The candle became a moth for the light of your face, Ghazal 427 by Hafez

By hamed @hamed | poet: Hafez Shirazi

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Description:

In this ghazāl, Hafez expresses a deep and passionate love for his beloved, filled with jealousy and longing. The poet uses vivid imagery and metaphors to convey the intensity of his emotions.

Key Themes:

Love and jealousy: The poet is consumed by love and jealousy for his beloved.
The power of beauty: The beloved's beauty is described as having a magnetic and irresistible power.
Spiritual longing: The poet uses the imagery of wine and the tavern to symbolize a spiritual quest.


English Translation for Ghazal

The candle became a moth for the light of your face
I have no concern for myself with your condition


Wisdom, which forbade the madness of love
Became insane from the scent of your hyacinth locks

If my life is lost for the scent of your locks, what of it?
A thousand lives are worthy of sacrifice for your beloved life

Out of jealousy, I fell from my feet last night
When I saw my beloved in the hands of a stranger

What plots we devised and gained nothing
Our enchantment has become a fable to her

Instead of sandalwood on the fire of your beautiful face
What else did I see but your black mole as a grain

The candle gave the news of life to the breeze in a breath
When the moth reached the candle of your face

I have a vow on the rim of my beloved's lips
That I will speak of nothing but the tale of the wine cup

Don't speak of the school or the monastery, for again
Hafez's mind has fallen for the tavern

Ghazal in Persian

چراغ روی تو را شمع گشت پروانه

مرا ز حال تو با حال خویش پروا نه

 

خرد که قید مجانین عشق می‌فرمود

به بوی سنبل زلف تو گشت دیوانه

 

به بوی زلف تو گر جان به باد رفت چه شد

هزار جان گرامی فدای جانانه

 

من رمیده ز غیرت ز پا فتادم دوش

نگار خویش چو دیدم به دست بیگانه

 

چه نقشها که برانگیختیم و سود نداشت

فسون ما بر او گشته است افسانه

 

بر آتش رخ زیبای او به جای سپند

به غیر خال سیاهش که دید به دانه

 

به مژده جان به صبا داد شمع در نفسی

ز شمع روی تواش چون رسید پروانه

 

مرا به دور لب دوست هست پیمانی

که بر زبان نبرم جز حدیث پیمانه

 

حدیث مدرسه و خانقه مگوی که باز

فتاد در سر حافظ هوای میخانه


hamed
@hamed Oct. 11, 2024, 3:55 p.m.

Key Persian terms and nuances:

پروانه: moth
خرد: wisdom
سنبل: hyacinth
جانانه: beloved

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.