My heart, far from your face, yearns for the meadow of separation, Ghazal 117 by Hafez

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

دل ما به دور رویت ز چمن فَراغ دارد

که چو سرو پایبند است و چو لاله داغ دارد

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سرِ ما فرونیاید به کمانِ ابروی کس

که درون گوشه‌گیران، ز جهان فَراغ دارد

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ز بنفشه تاب دارم که ز زلفِ او زند دم

تو سیاهِ کم‌بها بین، که چه در دِماغ دارد‌!

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به چمن خُرام و بنگر برِ تختِ گل که لاله

به ندیمِ شاه مانَد که به کف ایاغ دارد

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شبِ ظلمت و بیابان، به کجا توان رسیدن؟

مگر آن که شمعِ رویت به رَهَم چراغ دارد

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من و شمعِ صبحگاهی سِزَد ار به هم بِگرییم

که بسوختیم و از ما بتِ ما فُراغ دارد

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سِزَدم چو ابرِ بهمن که بر این چمن بِگریَم

طرب آشیانِ بلبل، بنگر که زاغ دارد

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سرِ درسِ عشق دارد دلِ دردمند حافظ

که نه خاطرِ تماشا نه هوای باغ دارد

***


Description:

English Translation:

My heart, far from your face, yearns for the meadow of separation,
For it is bound like a cypress and bears the wound of a tulip.

My head will not bow to the bow of anyone's eyebrow,
For within the hearts of hermits, there is detachment from the world.

I have the glow of a violet because it breathes from your curl,
Consider me a worthless black, but see what is in my mind!

Wander in the meadow and look at the edge of the flower bed, where the tulip
Resembles a king's companion, who holds a goblet in his hand.

How can one reach the night of darkness and the wilderness?
Unless the candle of your face guides my way.

It is fitting for me and the morning candle to weep together,
For we have burned, and our idol has forgotten us.

It is fitting for me, like a January cloud, to weep over this meadow,
See how the crow has taken the nightingale's nest of joy.

The heart of the suffering Hafez is busy with the lesson of love,
For it has neither the mind for spectacle nor the desire for the garden.


English Translation for Ghazal

English translation for Ghazal.

متن غزل

Original poem in Persian

hamed
@hamed Aug. 12, 2024, 4:38 p.m.

Explanation of the Ghazal

In this ghazal, Hafez expresses deep longing and sorrow due to separation from his beloved. He uses vivid imagery from nature to convey his emotional state.

hamed
@hamed Aug. 12, 2024, 4:38 p.m.

Key Themes:

Love and Separation: The poet is deeply in love and suffering from the pain of separation.
Spiritual Seeking: The poet seeks solace in spiritual pursuits and the love of his beloved.
The Transience of Beauty: The poet reflects on the impermanence of beauty and the pain of loss.

hamed
@hamed Aug. 12, 2024, 4:38 p.m.

Key Persian terms and their nuances:

بنفشه: Violet (a symbol of beauty and modesty)
زلف: Curl of hair (often used as a metaphor for a beloved)
بهمن: A winter month in the Persian calendar, associated with cold and snow

hamed
@hamed Aug. 12, 2024, 4:38 p.m.

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 experience.