Hafiz quotes lead you to better life

Divan-e Hafiz is an apogee of Persian literature and exists in the homes of Persian speaking communities, especially Iranians.

The Great Persian Poet

Khwaja Shams-Din Muḥammad Ḥafeẓ-e Shirazi (Persian: خواجه شمس‌‌الدین محمد حافظ شیرازی‎), known by his pen name Hafiz, was born in the Iranians southwestern city of Shiraz. He was a great Persian mythical poet who is remembered nowadays for his lyrical poetry written in Ghazals, a difficult and uniquely Persian verse-form. Ghazal as the sonnet-like poem was primarily used to describe celebrating wine and earthly pleasure, but Hafiz revolutionized this form. His poems have a strong mystical quality and regular references to wine, courtship, and nightingales which have been interpreted in different ways. Most of his poems are a mirror of an eternal spirit.

Tomb of Hafiz | JTB PHOTO / UIG VIA GETTY IMAGES

The stone tomb of Hafiz | Image: Steve Inskeep/NPR

Divan-e Hafiz

An outstanding poet in all cultures

Hafiz’s fame has gone beyond the confines of Iran. His verses have been translated into many languages and have become an inspiration for the poets such as Goethe and Shakespeare in the West and Al-Mutanabbi, Abu Nawas and Ferdowsi in the East. However, these translations have failed to explain Hafiz’s poetry spirit.

Poem reading at the tomb of Hafiz

Iranian people are commemorating the National Day of Hafiz on the 12^th October every year. Various ceremonies are held in Iran for Hafiz on this day, including reading his poems (Hafiz Khani). Iranians gather at the tomb of Hafiz and remember him by reciting his poems.

What is the fortune telling with Hafiz poems?

Opening Divan-e Hafiz randomly to have your fortune told based on his poems is also called auguring (Fali Hafiz). This tradition started after his death. In the beginning, a person makes a wish and asks Hafiz to tell him the future. Every year, many tourists come to the tomb of Hafiz and augur like Iranians. It is an opportunity to ask your guide to augur for you. Maybe you will hear your future in Hafiz’s words.

Hafiz quotes in Farsi

الا یا ایها الـساقی ادر کاسا و ناولـها (Ala ya ayoha saghi ader ka’san va navel ha)

O beautiful wine-bearer, bring forth the cup and put it to my lips

که عشق آسان نمود اول ولی افتاد مشکل‌ها (ke eshgh asan nemood avval vali oftad moshkel ha)

Path of love seemed easy at first, what came was many hardships

بـه بوی نافه‌ای کاخر صبا زان طره بگـشاید (be booy e nafe ei kakher saba zan torre bogshayad)

With its perfume, the morning breeze unlocks those beautiful locks

ز تاب جعد مشکینش چه خون افـتاد در دل‌ها (ze tab e ja’d e moshkinash che khoon oftad dar del ha)

The curl of those dark ringlets, many hearts to shreds strips

مرا در منزل جانان چه امـن عیش چون هر دم (mara dar manzel e janan che amn e eysh chon har dam)

In the house of my Beloved, how can I enjoy the feast

جرس فریاد می‌دارد که بربندید مـحـمـل‌ها (jaras faryad midarad ke bar bandid mahmel ha)

Since the church bells call the call that for pilgrimage equips