I’ll tell you a captivating secret, look at that moon-faced one’s mole, Ghazal 402 by Hafez

I’ll tell you a captivating secret, look at that moon-faced one’s mole, Ghazal 402 by Hafez

By @hamed on October 10, 2024

I’ll tell you a captivating secret, look at that moon-faced one’s mole, Ghazal 402 by Hafez

By hamed @hamed | poet: Hafez Shirazi

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Description:

In this ghazāl, Hafez celebrates the beauty and allure of his beloved. He uses vivid imagery and metaphors to describe the beloved's captivating qualities.

Key Themes:

The power of beauty: The poet extols the beauty of his beloved and their ability to captivate and control others.
Love and longing: The poet expresses a deep longing for his beloved and the joy of their companionship.
The spiritual nature of love: The poet suggests that love can be a spiritual experience, connecting the lover to a higher power.


English Translation for Ghazal

I’ll tell you a captivating secret, look at that moon-faced one’s mole
See how reason and soul are chained to that lock of hair


I blamed my heart for being wild and unruly
It said, “Look at the lion-capturing eyes and the coquetry of that gazelle”

The curl of her hair is a theater for the morning breeze
A hundred lovers’ souls are tied to a single hair there

The worshippers of the sun are oblivious to our beloved
O you who reproach, for God’s sake, don’t look away, see that face

The wind has tied a noose around the neck of her heart-stealing locks
See the Hindu trick she plays on the travelers of the path

No one has ever seen, and no one will ever see,
the likes of me, so detached from myself in my search for her

It is right for Hafiz to lament in the corner of a prayer niche
O you who give advice, for God’s sake, look at that arched eyebrow

O sky, do not turn your head away from the desire of the Shah Mansur
Look at the sharpness of the sword, the strength of the arm

Ghazal in Persian

نکته‌ای دلکَش بگویم خالِ آن مَه‌رو ببین

عقل و جان را بستهٔ زنجیرِ آن گیسو ببین

 

عیبِ دل کردم که وحشی‌وضع و هرجایی مباش

گفت چشمِ شیرگیر و غنجِ آن آهو ببین

 

حلقهٔ زلفش تماشاخانهٔ باد صباست

جانِ صد صاحب‌دل آن جا بستهٔ یک مو ببین

 

عابدانِ آفتاب از دلبرِ ما غافل‌اند

ای ملامت‌گو خدا را رو مبین آن رو ببین

 

زلفِ دل‌دزدش صبا را بند بر گردن نهاد

با هوادارانِ ره رو حیلهٔ هندو ببین

 

این‌که من در جست‌وجوی او ز خود فارغ شدم

کس ندیده‌ست و نبیند مثلش از هر سو ببین

 

حافظ ار در گوشهٔ محراب می‌نالد رواست

ای نصیحت‌گو خدا را آن خمِ ابرو ببین

 

از مرادِ شاه منصور ای فلک سر برمتاب

تیزیِ شمشیر بنگر قوّتِ بازو ببین


hamed
@hamed Oct. 10, 2024, 3:52 p.m.

Key Persian terms and nuances:

خال: mole
زنجیر: chain
غنج: coquetry
صبا: morning breeze
هندو: a reference to Hindu magic or trickery

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.