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The Complete Book of Ghazals of Hafez (In Persian with English Translation)
The master of Ghazal, Hafez, was born in Shiraz, the city of poetry, garden, and Nightingale. Hafiz is one of the most influential Iranian poets whose fame has reached various nations. Many poets like Goethe and Nietzsche in Germany, Victor Hogu and Andre Gide in France, and Ralph Waldo Emerson in America were deeply under his influence.
Hafez is the poet of hearts, the guide of minds, and his verses are the melody of souls. The Ghazals of Hafez are the permanent guests of Iranian people’s celebrations, especially the Persian New Year and Yalda Night. The Ghazals of Hafez are unique in Persian literature as if they are written by a surreal person who has received inspiration from another world.
Hafez: A Poet for All Ages
Hafez’s distinction from other poets is not merely in his eloquence but in his meticulous approach, akin to a composer crafting a musical masterpiece. Delving into the intricacies of the Ghazals of Hafez, we encounter a profound emphasis on ‘sounds.’ How are these sounds articulated?
Take, for instance, the captivating verse, “مرا می بینی و هر دم زیارت می کنی در دم.”In this beautiful Ghazal, the deliberate repetition of the word ‘ام’ (‘am’) 27 times and its rhythmic counterpart ‘میم’ (‘mime) echoes a musical harmony, emphasizing Hafez’s commitment to sonic beauty.
In exploring the Ghazals of Hafez, we uncover a poet and a musician. His language and thoughts walk hand in hand, forging an inseparable bond. There is no instance where we can claim that in the Ghazals of Hafez, his thoughts lag while his language – an art that includes music as a subset – forges ahead.
Hafez skillfully guides his audience, urging them to exercise patience in unraveling the layers of his intentions. A hasty reader risks missing the subtleties, diminishing the incentive to continue the poetic exploration. Audiences, captivated by the allure of poetic mysteries, yearn to decipher the Ghazals of Hafez.
The fascination with rhymed poetry is not coincidental but stems from its challenge. Readers relish the opportunity to unravel the enigmatic patterns, akin to solving a poetic puzzle. Beyond his poetic prowess, Hafez assumes the role of a keen psychologist, attuned to the audience’s desire for involvement in the captivating process of uncovering the secrets woven into his verses.
Hafez’s unique artistry shines in his ability to elevate simple, everyday phrases into profound poetic expressions. For instance, the commonplace act of greeting someone, “I saw so-and-so and greeted them,” transforms into poetic beauty in the Ghazals of Hafez.
Hafez, a poet for centuries, possesses a philosophical perspective that transcends his era. Crafting verses considering various dimensions of existence, he contributes to the enduring and widespread recognition of his poetry in society. The Ghazals of Hafez resonate beyond the confines of time, connecting with the essence of the human spirit and addressing the intricacies of humanity.
The Ghazals of Hafez- A Masterpiece in the Persian Literature
Hafez, one of the great Persian poets, has left behind an invaluable masterpiece that poetry lovers across the world read. The Ghazals of Hafez owes its fame to universal themes like love, the shortness of life, the connection with nature, and the approaching Divine love.
Poetry is the food of the soul that, under any circumstances, can ease the suffering of life. Hafez gave us a precious treasure of Ghazals and Rubaiyat, whose meanings are not limited to the world’s physical border so that the essence of his poetry flows through the vessels of human beings and refreshes their tired body.
The Ghazals of Hafez are widely used as proverbs and sayings; for instance, the first verses in Divan are widely used when two people in love face problems. By reading and learning the Ghazals of Hafez like this one, you can use Hafez’s words to reveal facts more gently, such that the path of love is not straightforward, and everyone will experience problems.
“الا یا ایها الساقی ادر کأسا و ناولها
که عشق آسان نمود اول ولی افتاد مشکل‌ها
alā yā ‘ayyoha-s-sāqī
ader ka’san va nāvelhā
ke ‘ešq āsān nemūd avval
valī ‘oftād moškelhā
Come, o wine-pourer! Circulate a cup and pass it;
since love seemed easy at first, but soon difficulties occurred.”
