Learn Persian with Chai and Conversation

In this lesson, we go over the individual words and phrases in the first two lines of the poem, aybé rendān makon by Hafez: 

عیبِ رندان مَکُن ای زاهدِ پاکیزه سرشت
ʿaybé rendān makon ay zāhedé pākeezé seresht

که گناهِ دگران بر تو نخواهند نوشت
ké gonāhé deegarān bar tu nakhāhand nevesht

In this introductory lesson to one of Hafez's most famous poems, aybé rendān makon, we're joined by Muhammad Ali of Persian Poetics to go over the overall meaning of the poem and give a bit of an introduction to Hafez and his significance in Iranian culture. In subsequent lessons, Leyla will be going over the word by word, phrase by phrase, to provide an even deeper understanding to the poem.

In this lesson, we cover the words and phrases learned in the poem, and how to use them in everyday conversation.

Related links:
khosh bāsh by Khayyam

In this shabé shehr episode, we go over the poem khoshā emshō by the poet Baba Taher with special guest Yara Elmjouie. This poem is about enjoying the night, and the company of the night- it's short, simple and sweet, and reminds you to take pleasure in the joy of living.

In this lesson, we watch a clip of a conversation between Nader and Razieh, who he is hoping to convince to come work for him. We are joined in the lesson by Yara Elmjouie.

In this new series, we watch clips chosen by Yara Elmjouie from the movie A Separation.  To WATCH this lesson (highly recommended!), check it out on our website.

In this lesson, we go over the last lines of the poem payāmé naseem by Hafez:

 می‌ای دارم چو جان صافی و صوفی می‌کند عیبش
may-ee dāram chō jān sāfee ō soofee meekonad aybash
خدایا هیچ عاقل را مبادا بخت بد روزی
khodāyā heech āghel rā mabādā bakht bad roozee

In this lesson, we go over the following lines of the poem payāmé naseem by Hafez:

جدا شد یار شیرینت کنون تنها نشین ای شمع
jodā shod yāré sheereenat konoon tanhā nesheen ay sha'am
که حکم آسمان این است اگر سازی و گر سوزی
ké hokmé āsemān een ast agar sāzee ō gar soozee

In this lesson, we go over the following lines of the poem payāmé naseem by Hafez: 

bé sahrā rō ké az dāman ghobāré gham beafshānee

bé golzār āy k’az bolbol ghazal goftan beāmoozee

In part 3 of our discussion of Hafez's poem payāmé naseem, we go over the 3rd and 4th lines of the poem: 

chō gol gar khordeyee dāree khodā rā sarfé eshrat kon
ké ghāroon rā ghalat-hā dād sodāyé zarandoozee