Hafez Poem — اگر آن ترک شیرازی بـه دسـت آرد دل ما را

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Heritage Digest
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5 min readFeb 5, 2024

Hafez, a prominent 14th-century Persian poet, is renowned for his lyrical poetry that often intertwines themes of love and mysticism. This poem is a classic example of his romantic and spiritual verse, where he expresses deep longing and admiration for a beloved.

In this particular ghazal, Hafez uses vivid imagery to convey the intensity of his love and devotion. He offers grandiose promises and speaks of sacrificing worldly treasures for the love of the Shirazi Turk. The poem beautifully blends earthly love with spiritual allegories, showcasing Hafez’s mastery in Persian literature.

  1. Ghazal 3 by Hafez (Hafiz)
  2. Meaning of the Poem in English
  3. English Translation of the Poem w/ Transliteration
  4. Meaning of the Poem in Farsi
  5. Heritage Web Spotlight

1) Ghazal 3 by Hafez (Hafiz)

You can read Ghazal 3 from Hafez’s divan (دیوان) here.

A divan in the Persian language is a compilation of a poet’s lifetime work. The numbering, non-sequential and not narrative-driven, is one of over 400 in Hafez (Hafiz) collection.

اگر آن ترک شیرازی بـه دسـت آرد دل ما را
بـه خال هـندویش بخشم سمرقند و بـخارا را

بده ساقی می باقی که در جنت نخواهی یافـت
کـنار آب رکـن آباد و گلگـشـت مـصـلا را

فـغان کاین لولیان شوخ شیرین کار شـهرآشوب
چـنان بردند صبر از دل که ترکان خوان یغـما را

ز عشـق ناتـمام ما جمال یار مستغنی اسـت
بـه آب و رنگ و خال و خط چه حاجت روی زیبا را

من از آن حسن روزافزون که یوسف داشت دانستم
کـه عـشـق از پرده عصمت برون آرد زلیخا را

اگر دشـنام فرمایی و گر نـفرین دعا گویم
جواب تـلـخ می‌زیبد لـب لعـل شـکرخا را

نصیحـت گوش کن جانا که از جان دوست‌تر دارند
جوانان سـعادتـمـند پـند پیر دانا را

حدیث از مـطرب و می گو و راز دهر کـمـتر جو
کـه کس نگشود و نگشاید به حکمت این معما را

غزل گفتی و در سفتی بیا و خوش بخوان حافـظ
کـه بر نـظـم تو افـشاند فلک عـقد ثریا را

2) Meaning of Poem in English

This poem by Hafez celebrates love and beauty, using vivid and romantic imagery to convey deep emotions. The poet expresses a willingness to trade entire cities for the love of a beautiful person, symbolizing the immense value of love and beauty in his eyes.

He also reflects on the pain and joy of love, the fleeting nature of worldly pleasures, and the mysteries of life that remain unsolved despite human wisdom. The poem concludes with a self-referential nod, where Hafez acknowledges his own poetic creation, likening it to a constellation scattered across the sky.

Image Generated by MidJourney AI for This Poem

3) Translation of Poem

اگر آن ترک شیرازی بـه دسـت آرد دل ما را
بـه خال هـندویش بخشم سمرقند و بـخارا را

“If that Turk of Shiraz takes my heart in hand,
For her Indian mole, I would give Samarkand and Bukhara.

English Transliteration

Agar aan Turk-e Shirazi be dast aarad del ma ra
Be khal-e Henduyash bakhsham Samarqand o Bokhara ra

بده ساقی می باقی که در جنت نخواهی یافـت
کـنار آب رکـن آباد و گلگـشـت مـصـلا را

Give me the remaining wine, for in paradise you will not find
The banks of Roknabad and the rose garden of Mosalla.

English Transliteration

Bede saqi mey baqi ke dar jannat nakhaahi yaft
Kenaar-e aab-e Roknabad o golgasht-e Mosalla ra

فـغان کاین لولیان شوخ شیرین کار شـهرآشوب
چـنان بردند صبر از دل که ترکان خوان یغـما را

Alas for these mischievous sweethearts, city-ravaging,
They have taken patience from the heart as Turks carry off booty.

English Transliteration

Faghan ke in loliyan shokh shirin kar-e shahrashoob
Chenan bardand sabr az del ke Turkhan khan-e yaghma ra

ز عشـق ناتـمام ما جمال یار مستغنی اسـت
بـه آب و رنگ و خال و خط چه حاجت روی زیبا را

From our incomplete love, the beauty of the beloved is independent;
With water and clay and mole and line, what need has the beautiful face?

English Transliteration

Ze eshq-e natamam-e ma jamal-e yaar mostaghni ast
Be aab o rang o khal o khat che hajat rooy-e ziba ra

من از آن حسن روزافزون که یوسف داشت دانستم
کـه عـشـق از پرده عصمت برون آرد زلیخا را

I knew from that increasing beauty, which Joseph had,
That love brings Zulaikha out of the veil of chastity.

English Transliteration

Man az aan hasan-e roozafzoon ke Yusuf dasht danestam
Ke eshq az pardeh-e ismat baroon aarad-e Zoleykha ra

اگر دشـنام فرمایی و گر نـفرین دعا گویم
جواب تـلـخ می‌زیبد لـب لعـل شـکرخا را

Whether you speak ill of me or whether you curse me in prayer,
A harsh answer suits the ruby lips of the sugar-eater.

English Transliteration

Agar dushmanam farmaayi o gar nafrin doa gooyam
Javaab-e talkh meezeebad lab-e la’al-e shekar kha ra

نصیحـت گوش کن جانا که از جان دوست‌تر دارند
جوانان سـعادتـمـند پـند پیر دانا را

Listen to advice, O soul, for they hold dearer than soul
Those fortunate youths the counsel of the wise old.

English Transliteration

Naseehat goosh kon jaana ke az jaan doost tar darand
Javanan-e saadatmand pand-e pir-e daana ra

حدیث از مـطرب و می گو و راز دهر کـمـتر جو
کـه کس نگشود و نگشاید به حکمت این معما را

Tell tales of the musician and the wine, and seek less the mystery of the world,
For none have opened, and none shall open, this riddle by wisdom.

English Transliteration

Hadees az motreb o mey goo o raaz-e dahar kamtar joo
Ke kas nagashood o nagshaayad be hikmat in moamma ra

غزل گفتی و در سفتی بیا و خوش بخوان حافـظ
کـه بر نـظـم تو افـشاند فلک عـقد ثریا را

You have composed a ghazal, O Hafez; recite it joyously,
For the heavens have scattered the Pleiades on your verse.”

English Transliteration

Ghazal gofti o dar sefti biya o khosh bekhan Hafez
Ke bar nazm-e to afshaand falak aqd-e sorayya ra

4) Poem’s Meaning in Farsi

Poem Meaning in Farsi — Hafez (Hafiz) Ghazal 3
Hafez (Hafiz) — 1325–1390

5) Heritage Web Spotlight

In this “Heritage Web Spotlight,” we’d love to share a few words about Iranianagents.com, a standout professional directory published by our team at Heritage Web for the Iranian community.

On Iranianphysicians.com, we aim to publish a comprehensive and user-friendly directory of Iranian and Farsi-speaking doctors and medical professionals.

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