If life permits, I'll go to the tavern once more, Ghazal 252 by Hafez

If life permits, I'll go to the tavern once more, Ghazal 252 by Hafez

By @hamed on September 19, 2024

If life permits, I'll go to the tavern once more, Ghazal 252 by Hafez

By hamed @hamed | poet: Hafez Shirazi

گر بُوَد عمر، به میخانه رَسَم بارِ دِگَر

بجز از خدمتِ رندان نکنم کارِ دِگَر

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خُرَّم آن روز که با دیدهٔ گریان بِرَوَم

تا زنم آب درِ میکده یک بارِ دگر

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معرفت نیست در این قوم خدا را سَبَبی

تا بَرَم گوهرِ خود را به خریدارِ دگر

***

یار اگر رفت و حقِ صحبتِ دیرین نشناخت

حاشَ لِلَّه که رَوَم من ز پِیِ یارِ دگر

***

گر مساعد شَوَدَم دایرهٔ چرخِ کبود

هم به دست آورمش باز به پرگارِ دگر

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عافیت می‌طلبد خاطرم ار بگذارند

غمزهٔ شوخَش و آن طرهٔ طَرّارِ دگر

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راز سربستهٔ ما بین که به دستان گفتند

هر زمان با دف و نی بر سرِ بازارِ دگر

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هر دم از درد بنالم که فلک هر ساعت

کُنَدَم قصدِ دلِ ریش به آزارِ دگر

***

بازگویم نه در این واقعه حافظ تنهاست

غرقه گشتند در این بادیه بسیارِ دگر

***


Description:

English Translation:

If life permits, I'll go to the tavern once more,
And do nothing else but serve the revelers.

Blessed is the day when I leave with weeping eyes,
So I can bring water to the tavern door once more.

There’s no reason for knowledge among these people, God knows,
So that I can sell my pearl to another buyer.

If my beloved has left and doesn’t recognize the right of old friendship,
Far be it from God that I should go after another beloved.

If the blue circle of the sky becomes favorable,
I will regain her with another compass.

My heart seeks peace if they’ll let me be,
Without her playful glance and that unruly curl.

Know our secret, for they’ve told it with drums and flutes
In the marketplace, time and again.

I complain every moment that the sky, every hour,
Intends to wound my wounded heart with more pain.

I will say, not only is Hafez alone in this incident,
Many others have drowned in this desert.


hamed
@hamed Sept. 19, 2024, 4:34 a.m.

Explanation of the Ghazal

In this ghazal, Hafez expresses his deep longing for his beloved, the pain of separation, and his determination to pursue his love. He uses vivid imagery and symbolism to convey his intense emotions.

hamed
@hamed Sept. 19, 2024, 4:34 a.m.

Key Themes:

Love and longing: The poet expresses a deep longing for his beloved and his desire to be reunited.
The pain of separation: The poet describes the emotional pain caused by separation from his beloved.
The spiritual path: The poet uses the imagery of the tavern and wine to symbolize spiritual seeking and union with the divine.

hamed
@hamed Sept. 19, 2024, 4:35 a.m.

Key Persian terms and nuances:

میخانه: Tavern
رندان: Revelers
گوهر: Pearl (often used as a metaphor for a precious thing or a loved one)

hamed
@hamed Sept. 19, 2024, 4:35 a.m.

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.
Cultural references: Many of Hafez's poems, including this one, contain allusions to Persian history, literature, and mythology.