My eyes, filled with tears, are bloodshot: Ghazal 54 by Hafez
My eyes, filled with tears, are bloodshot: Ghazal 54 by Hafez
By
@fatemeh | poet: Hafez Shirazi
ز گریه مَردُمِ چشمم نشسته در خون است
ببین که در طلبت حالِ مَردُمان چون است
***
به یادِ لعلِ تو و چشمِ مستِ میگونت
ز جامِ غم، می لعلی که می‌خورم خون است
***
ز مشرقِ سرِ کو آفتابِ طلعتِ تو
اگر طلوع کند، طالعم همایون است
***
حکایتِ لبِ شیرین، کلام فرهاد است
شِکَنجِ طُرِّهٔ لیلی مقام مجنون است
***
دلم بجو که قدت همچو سرو دلجوی است
سخن بگو که کلامت لطیف و موزون است
***
ز دورِ باده به جان، راحتی رسان ساقی
که رنجِ خاطرم از جورِ دورِ گردون است
***
از آن دمی که ز چشمم برفت رودِ عزیز
کنارِ دامنِ من همچو رودِ جیحون است
***
چگونه شاد شود اندرونِ غمگینم؟
به اختیار، که از اختیار بیرون است
***
ز بیخودی طلبِ یار می‌کند حافظ
چو مفلسی که طلبکارِ گنجِ قارون است
***
Description:
English Translation:
My eyes, filled with tears, are bloodshot,
See how the people are in their longing for you.
Thinking of your ruby lips and your wine-drunk eyes,
From the cup of sorrow, I drink a ruby wine of blood.
If the sun of your beauty rises from the east of the mountain pass,
My fortune will be auspicious.
The tale of your sweet lips is the speech of Farhad,
The curl of your tresses is the station of Majnun.
Seek my heart, for your stature is like a cypress that attracts hearts,
Speak, for your words are delicate and harmonious.
O saki, bring me relief from afar with a cup of wine,
For the pain in my heart is from the cruelty of the turning sky.
Since the day the beloved river left my eyes,
The hem of my garment is like the Jihun River.
How can my sorrowful heart be happy?
By choice, when it is beyond my control.
Hafez, in his unconsciousness, seeks his beloved,
Like a pauper who demands the treasure of Qarun.
Explanation of the Ghazal
In this ghazal, Hafez expresses a deep and passionate love for his beloved, using vivid imagery and poetic devices to convey the intensity of his emotions.
Key Themes:
Intense Love and Suffering: The poet's love for his beloved causes him immense pain and suffering.
The Beloved as a Source of Life: The beloved is seen as the source of the poet's life and happiness.
Spiritual Seeking: The poet's love for the beloved is intertwined with a spiritual journey.
Literary Allusions: The poet uses references to Persian mythology and literature to enhance the emotional impact of his poetry.
Key Persian terms and their nuances:
لعل: Ruby, often used as a metaphor for a beloved's lips
میگونت: Wine-drunk
فرهاد: A legendary figure in Persian mythology known for his love for Shirin
مجنون: A legendary figure in Arabic literature known for his love for Layla
جیحون: A major river in Central Asia
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 his longing for his beloved.