O robe of kingship, so well-suited to your stature, Ghazal 410 by Hafez

O robe of kingship, so well-suited to your stature, Ghazal 410 by Hafez

By @hamed on October 10, 2024

O robe of kingship, so well-suited to your stature, Ghazal 410 by Hafez

By hamed @hamed | poet: Hafez Shirazi

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Description:

In this ghazāl, Hafez addresses a powerful and influential figure, likely a patron or ruler. The poet extols the virtues and greatness of this individual, using lavish imagery and comparisons.

Key Themes:

Royal praise: The poet lavishes praise upon the subject, attributing divine qualities and powers to them.
Spiritual guidance: The subject is depicted as a source of spiritual wisdom and enlightenment.
Hope and longing: The poet expresses hope for the subject's favor and forgiveness.


English Translation for Ghazal

O robe of kingship, so well-suited to your stature
Adorned with a crown and gem of the highest quality


The sun of victory rises each moment
From the royal crown of your moon-faced visage

Wherever your shadow falls, it is a place of good fortune
The shadow of your celestial canopy

With thousands of differences in the customs of religion and wisdom
A point was never missed from your wise heart

The water of life drips from the beak of your eloquence
Your sweet-tongued parrot means your sugar-cane pen

Although the sun of the sky is the eye and light of the world
The dust of your feet is the illuminator of its eye

What Alexander sought and time did not give him
Was a sip from the clear goblet of your life-giving wine

There is no need to make a request in your presence
No secret remains hidden from the brilliance of your insight

O king, aged Hafiz becomes young
In the hope of your life-giving, sin-erasing forgiveness

Ghazal in Persian

ای قبای پادشاهی راست بر بالای تو

زینتِ تاج و نگین از گوهرِ والای تو

 

آفتاب فتح را هر دم طلوعی می‌دهد

از کلاهِ خسروی رخسارِ مه‌سیمایِ تو

 

جلوه‌گاهِ طایرِ اقبال باشد هر کجا

سایه‌ اندازد همایِ چترِ گردون‌سایِ تو

 

از رسومِ شرع و حکمت با هزاران اختلاف

نکته‌ای هرگز نشد فوت از دلِ دانای تو

 

آب حیوانش ز منقارِ بلاغت می‌چکد

طوطیِ خوش‌لهجه یعنی کلک شکّرخای تو

 

گرچه خورشیدِ فلک چشم و چراغ عالم است

روشنایی‌بخشِ چشم اوست خاک پای تو

 

آن چه اسکندر طلب کرد و ندادش روزگار

جرعه‌ای بود از زلالِ جام جان‌افزای تو

 

عرضِ حاجت در حریم حضرتت محتاج نیست

راز کس مخفی نمانَد با فروغِ رایِ تو

 

خسروا پیرانه‌سر حافظ جوانی می‌کند

بر امیدِ عفوِ جان‌بخشِ گنه‌فرسایِ تو


hamed
@hamed Oct. 10, 2024, 4:21 p.m.

Key Persian terms and nuances:

قبای پادشاهی: robe of kingship
همای: a mythical bird associated with kingship and good fortune
آب حیوان: water of life
طوطی: parrot (often used as a metaphor for a poet or a wise person)

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.
Courtly language and allusions: The poem is rich in allusions to Persian history and culture, which can be challenging to convey in a different cultural context.