Listen to my advice and don’t make excuses, Ghazal 256 by Hafez
Listen to my advice and don’t make excuses, Ghazal 256 by Hafez
By
@hamed | poet: Hafez Shirazi
نصیحتی کُنَمَت بشنو و بهانه مَگیر
هر آنچه ناصِحِ مُشْفِق بگویَدَت بپذیر
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ز وصلِ رویِ جوانان تَمَتُّعی بردار
که در کمینگهِ عمر است مَکرِ عالَمِ پیر
***
نَعیم هر دو جهان پیش عاشقان به جوی
که این متاعِ قلیل است و آن عَطایِ کثیر
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معاشری خوش و رودی بساز می‌خواهم
که دردِ خویش بگویم به نالهٔ بَم و زیر
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بر آن سَرَم که نَنوشَم مِی و گُنَه نکنم
اگر موافقِ تدبیرِ من شَوَد تقدیر
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چو قسمتِ ازلی بی‌حضورِ ما کردند
گر اندکی نه به وِفقِ رضاست خرده مگیر
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چو لاله در قَدَحم ریز ساقیا مِی و مُشک
که نقشِ خالِ نگارم نمی‌رود ز ضمیر
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بیار ساغرِ دُرِّ خوشاب ای ساقی
حسود گو کَرَمِ آصفی ببین و بمیر
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به عزمِ توبه نهادم قدح ز کف صد بار
ولی کرشمهٔ ساقی نمی‌کُنَد تقصیر
***
مِی دوساله و محبوبِ چارده ساله
همین بس است مرا صُحبتِ صَغیر و کَبیر
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دل رمیدهٔ ما را که پیش می‌گیرد؟
خبر دهید به مجنونِ خسته از زنجیر
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حدیثِ توبه در این بزمگه مگو حافظ
که ساقیان کمان ابرویَت زَنَند به تیر
***
Description:
English Translation:
Listen to my advice and don’t make excuses,
Accept whatever a wise advisor tells you.
Take pleasure from the sight of the young,
For the deceit of the old world lies in wait.
The pleasures of both worlds are flowing for lovers,
For this worldly good is little, and the divine gift is great.
I desire a pleasant company and a flowing river,
So that I may express my pain with a low and mournful cry.
I’m determined not to drink wine and commit sin,
If fate agrees with my plan.
Since destiny has decreed our separation,
Don’t take it amiss if things aren’t entirely to our liking.
O cupbearer, pour wine and musk into the goblet like a tulip,
For the image of my beloved’s mole doesn’t leave my mind.
Bring the goblet of sweet-tasting pearls, O cupbearer,
Let the envious one see the generosity of Asaf and die.
A hundred times I’ve put down the cup with the intention of repenting,
But the cupbearer’s coquetry is not at fault.
Two-year-old wine and a fourteen-year-old beloved,
This is enough for me, the company of the young and old.
Who can console our weary heart?
Tell the weary, chained Majnun.
Don’t speak of repentance in this gathering, Hafez,
For the cupbearers will shoot you with the arrows of their eyebrows.
Explanation of the Ghazal
In this ghazal, Hafez explores themes of love, worldly pleasures, and the spiritual journey. He uses vivid imagery and symbolism to convey his intense emotions.
Key Themes:
Love and longing: The poet expresses a deep longing for his beloved and the joy they bring.
The pleasures of life: The poet celebrates the pleasures of life, such as wine, music, and the company of loved ones.
The spiritual journey: The poet uses the imagery of the tavern and wine to symbolize spiritual seeking and union with the divine.
Key Persian terms and nuances:
ناصر: Advisor
عالمِ پیر: Old world
نَعیم: Bliss
مجنون: Majnun (a legendary lover from Arabic literature)
آصفی: Asaf (a wise counselor in the Quran, often associated with great wealth and generosity)
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.