In this post, we explore a powerful sonnet by Hafiz of Shiraz, a revered Persian Sufi poet. This timeless poem is presented with the original Persian text, English phonetics, and a faithful English translation to help non-Persian speakers appreciate the depth of Hafiz’s spiritual wisdom and poetic elegance. One of our authors with a PhD in Persian literature has also narrated this sonnet, offering a soulful recitation to enhance your learning and experience.
Video of Divine Wisdom in Hafiz’s Verse
Divine Wisdom in Hafiz’s Verse with English Translation and Phonetics
سال ها دل طلبِ جامِ جم از ما می‌کرد
/sâlhâ del talab-e jâm-e Jam az mâ mikard/
For years, the heart sought Jamshid’s cup from us,
وآنچه خود داشت ز بیگانه تمنّا می‌کرد
/vânche khod dâsht ze bīgâne tamannâ mikard/
Yet what it had within, it craved from strangers.
گوهری کز صدفِ کون و مکان بیرون است
/gohari kaz sadaf-e kown o makân birun ast/
A pearl beyond the shell of time and space,
طلب از گمشدگانِ لبِ دریا می‌کرد
/talab az gomshodegân-e lab-e daryâ mikard/
It sought from those lost on the shore of the sea.
مشکلِ خویش بَرِ پیرِ مُغان بُردم دوش
/moshkel-e khish bar-e pir-e moghân bordam dush/
Last night I took my troubles to the elder Magi,
کاو به تأییدِ نظر حلِّ معمّا می‌کرد
/k-ow be ta’yid-e nazar hall-e mo’ammâ mikard/
Who with the blessing of vision would solve enigmas.
دیدمش خُرَّم و خندان قدحِ باده به دست
/didamesh khorram o khandân, qadah-e bâde be dast/
I saw him joyful and smiling, wine cup in hand,
واندر آن آینه صد گونه تماشا می‌کرد
/vandaran âyene sad gune tamâshâ mikard/
In that mirror, he beheld a hundred visions.
گفتم این جامِ جهان‌بین به تو کِی داد حکیم؟
/goftam in jâm-e jahân-bin be to key dâd hakîm?/
I asked, “When did the sage grant you this world-seeing cup?”
گفت آن روز که این گنبدِ مینا می‌کرد
/goft ân ruz ke in gonbad-e minâ mikard/
He said, “On the day he crafted this azure dome.”
بی‌دلی در همه احوال خدا با او بود
/bi-delī dar hame ahvâl, Khodâ bâ ow bud/
Though heartless, God was with him at all times,
او نمی‌دیدش و از دور خدارا می‌کرد
/ow nemididash o az dur Khodârâ mikard/
But he saw Him not and worshipped from afar.
این‌همه شعبدهٔ خویش که می‌کرد اینجا
/in hame sho’bade-ye khish ke mikard injâ/
All these tricks he showed here,
سامری پیشِ عصا و یدِ بیضا می‌کرد
/Sâmeri pishe ‘asâ o yad-e beyzâ mikard/
Were like Samiri before the staff and the radiant hand.
گفت آن یار کز او گشت سرِ دار بلند
/goft ân yâr ke az ow gasht sar-e dâr boland/
He said, “That friend whose head rose on the gallows high—”
جُرمش این بود که اسرار هویدا می‌کرد
/jormash in bud ke asrâr hoveydâ mikard/
“His only crime was revealing the sacred truths.”
فیضِ روحُ‌القُدُس ار باز مدد فرماید
/feyz-e Rūh-ol-Qodos ar bâz madad farmâyad/
If the Holy Spirit grants grace once more,
دیگران هم بکنند آنچه مسیحا می‌کرد
/digarân ham konand ânche Masihâ mikard/
Others too can do what the Messiah once did.
گفتمش سلسلهٔ زلفِ بُتان از پیِ چیست؟
/goftamash selsela-ye zolf-e botân az pay-e chist?/
I asked him, “Why the tangled curls of the idols?”
گفت حافظ گله‌ای از دلِ شیدا می‌کرد
/goft Hâfiz gele’i az del-e sheydâ mikard/
He said, “Hafiz was merely complaining of his passionate heart.”
Timeless Wisdom in Hafiz’s Mystic Vision
This profound sonnet by Hafiz Shirazi explores the paradox of seeking truth and divinity outside oneself while the very source lies within. The poet begins with the image of someone searching far and wide for the mythical cup of Jamshid—a symbol of divine insight—while unaware that the treasure was already within. Hafiz masterfully critiques the futility of external quests for spiritual fulfillment when the divine presence and wisdom reside in the heart. His encounter with the enlightened “Magian elder” symbolizes turning to unconventional sources of truth, where joy, wine, and reflection become metaphors for divine realization. The elder, cheerful and enlightened, uses the mirror-like wine cup to reveal countless visions, illustrating how mystical awareness transcends logical understanding.
Hafiz further reflects on humanity’s blindness to God’s presence, even as God remains constantly near. His comparison to the figure, Samiri, who created illusions before the staff of Moses, critiques superficial religiosity and self-deception. The poet reveres those who, like the “friend” raised upon the gallows, dared to reveal hidden truths and paid the price for honesty. Ultimately, Hafiz speaks through a wise and sorrowful lens, reminding readers that true spiritual perception comes from divine grace and not mere effort. In the final verse, he turns the traditional image of the beloved’s curls into a metaphor for his own soul’s complaints, showing that love and longing are not just romantic but deeply spiritual paths to enlightenment.
Hafiz Shirazi and the Essence of Persian Mystical Poetry
Hafiz Shirazi (1315–1390) is one of the most celebrated and influential poets in Persian literature. Born in Shiraz, Iran, he is best known for his ghazals—lyrical poems that beautifully weave together themes of love, spirituality, and existential reflection. His poetry often uses the symbolic language of wine, the beloved, the tavern, and the Magian elder to express deep mystical truths. Rather than promoting hedonism, these symbols in Hafiz’s verse guide the reader toward self-realization, divine love, and spiritual awakening.
Hafiz’s poetic style is marked by elegance, emotional depth, and layered ambiguity. He mastered the art of saying many things with few words, allowing each verse to resonate with multiple meanings depending on the reader’s level of understanding. His verses are also rich in rhetorical devices such as metaphor, paradox, and irony, all of which contribute to the timeless appeal of his work. Hafiz’s Divan (collection of poetry) has served as both a literary treasure and a spiritual companion for centuries, inspiring poets, philosophers, and mystics around the world.
با سپاس فراوان از جناب آقای دکتر علیرضا پیمان گرامی بابت تهیه این پست درباره یکی از غزل های زیبای حافظ شیرازی و روخوانی عالی ایشان از روی این شعر عرفانی.