The spiritual and ethereal nature of Ghazals of Hafez acted as an inviting hand to attract the great translators of the world; as a result, many significant figures like Sir Henry Wilberforce Clarke eagerly translated a treasure trove of Persian words and familiarized the world with the unmatched verses of Hafez Shirazi.
The author of the present book has valued the efforts of this eminent Iranian poet and prepared this book to help non-Persian speakers who love to read the Ghazals of Hafez but cannot understand the original words or anybody who can read Farsi words only if they are written in English letters.
Drink A Sip of Ghazals of Hafez
Let’s read Ghazal No. 421 on page number 422 of the present book:
در سراي مغان رفته بود و آب زده
The door of the Magians’ house was swept and water-sprinkled:
نشسته پیر و صلایی به شیخ و شاب زده
The Pir sat, and to old and to young, salutation gave.
سبوکشان همه در بندگیش بسته کمر
In his service, the cup-lifters all loin-girt;
ولی ز ترك کله چتر بر سحاب زده
But, with the cap-crown, the canopy above the cloud was fixed.
شعاع جام و قدح نور ماه پوشیده
The splendour of the cup and the goblet concealed the light of the moon;
عذار مغبچگان راه آفتاب زده
The path of the young magians to the sun the cheeks, waylaid.
عروس بخت در آن حجله با هزاران ناز
In that chamber of privacy, notwithstanding all her graces, the bride of fortune
شکسته کسمه و بر برگ گل گلاب زده
Placed indigo; and, on the tress of musk, musk shed.
گرفته ساغر عشرت فرشته رحمت
The angel of mercy took the cup of delight;
ز جرعه بر رخ حور و پري گلاب زده
From the dregs, on the face of Hur and of Pari rose-water, dashed.
ز شور و عربده شاهدان شیرین کار
From the grace and the strife of the Sakis sweet of work,
شکر شکسته سمن ریخته رباب زده
Sugar broke asunder; the lily shed; the harp snapped.
سلام کردم و با من به روي خندان گفت
Salutation, I made; and, with laughing face, she spake:
که اي خمارکشمفلس شراب زده
Saying: “O sufferer of wine-sickness, poor, wine stricken!
که این کند که تو کردي به ضعف همت و راي
“Who doeth this that thou, with weak judgment and reason, hast done?
ز گنج خانه شده خیمه بر خراب زده
“From the treasure house, thou hast gone; and thy tent on the waste hast pitched.”
وصال دولت بیدار ترسمت ندهند
“Thee, union with wakeful fortune, I fear that they will not give;”
که خفته ای تو در آغوش بخت خواب زده
For thou art asleep in the embrace of fortune, sleep stricken.”
بیا به میکده حافظ که بر تو عرضه کنم
Hafiz! to the wine-house, come that to thee, I may present
هزار صف ز دعاهاي مستجاب زده
Of those whose prayers are answered a hundred ranks arrayed.
فلک جنیبه کش شاه نصره الدین است
The sky is the led-horse leader of king Nasratu-d-Din;
بیا ببین ملکش دست در رکاب زده
Come; his hand in his stirrup, behold the angel hath fixed.
خرد که ملهم غیب است بهر کسب شرف
For the sake of gaining honour, wisdom, that is inspired of the Hidden,
ز بام عرش صدش بوسه بر جناب زده
From the vault of the ninth heaven, a hundred kisses on his majesty cast.
The Meaning of This Ghazal in Simple Words
In front of Pir-e Moghan’s house, the courtyard was swept and sprinkled with water. Pir-e Moghan had chosen an invitation for elders and youth. Servants, with their hats casting shadows on the clouds, had already stood in service before him. The brilliance of wine cups and the breeze of the moon illuminated the surroundings, closing the way to the sun on the faces of the servants.
In that place, fate and fortune, like a bride, adorned themselves on the forehead, and on their faces, like rose petals, the fragrance of a blooming rose was evident, seated with abundant grace. The angel of divine mercy held the cup of joy, and with a touch of wine, the faces of the heavenly beings were flushed with the color of roses.
