My desire for your lips' promise has yet to be fulfilled, Ghazal 265 by Hafez

By hamed @hamed | poet: Hafez Shirazi | 6 4

برنیامد از تمنّایِ لَبَت کامم هنوز

بر امید جامِ لعلت دُردی آشامم هنوز

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روز اول رفت دینم در سرِ زلفین تو

تا چه خواهد شد در این سودا سرانجامم هنوز

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ساقیا یک جرعه‌ای زان آبِ آتش‌گون که من

در میانِ پُختگانِ عشقِ او خامم هنوز

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از خطا گفتم شبی زلفِ تو را مُشکِ خُتَن

می‌زند هر لحظه تیغی مو بر اندامم هنوز

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پرتوِ رویِ تو تا در خلوتم دید آفتاب

می‌رود چون سایه هر دَم، بر در و بامم هنوز

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نام من رفته‌ست روزی بر لبِ جانان به سَهو

اهلِ دل را بویِ جان می‌آید از نامم هنوز

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در ازل داده‌ست ما را ساقیِ لعلِ لبت

جرعهٔ جامی که من مَدهوشِ آن جامم هنوز

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ای که گفتی جان بده تا باشَدَت آرامِ جان

جان به غم‌هایش سپردم، نیست آرامم هنوز

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در قلم آورد حافظ قصهٔ لَعلِ لَبَش

آب حیوان می‌رود هر دَم ز اقلامم هنوز

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Description:

English Translation:

My desire for your lips' promise has yet to be fulfilled,
I still drink a potion of longing, hoping for your ruby cup.

On the very first day, my faith was lost in your dark locks,
Who knows what will be the end of this affair?

O cupbearer, one sip of that fiery water, for I
Am still raw among the well-cooked in the fire of love.

One night, in error, I compared your locks to Khutan musk,
And every moment, a strand of hair wounds my body.

Since the sun has seen your radiant face in my solitude,
Like a shadow, it leaves my doors and roof every moment.

My name slipped from my beloved's lips one day by mistake,
Yet people of the heart still find the scent of life in my name.

From eternity, the cupbearer of your ruby lips has given us
A draught from a cup that I am still intoxicated by.

You said, "Give your life so that you may have peace,"
I have given my life to sorrows, and I still have no peace.

Hafez has written in his pen the story of your ruby lips,
The water of life flows from my pen every moment.


English Translation for Ghazal

English translation for Ghazal.

متن غزل

Original poem in Persian

hamed
@hamed Sept. 23, 2024, 6:35 a.m.

Explanation of the Ghazal

In this ghazal, Hafez explores themes of love, longing, and the spiritual journey. He uses vivid imagery and symbolism to convey his intense emotions.

hamed
@hamed Sept. 23, 2024, 6:36 a.m.

Key Themes:

Love and longing: The poet expresses a deep longing for his beloved and a desire for their love.
Spiritual journey: The poet uses imagery of wine, the sun, and the shadow to symbolize the spiritual journey and the search for meaning.
The transience of life: The poet reflects on the impermanence of life and the nature of love.

hamed
@hamed Sept. 23, 2024, 6:36 a.m.

Key Persian terms and nuances:

لَب: Lip
جام: Cup
زلف: Lock of hair
خُتَن: Khutan (a region in China, famous for its musk)
ساقی: Cupbearer (often used as a symbol of the divine)
آب حیوان: Water of life

hamed
@hamed Sept. 23, 2024, 6:36 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.
Sufi concepts: The poem is rich in Sufi symbolism and concepts, which can be challenging to convey in a different cultural context.