O Lord, send that black-eyed gazelle back to Khotan, Ghazal 385 by Hafez

O Lord, send that black-eyed gazelle back to Khotan, Ghazal 385 by Hafez

By @hamed on October 09, 2024

O Lord, send that black-eyed gazelle back to Khotan, Ghazal 385 by Hafez

By hamed @hamed | poet: Hafez Shirazi

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Description:

In this ghazāl, Hafez expresses a deep longing for his beloved, who is absent. The poet uses vivid imagery and spiritual yearnings to convey his emotions.

Key Themes:

Love and longing: The poet expresses an intense longing for his beloved and the pain of separation.
Spiritual seeking: The poet turns to spiritual practices and the guidance of the divine to alleviate his suffering.
The impermanence of beauty: The poet reflects on the transitory nature of life and the inevitability of loss.


English Translation for Ghazal

O Lord, send that black-eyed gazelle back to Khotan
And that slender, graceful cypress back to the meadow


Soothe our troubled hearts with a gentle breeze
Meaning, bring that departed soul back to our bodies.

When the moon and sun reach their appointed place
Bring my moon-faced beloved back to me.

My eyes have turned to blood in search of that ruby lip
O Lord, send that radiant star back in auspiciousness.

Go, O auspicious bird of good omen
And convey the message of the crow and raven to the phoenix.

The message is that we cannot live without you
Hear, O messenger who bears news, and convey my message.

O Lord, the one whose homeland was حافظ’s eye
Return him to his homeland from his strange land, according to his desire.

Ghazal in Persian

یا رب آن آهوی مشکین به ختن بازرسان

وان سهی سرو خرامان به چمن بازرسان

 

دل آزرده ما را به نسیمی بنواز

یعنی آن جان ز تن رفته به تن بازرسان

 

ماه و خورشید به منزل چو به امر تو رسند

یار مه‌روی مرا نیز به من بازرسان

 

دیده‌ها در طلب لعل یَمانی خون شد

یا رب آن کوکب رخشان به یمن بازرسان

 

برو ای طایر میمون همایون آثار

پیش عنقا سخن زاغ و زغن بازرسان

 

سخن این است که ما بی تو نخواهیم حیات

بشنو ای پیک خبرگیر و سخن بازرسان

 

آن که بودی وطنش دیده حافظ یا رب

به مرادش ز غریبی به وطن بازرسان


hamed
@hamed Oct. 9, 2024, 1:29 p.m.

Key Persian terms and nuances:

آهوی مشکین: black-eyed gazelle, a symbol of beauty
سهی سرو: slender cypress, a symbol of grace
ختن: Khotan, a historical city in China, often associated with beauty and luxury
عنقا: phoenix, a mythical bird symbolizing immortality and rebirth
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.