The king with a cypress-like stature and the sweetest of voices, Ghazal 387 by Hafez

The king with a cypress-like stature and the sweetest of voices, Ghazal 387 by Hafez

By @hamed on October 10, 2024

The king with a cypress-like stature and the sweetest of voices, Ghazal 387 by Hafez

By hamed @hamed | poet: Hafez Shirazi

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Description:

In this ghazāl, Hafez presents a philosophical and spiritual discourse, interwoven with themes of love, worldly pleasures, and the search for meaning.

Key Themes:

Spiritual seeking: The poet encourages the pursuit of spiritual knowledge and freedom from worldly attachments.
The nature of love: The ghazāl explores the complexities of love, both divine and earthly.
The transitory nature of life: The poet reflects on the impermanence of worldly pleasures and the importance of spiritual pursuits.


English Translation for Ghazal

The king with a cypress-like stature and the sweetest of voices
Whose eyelashes break the hearts of all the valiant

Passed by drunk and cast a glance at me, the dervish
Saying, “O eye and light of all sweet-speakers

How long will your purse be empty of silver and gold?
Become my servant and rise above all your enemies

Be not lower than an atom, be humble, show love
Until you reach the sanctuary of the sun, spinning through the sky

Don’t rely on the world, and if you have a cup of wine
Drink to the joy of the fair-faced ones and the delicate-bodied

My old wine-server, whose soul be happy
Said, “Beware of the company of covenant-breakers”

Take hold of the skirt of a friend and break away from the enemy
Become a man of God and pass freely from the demons

With the morning breeze in the meadow of tulips, I said
“Who are these martyrs, all these bloodstained ones?”

He said, “Hafez, you and I are not privy to this secret
Speak of the ruby wine and the sweet-lipped ones.”

Ghazal in Persian

شاه شمشادقدان خسرو شیرین‌دهنان

که به مژگان شکند قلب همه صف‌شکنان

 

مست بگذشت و نظر بر من درویش انداخت

گفت ای چشم و چراغ همه شیرین‌سخنان

 

تا کی از سیم و زرت کیسه تهی خواهد بود

بنده من شو و برخور ز همه سیمتنان

 

کمتر از ذره نه‌ای پست مشو مهر بورز

تا به خلوتگه خورشید رسی چرخ‌زنان

 

بر جهان تکیه مکن ور قدحی مِی‌ داری

شادی زهره‌جبینان خور و نازک‌بدنان

 

پیر پیمانه‌کش من که روانش خوش باد

گفت پرهیز کن از صحبت پیمان‌شکنان

 

دامن دوست به دست آر و ز دشمن بگسل

مرد یزدان شو و فارغ گذر از اهرمنان

 

با صبا در چمن لاله سحر می‌گفتم

که شهیدان که‌اند این همه خونین‌کفنان

 

گفت حافظ من و تو محرم این راز نه‌ایم

از می لعل حکایت کن و شیرین‌دهنان


hamed
@hamed Oct. 10, 2024, 6:25 a.m.

Key Persian terms and nuances:

شمشاد: cypress, a symbol of beauty and elegance
صف‌شکنان: the valiant, those who break ranks or formations
درویش: dervish, a Sufi mystic or a mendicant
زهره: Venus, a planet associated with beauty and love
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.