Learn Persian with Chai and Conversation

In this special shabé shehr episode, we are joined by Alan Eyre, the first (and last) ever Persian language spokesperson for the U.S. State Department. Alan has a little book with lines of his favorite Persian poetry, and he shares one of those poems with us in this episode.

In this lesson, we watch a clip of the movie A Separation by Asghar Farahadi in which Nader and Razieh have a conversation about the potential for her husband to come work for Nader. We're joined in this episode by friend of the show, Yara Elmjouie.

In this lesson, we go over the last two lines of the poem aybé rendān makon by Hafez. The lines are as follows: حافظا روزِ اجل گر به کف آری جامیhāfezā roozé ajal gar bé kaf āree jāmeeOh Hafez, if you have a chalice in your hand when you dieیک سر از کویِ خرابات بَرَندَت به بهشتyek sar az koo-yé kharābāt barandat bé beheshtThey’ll take you directly from the winehouse street to heaven

In this lesson, we go over the following lines of the poem aybé rendān makon by Hafez:نه من از پردهٔ تقوا به درافتادم و بسna man az pardé-yé taghva bā dar oftādam o basپدرم نیز بهشتِ ابد از دست بهشتpedaram neez behishté abad az dast behesht

In this lesson, we go over the following lines of the poem aybé rendān makon by Hafez: همه کس طالبِ یارند چه هشیار و چه مستhamé kas tālebé yārand ché hoshyār o ché mastهمه جا خانهٔ عشق است چه مسجد چه کِنِشتhamé jā khāna-yé ʿeshgh ast ché masjed ché kenest

In this discussion on Hafez's aybé rendān makon, we go over the third and fourth line of the poem.

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 سرشتʿaybé rendān makon ay zāhedé pākeezé sereshtکه گناهِ دگران بر تو نخواهند نوشتké 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.