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Persiahaus

Ghazal · 14th century

The rose without the beloved's face

Hafezحافظ

گل بی‌رخ یار خوش نباشد

The rose is not sweet without the beloved's face;

بی‌باده بهار خوش نباشد

spring is not sweet without wine.

طرف چمن و طواف بستان

The edge of the meadow and the round of the garden

بی‌لاله‌عذار خوش نباشد

are not sweet without the tulip-cheeked one.

رقصیدن سرو و حالت گل

The dancing of the cypress and the rapture of the rose

بی‌صوت هزار خوش نباشد

are not sweet without the nightingale's song.

با یار شکرلب گل‌اندام

With a sugar-lipped, rose-bodied beloved,

بی‌بوس و کنار خوش نباشد

it is not sweet without the kiss and the embrace.

هر نقش که دست عقل بندد

Every picture the hand of reason draws

جز نقش نگار، خوش نباشد

is not sweet, except the picture of the beloved.

جان نقد محقر است حافظ

The soul is a paltry coin, Hafez;

از بهر نثار خوش نباشد

it is not fit to be scattered as an offering.

Translation
Persiahaus Editors
Source
Draft translation from the Ganjoor text (Qazvini–Ghani edition)

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