Amidst the excitement, cries, and movements of the beautiful-faced servants, the market of sugar shattered, jasmine petals scattered on the ground, and the Rabab (an Iranian musical instrument) fell to a corner. I greeted, and the elder of the sanctuary, with a smiling face, said to me, “O one intoxicated with the essence of existence!
What prompts you to perform such an act that, in your negligence and willfulness, you empty your treasury of Shiraz and cast it into this ruin of Yazd?
I fear that the vigilant government of Shah Yehya might not grant you an audience because your fortune is currently asleep, and you have fallen asleep in the lap of this dormant fate. O Hafez, come to the tavern so that long lines of those whose requests have been answered can show you.
The celestial sphere pulls the reins of Shah Naser al-Din’s horse; come and see that an angel is holding the stirrup of his horse. Reason, which sought honor from the unseen world, received inspiration from the top of the throne; the doorstep of his court is the kiss on his footstool.
As you read, Hafez, the brilliant Iranian poet, wisely used words to show the Tavern, the drink of wine, the joy of being drunk, and the chaos resulting from being drunk. He employed words and the repetition of letters to move the readers forward, observing the Pir-e Moghan, the lovely servants, and hearing the whispers of this gathering. Breathtaking, isn’t it?
The Ghazals of Hafez are unique and unmatched; indeed, no one in the world has composed mesmerizing verses like Hafez. These mesmerizing verses are written by a sage whose poetry attempts readers to follow his verses step-by-step; in other words, the readers cannot guess what this learned poet wants to say. Otherwise, they will lose interest in reading and enjoying heavenly verses.
The Book Information
- The book of the Ghazals of Hafez includes useful information about the life of the poet;
- 500 ghazals are included in this book;
- The Complete Book of the Ghazals of Hafez includes a table of alphabetical list of the first hemistichs of each Ghazal;
- English translation appeared in this book is by Henry Wilberforce Clarke (1840-1905);
- This bilingual book helps readers enjoy poems of Hafez in Persian and English languages;
- It is prepared based on The Ghazvini and Ghani Edition, which is the most complete and authentic version of Divan of Hafez. (For enthusiasts of Hafez’s Divan, the edition edited by Allameh Mohammad Qazvini and Dr. Qasem Ghani, compiled in 1320, is the preferred choice. In contrast to the latest versions that depicted verses of Hafez uniquely, this edition serves as the benchmark for interpretation.)
- The book includes 550 pages;
- The book is prepared by Sajjad Khojaste Farzad.
The Book Features
- The phonetics is included right under each hemistiches to help readers pronounce Persian words easily;
- The translation of each hemistiches is written under the Persian verses so that readers can understand all words at a glance.
The Book Is Suggested To
- All poetry lovers who feel a thirst for poetic verses;
- Non-native Persian speakers who cannot read Persian script, so can enjoy the English translation of these lovely Persian words;
- Non-native speakers who learned the Persian language at an intermediate level but cannot pronounce Persian poetic words like native speakers;
Future Outlook
If you and your friends or family are poetry lovers and take pleasure from reading and reciting poems of different poets, try the melodic and unique verses of Hafez, which takes you to a new world in the Middle East. Drink a cup of hot tea, whisper the Ghazals of Hafez, and enjoy the warmth of sweet Persian words in your body cells.
Iranian people believe Hafez is the Tongue of the Unseen and can guide them through his poetry. Although it may not be logical, they ask Hafez for guidance for critical decisions. Like the people of Persia, bring warmth and enthusiasm to your gatherings by taking Fal-e-Hafez and asking Hafez for divination to see how he will guide you to make important decisions.
The benefit of Buying Divan of Hafez
Upon buying the Complete Book of Ghazals of Hafez you can enjoy 3 hours of friendly online conversation with the author to understand the book better, find answers to your questions, read the Ghazals of Hafez with an Iranian native speaker, and enjoy the musical poetry of Hafez.
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