In my old age, the love of youth has befallen me, Ghazal 110 by Hafez
In my old age, the love of youth has befallen me, Ghazal 110 by Hafez
By
@admin | poet: Hafez Shirazi
پیرانه سَرَم عشقِ جوانی به سر افتاد
وان راز که در دل بِنَهفتم به درافتاد
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از راهِ نظر مرغِ دلم گشت هواگیر
ای دیده نگه کن که به دامِ که درافتاد
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دردا که از آن آهوی مُشکینِ سیه چشم
چون نافه بسی خونِ دلم در جگر افتاد
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از رهگذرِ خاکِ سرِ کویِ شما بود
هر نافه که در دستِ نسیمِ سحر افتاد
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مژگانِ تو تا تیغِ جهانگیر برآورد
بس کشتهٔ دل زنده که بر یکدِگر افتاد
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بس تجربه کردیم در این دیرِ مکافات
با دُردکشان هر که درافتاد برافتاد
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گر جان بدهد سنگِ سیه، لعل نگردد
با طینتِ اصلی چه کُند، بدگهر افتاد
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حافظ که سرِ زلفِ بتان دست کشش بود
بس طُرفه حریفیست کَش اکنون به سر افتاد
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Description:
English Translation:
In my old age, the love of youth has befallen me,
And that secret I had hidden in my heart has been revealed.
My heart, like a bird, has become entangled in the net of a glance,
O eye, look and see in what trap it has fallen.
Alas, from that black-eyed musk deer
Much of my heart's blood has fallen into my liver like a musk pod.
Every musk pod that fell into the hands of the morning breeze
Was from passing by the dust of your threshold.
When your eyelashes were raised like Jahangir's sword,
Many a living heart fell upon each other, slain.
We've experienced much in this world of retribution,
Whoever associated with the afflicted, fell.
Even if a black stone gives its life, it won't become a ruby,
What can a base nature do with its original essence?
Hafez, whose hand was once away from the locks of beauties,
What a strange opponent he has become now.
Explanation of the Ghazal
In this ghazal, Hafez expresses the turmoil of love and the complexities of human nature. He uses vivid imagery and metaphors to convey his feelings of longing, pain, and the inevitability of fate.
Key Themes:
Love and Age: The poet, despite his age, is deeply in love and experiences the same intensity of emotions as a youth.
The Power of Love: The poet describes the overwhelming power of love and its ability to cause both joy and pain.
Fate and Destiny: The poet reflects on the inevitability of fate and the consequences of one's actions.
Key Persian terms and their nuances:
نافه: Musk pod (a symbol of fragrance and desire)
جهانگیر: A powerful Mughal emperor, known for his conquests
دُردکشان: The afflicted or suffering
This ghazal is a beautiful example of Hafez's poetic mastery, combining deep emotional expression with rich imagery. The poet's use of metaphors and similes creates a vivid and evocative picture of the human condition.