I have said it many times, and I say it once more, Ghazal 380 by Hafez

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I have said it many times, and I say it once more, Ghazal 380 by Hafez

By hamed @hamed | poet: Hafez Shirazi

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Description:

This ghazāl by Hafez explores themes of love, devotion, and spiritual seeking. The poet presents himself as a humble seeker of truth, guided by a higher power.

Key Themes:

Love and devotion: The poet expresses a deep and unwavering devotion to his beloved or a higher power.
Spiritual seeking: 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

I have said it many times, and I say it once more
That I, the lovesick one, do not pursue this path for myself.


Behind the mirror, they have made me a parrot-like imitator
I say what the eternal master has said.

Whether I am a thorn or a flower adorning the garden
I go wherever that hand leads me.

Friends, do not find fault with my heartbroken, bewildered state
I have a jewel and I am seeking a discerning owner.

Although it is a flaw to wear a patched cloak adorned with rose-colored silk
I do not find fault, for from it I become a hue of hypocrisy.

The laughter and tears of lovers come from another place
I compose at night and recite at dawn.

Hafez said, "Do not soil the dust of the tavern"
Do not find fault, for I smell the musk of Khutan.

Ghazal in Persian

بارها گفته‌ام و بار دگر می‌گویم

که من دلشده این ره نه به خود می‌پویم

 

در پس آینه طوطی صفتم داشته‌اند

آن چه استاد ازل گفت بگو می‌گویم

 

من اگر خارم و گر گل چمن آرایی هست

که از آن دست که او می‌کشدم می‌رویم

 

دوستان عیب من بی‌دل حیران مکنید

گوهری دارم و صاحب نظری می‌جویم

 

گرچه با دلق ملمع می گلگون عیب است

مکنم عیب کز او رنگ ریا می‌شویم

 

خنده و گریه عشاق ز جایی دگر است

می‌سرایم به شب و وقت سحر می‌مویم

 

حافظم گفت که خاک در میخانه مبوی

گو مکن عیب که من مشک ختن می‌بویم

hamed
@hamed Oct. 9, 2024, 12:51 p.m.

Key Persian terms and nuances:

طوطی صفت: parrot-like, referring to someone who merely repeats what they hear without understanding
ملمع: adorned, embellished
مشک ختن: musk from Khutan, a highly fragrant substance
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.

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