O your face, like a paradise, and your lips like the celestial river Selsebil, Ghazal 308 by Hafez
By @hamed | poet: Hafez Shirazi | 7 4
ای رُخَت چون خُلد و لَعلَت سَلسَبیل
سَلسَبیلت کرده جان و دل سَبیل
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سبزپوشانِ خَطَت بر گِردِ لب
همچو مورانند گِردِ سَلسَبیل
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ناوَکِ چشمِ تو در هر گوشهای
همچو من افتاده دارد صد قَتیل
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یا رب این آتش که در جانِ من است
سرد کن زان سان که کردی بر خلیل
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من نمییابم مجال ای دوستان
گرچه دارد او جمالی بس جمیل
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پای ما لَنگ است و منزل بس دراز
دست ما کوتاه و خرما بر نَخیل
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حافظ از سرپنجهٔ عشقِ نگار
همچو مور افتاده شد در پایِ پیل
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شاهِ عالم را بقا و عِزّ و ناز
باد و هر چیزی که باشد زین قَبیل
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Description:
English Translation:
O your face, like a paradise, and your lips like the celestial river Selsebil
Your Selsebil has made my heart and soul thirsty.
The green line of your mustache around your lip
Is like ants around the Selsebil.
The arrow of your eye, in every corner,
Has many victims, just like me.
O Lord, cool this fire in my heart
As you cooled it for Khalil (Abraham).
I cannot find a way, O friends,
Even though she has such a beautiful face.
My legs are weak and the journey is long
My hands are short and the dates are high on the palm tree.
Hafez, from the paw of the beloved's love,
Has fallen like an ant at the foot of an elephant.
May the king of the world have eternal life, honor, and pride
And everything else of that kind.
English Translation for Ghazal
متن غزل
Explanation of the Ghazal
This ghazal by Hafez is a beautiful expression of love, longing, and the power of beauty. The poet is overwhelmed by the beauty of his beloved and expresses his longing for their love.
Key Themes:
Longing for the beloved: The poet is deeply in love and longs for the beloved's attention.
The power of beauty: The beloved's beauty is described as irresistible and capable of causing great suffering.
Divine love: The poet compares his love to the divine love experienced by prophets like Abraham.
The transience of life: The poet acknowledges the impermanence of life and the futility of worldly pursuits.
Key Persian terms and nuances:
خُلد: Paradise
سَلسَبیل: A celestial river in paradise
خلیل: Abraham
نخل: Palm tree
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.