My tall, coquettish, playful beloved, Ghazal 400 by Hafez Shirazi

  1. Home
  2. Ghazals
  3. Ghazal Details

My tall, coquettish, playful beloved, Ghazal 400 by Hafez Shirazi

By hamed @hamed | poet: Hafez Shirazi | 8 1

No lines yet

Description:

In this ghazāl, Hafez explores themes of love, loss, and the conflict between spiritual and earthly desires. The poet is torn between his religious devotion and his passionate love for his beloved.

Key Themes:

Conflict between love and religion: Hafez grapples with the tension between his spiritual aspirations and his worldly desires, specifically his love for his beloved.
The power of love: The beloved's beauty and allure have completely captivated the poet, leading him to question his religious beliefs.
The transience of life: The poet reflects on the fleeting nature of life and the inevitability of loss.

English Translation for Ghazal

My tall, coquettish, playful beloved
Has shortened the long story of my asceticism


My heart, see what the sight of my love-struck eye
has done to my old age, asceticism, and knowledge

I fear the ruin of my faith, for it takes
The place of my prayers in your arched eyebrows

I said, “I will wear a patched cloak as a sign of love”
But my tears were a tale-bearer and revealed my secret

My beloved is drunk and doesn’t remember companions
May God bless my humble wine-server

Oh Lord, when will that gentle breeze blow, whose scent
Will make my worm of desire fruitful?

I am drawing a picture on water with my tears now
How long will my illusion be joined with reality?

Like a laughing candle, I weep over myself
So that you, hard-hearted one, may feel my pain and melody

When the ascetic gets nothing from your prayers
It is my nightly intoxication and secret communion

O Zephyr, tell of Hafiz’s burning from weeping
To my beloved king, who is kind to friends and harsh to enemies

متن غزل

بالابلند عشوه‌گر نقش‌باز من

کوتاه کرد قصه زهد دراز من

 

دیدی دلا که آخر پیری و زهد و علم

با من چه کرد دیدهٔ معشوقه‌باز من

 

می‌ترسم از خرابی ایمان که می‌برد

محراب ابروی تو حضور نماز من

 

گفتم به دلق زرق بپوشم نشان عشق

غمّاز بود اشک و عیان کرد راز من

 

مست است یار و یاد حریفان نمی‌کند

ذکرش به خیر‌، ساقی مسکین‌نواز من

 

یا رب کی آن صبا بوزد کز نسیم آن

گردد شمامهٔ کرمش کارساز من

 

نقشی بر آب می‌زنم از گریه حالیا

تا کی شود قرین حقیقت مجاز من

 

بر خود چو شمع خنده‌زنان گریه می‌کنم

تا با تو سنگ‌دل چه کند سوز و ساز من

 

زاهد چو از نماز تو کاری نمی‌رود

هم مستی شبانه و راز و نیاز من

 

حافظ ز گریه سوخت بگو حالش ای صبا

با شاه دوست‌پرور دشمن‌گداز من

hamed
@hamed Oct. 10, 2024, 7:08 a.m.

Key Persian terms and nuances:

عشوه‌گر: coquettish
زهد: asceticism
محراب: niche in a mosque where one stands to pray
دلق: patched cloak
صبا: gentle breeze
کرم: worm (here, a metaphor for desire)
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.

Back to Ghazal List Previous Next