love and its ability to both uplift and torment.
Key Persian terms and nuances:
مردافکن: Man-felling (referring to the potency of the wine)
سِماط: Banquet
دَهر: Time, fortune
زهره: Venus (a planet associated with love and beauty)
مریخ: Mars (a planet associated with war and conflict)
بهرام: Bahram Gur (a legendary Persian king known for his hunting skills)
جامِ جم: Jamshid's cup (a legendary cup said to have magical properties)
سلیمان: Solomon (a biblical and Quranic prophet known for his wisdom)
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.