O Sufi, pluck a rose and give it to the patched garment, Ghazal 275 by Hafez
By @hamed | poet: Hafez Shirazi | 6 4
صوفی گُلی بچین و مُرَقَّع به خار بخش
وین زهدِ خشک را به مِی خوشگوار بخش
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طامات و شَطح در رَهِ آهنگِ چنگ نِه
تسبیح و طَیلَسان به مِی و مِیگُسار بخش
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زُهدِ گران که شاهد و ساقی نمیخرند
در حلقهٔ چمن به نسیمِ بهار بخش
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راهم شراب لعل زد ای میرِ عاشقان
خونِ مرا به چاهِ زَنَخدانِ یار بخش
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یا رب به وقتِ گُل، گُنَهِ بنده عفو کن
وین ماجرا به سروِ لبِ جویبار بخش
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ای آن که رَه به مشربِ مقصود بُردهای
زین بحر، قطرهای به منِ خاکسار بخش
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شکرانه را که چشم تو رویِ بتان ندید
ما را به عفو و لطفِ خداوندگار بخش
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ساقی چو شاه نوش کند بادهٔ صَبوح
گو جامِ زر به حافظِ شب زنده دار بخش
***
Description:
English Translation:
O Sufi, pluck a rose and give it to the patched garment,
And give this dry asceticism to pleasant wine.
Leave your ascetic pretensions and ecstatic utterances on the path of the lute's melody,
Give your rosary and your coarse woolen cloak to wine and the wine drinker.
Give the heavy asceticism, which neither the beloved nor the wine server buys,
To the breeze of spring in the circle of the meadow.
The wine of ruby has led my path, O master of lovers,
Give my blood to the beauty's mole-like dimple.
O Lord, at the time of flowers, forgive your servant's sin,
And entrust this story to the cypress by the stream's edge.
O you who have found the path to the desired wine,
From this sea, give a drop to me, the humble one.
As thanks for the fact that your eyes have not seen idols,
Grant us the forgiveness and kindness of the Lord of the Worlds.
When the cupbearer, like a king, drinks the morning wine,
Say, "Give a golden cup to the sleepless Hafez."
English Translation for Ghazal
متن غزل
Explanation of the Ghazal
In this ghazal, Hafez critiques rigid religious practices and advocates for a more spiritual and joyful approach to life. He uses wine and the beloved as symbols of divine love and spiritual ecstasy.
Key Themes:
Love and spirituality: The poet connects the act of drinking wine with spiritual enlightenment and the pursuit of divine love.
Criticism of asceticism: Hafez criticizes rigid religious practices and advocates for a more balanced and joyful approach to life.
The spiritual journey: The poet uses imagery of the wine cup, the rose, and the mystic to symbolize the spiritual journey and the search for meaning.
Key Persian terms and nuances:
صوفی: Sufi (a Muslim mystic)
مُرَقَّع: Patchwork
طامات و شَطح: Extatic utterances and esoteric sayings
تسبیح: Rosary
طَیلَسان: A coarse woolen cloak worn by Sufis
شاهد: Beloved
ساقی: Wine server
زَنَخدان: Mole-like dimple (a beauty mark)
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.