Hafez Poem — لعل سیراب به خون تشنه لب یار من است

Heritage Web
Heritage Digest
Published in
5 min readDec 25, 2023

Hafez, an iconic figure in Persian poetry, is known for his intricate and soulful verses that often explore love and spiritual longing themes. This poem reflects his signature style, blending earthly affection with deeper spiritual insights.

In this poem, Hafez, the 14th-century Persian poet, expresses his deep yearning for a beloved, using vivid imagery to describe his intense emotions and the transformative power of love. He portrays love as a journey full of longing and sacrifice, where the beloved’s presence is akin to a healing elixir for his soul. This piece exemplifies Hafez’s mastery of conveying profound emotions through rich, strong language.

  1. Ghazal 51 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 51 by Hafez (Hafiz)

You can read Ghazal 51 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.

لعل سیراب به خون تشنه لب یار من است
وز پی دیدن او دادن جان کار مـن اسـت

شرم از آن چشم سیه بادش و مژگان دراز
هر که دل بردن او دید و در انکار من است

ساروان رخـت به دروازه مـبر کان سر کو
شاهراهیسـت که منزلگه دلدار من است

بـنده طالـع خویشم که در این قحط وفا
عشق آن لولی سرمست خریدار من است

طبلـه عـطر گـل و زلف عبیرافشانش
فیض یک شمه ز بوی خوش عطار من است

باغـبان همچو نسیمم ز در خویش مران
کاب گلزار تو از اشک چو گلنار من اسـت

شربـت قـند و گلاب از لـب یارم فرمود
نرگـس او که طبیب دل بیمار من اسـت

آن که در طرز غزل نکته به حافظ آموخـت
یار شیرین سخن نادره گفتار مـن اسـت

2) Meaning of Poem in English

In this ghazal, Hafez delves into the intense emotions of love and devotion. The poem opens with vivid imagery, describing the beloved’s lips and the poet’s willingness to sacrifice everything for her. Hafez uses metaphors to convey the depth of his feelings, likening his love to a journey and his emotional state to a treasured destination.

The poet speaks of his beloved’s enchanting beauty and its overwhelming effect on him. He feels both blessed and tormented by his love, expressing this paradox through the imagery of a garden nourished by tears.

Hafez also touches upon themes of fate and destiny, acknowledging his own vulnerability in the face of love. He finds solace in the healing presence of his beloved, whose words and expressions provide him with spiritual nourishment.

The poem concludes with Hafez paying homage to his beloved, crediting her for his poetic inspiration. He admires her eloquence and wisdom, attributing his ability to compose beautiful ghazals to her influence. The ghazal is a blend of romantic longing, spiritual depth, and artistic expression, all hallmarks of Hafez’s poetry.

Image Generated by MidJourney AI for This Poem

3) English Translation and Transliteration

لعل سیراب به خون تشنه لب یار من است
وز پی دیدن او دادن جان کار مـن اسـت

“My beloved’s ruby lips, quenched with blood, thirst for mine,
And to lay down my life for a glimpse of her is my task.

English Transliteration

L’al seyrab be khun teshne lab yar man ast
Vaz pey didan oo dadan jan kar man ast

شرم از آن چشم سیه بادش و مژگان دراز
هر که دل بردن او دید و در انکار من است

Shame upon those dark eyes and long eyelashes,
Anyone who sees her steal hearts and denies mine.

English Transliteration

Sharm az aan cheshm siyah badash va mezhgan deraz
Har keh del bordan oo did va dar enkar man ast

ساروان رخـت به دروازه مـبر کان سر کو
شاهراهیسـت که منزلگه دلدار من است

Caravan leader, do not take the goods through the gate, for that head lane,
Is a royal road where my beloved’s abode lies.

English Transliteration

Sarvan rakht be darvazeh mebar kan sar ko
Shahraheest ke manzelgah deldar man ast

بـنده طالـع خویشم که در این قحط وفا
عشق آن لولی سرمست خریدار من است

I am a slave to my fate, in this drought of loyalty,
The love of that mischievous, intoxicated gypsy is my buyer.

English Transliteration

Bande tale’ khisham ke dar in ghaht vafa
Eshgh aan loli sarmast kharidar man ast

طبلـه عـطر گـل و زلف عبیرافشانش
فیض یک شمه ز بوی خوش عطار من است

The fragrance of her hair, like the scent of flowers and amber,
A whiff of the sweet aroma from the attar is my grace.

English Transliteration

Tabl’eh at’r gol va zolf abirafshanash
Feiz yek sham’eh ze boye khosh attar man ast

باغـبان همچو نسیمم ز در خویش مران
کاب گلزار تو از اشک چو گلنار من اسـت

O gardener, do not drive me away like the breeze from your door,
For your rose garden thrives on tears like pomegranate blossoms.

English Transliteration

Baghban hamcho nasimam ze dar khish maran
K’ab golzar to az ashk cho golnar man ast

شربـت قـند و گلاب از لـب یارم فرمود
نرگـس او که طبیب دل بیمار من اسـت

She commanded a syrup of sugar and rosewater from her lips,
Her narcissus eyes, the healer of my sick heart.

English Transliteration

Sharbat ghand va golab az lab yaram farmood
Narges oo ke tabib del bimar man ast

آن که در طرز غزل نکته به حافظ آموخـت
یار شیرین سخن نادره گفتار مـن اسـت

The one who taught Hafez the subtleties of composing ghazals,
Is my sweet-spoken beloved, rare in her speech.”

English Transliteration

Aan ke dar tarz ghazal nokteh be Hafez amookht
Yar shirin sokhan nadireh goftar man ast

4) Poem’s Meaning in Farsi

Poem Meaning in Farsi — Hafez (Hafiz) Ghazal 51
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 Iranianorganizations.com, we aim to publish a comprehensive and user-friendly directory of Iranian and Farsi-speaking doctors and medical professionals.

--

--

Heritage Web
Heritage Digest

On Medium we write about the world's food, culture, and history. Off Medium we help people stay connected with their communities https://linktr.ee/heritageweb