14 august – habib jalib

For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the “English” or “Notes” tab.

۱۴ اگست ۔ حبیب جالب

۱

کہاں ٹوٹی ہیں زنجیریں ہماری

کہاں بدلی ہیں تقدیریں ہماری

وطن تھا ذہن میں زنداں نہیں تھا

چمن خوابوں کا یوں ویراں نہیں تھا

۲

بہاروں نے دئیے وہ داغ ہم کو

نظر آتا ہے مقتل باغ ہم کو

گھروں کو چھوڑ کر جب ہم چلے تھے

ہمارے دِل میں کیا کیا ولولے تھے

۳

یہ سوچا تھا ہمارا راج ہوگا

سرِ محنت کشاں پر تاج ہوگا

نہ لوُٹے گا کوئی محنت کِسی کی

ملے گی سب کو دولت زندگی کی

۴

نہ چاٹیں گی ہمارا خوں مشینیں

بنیں گی رشکِ جنّت یہ زمینیں

کوئی گوہر کوئی آدم نہ ہو گا

کِسی کو رہزنوں کا غم نہ ہو گا

۵

لُٹی ہر گام پر اُمّید اپنی

محرّم بن گئی ہر عید اپنی

مسلّط ہے سروں پر رات اب تک

وہی ہے صورتِ حالات اب تک

۶

خوشی ہے چند لوگوں کی وِراثت

کہا جاتا ہے غم ہیں اپنی قسمت

ہوئے ہیں جھونپڑے ہی نذرِ طوفاں

مگر قائم ہیں اب تک قصر و ایواں

۷

زمانے کو جلال اپنا دِکھا دے

جلا دے تخت و تاج اُن کے جلا دے

ہے اب تک پابجولاں خطۂ پاک

پڑی آزادیوں کے سر پہ ہے خاک

۸

ستارہ اوج پر ہے رہزنوں کا

نہیں پرساں کوئی خستہ تنوں کا

१४ अगस्त – हबीब जालिब

कहाँ टूटी हैं ज़ंजीरें हमारी

कहाँ बदली हैं तक़्दीरें हमारी

वतन था ज़हन में ज़िंदाँ नहीं था

चमन ख़्वाबों का यूँ वीराँ नहीं था

बहारों ने दिए वो दाग़ हम को

नज़र आता है मक़्तल बाग़ हम को

घरों को छोड़ कर जब हम चले थे

हमारे दिल में क्या क्या वलवले थे

ये सोचा था हमारा राज होगा

सर-ए-मेहनत-कशाँ पर ताज होगा

न लूटेगा कोई मेहनत किसी की

मिलेगी सब को दौलत ज़िंदगी की

न चाटेंगी हमारा ख़ूँ मशीनें

बनेंगी रश्क-ए-जन्नत ये ज़मीनें

कोई गौहर कोई आदम न होगा

किसी को रहज़नों का ग़म न होगा

लुटी हर-गाम पर उम्मीद अपनी

मोहर्रम बन गई हर ईद अपनी

मुसल्लत है सरों पर रात अब तक

वही है सूरत-ए-हालात अब तक

ख़ुशी है चंद लोगौं कि विरासत

कहा जाता है ग़म हैं अपनी क़िस्मत

हुए हैं झोंपडे हि नज़्र-ए तूफ़ां

मगर क़ाएम हैं अब तक क़स्र ओ ऐवां

ज़माने को जलाल अपना दिखा दे

जला दे तख़्त ओ ताज उन का जला दे

है अब तक पा ब-जौलां ख़ित्ता-ए पाक

पढी आज़ादियौं के सर पे है ख़ाक

सितारा औज पर है रहज़नौं का

नहीं पुर्सां कोई ख़स्ता तनौं का

 

Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. habib jalib (1929-1993), people’s poet. Wrote and spoke/recited fearlessly against dictatorship, inequality and injustice in simple straightforward language.
1
kahaaN TuuTi haiN zanjireN hamaari
kahaaN badli haiN taqdireN hamaari
vatan thaa zahn1 meN zindaaN2 nahiN tha
chaman KhwaaboN ka yuuN viraaN3 nahiN tha  
1.mind, imagination 2.prison 3.desolate
Even after independence, our chains/fetters have not been cut, our fate has not changed. We had in mind a homeland, not a prison, when we worked for independence. The garden of our dreams was not so desolate.

2
bahaaroN ne diye vo daaGh1 ham ko
nazar aata hai maqtal2 baaGh ham ko
gharoN ko chhoR kar jab ham chale the
hamaare dil meN kya kya valvale3 the  
1.wound, deception 2.slaughter house 3.enthusiasm, passion
Spring has deceived us. Our garden looks like a slaughter house. When we left home (in search of independence) we had such passion …

3
ye socha tha hamaara raaj hoga
sar-e mehnat-kashaaN1 par taaj hoga
na looTegaa koi mehnat kisi ki
milegi sab ko daulat zindagi ki  
1.workers
… we have thought that it would be our (people’s) reign, that the heads of workers would bear crowns, that no one would usurp the labour of others, that everyone would receive the gift of life.

4
na chaateNgi hamaaraa KhuuN mashineN
baneNgi rashk-e-jannat1 ye zamineN
koi gauhar2 koi aadam3 na hoga
kisi ko rahzanoN4 ka Gham5 na hoga  
1.envy of heavens 2.gauhar ayub, son of ayub KhaaN 3.probably adamji one of the wealthiest men in pakistan 4.robbers 5.fear
We had imagined that machines would not lick/drink our blood, that the earth would become the envy of heavens. We had thought that there would be no gauhar (symbol of nepotism and corruption) or aadam (symbol of concentration of wealth), that no one would be afraid of being robbed.

5
luTi har gaam1 par ummid2 apni
moharram3 ban gaii har iid apni
musallat4 hai saroN par raat ab tak
vahi hai soorat-e-haalaat5 ab tak   
1.step 2.hope 3.mourning 4.overpowering 5.shape of conditions
At our step, our hopes were shattered. Every celebration turned into mourning. A dark night still overpowers our lives. Our conditions have not changed (between conolonialism and independence).

6
Khushi hai chand logoN ki viraasat1
kaha jaata hai Gham haiN apni qismat
hue haiN jhoNpRe hi nazr2-e toofaaN
magar qaa’em3 haiN ab tak qasr4 o aivaaN5    
1.inheritance 2.sacrificial offering 3.stable 4.palaces 5.halls
Happiness in the inheritance of a few. They say that sorrow is written into our fate. Huts have been offered up as sacrifice to storms, but palaces and halls are still standing.

7
zamaane ko jalaal1 apna dikha de
jala de taKht o taaj un ka jala de
hai ab tak paa-ba-jaulaaN2 Khitta-e-paak3
paRi aazaadiyoN ke sar pe hai Khaak   
1.anger 2.fetters on feet 3.region of pakistan
Show you anger to the world. Burn their throne and crown. The land of pakistan is still in fetters/chains. They smear ashes on the brow of Freedom.

8
sitaara auj1 par hai rahzanauN2 ka
nahiN pursaaN3 koii Khasta-tanauN4 ka    
1.apex, climax 2.robbers 3. well wisher, asking after 4.broken
The lucky star of the usurper is on the rise. There is no one to ask after the weak and downtrodden.

habib jalib (1929-1993), people’s poet.  Wrote and spoke/recited fearlessly against dictatorship, inequality and injustice in simple straightforward language.
1
kahaaN TuuTi haiN zanjireN hamaari
kahaaN badli haiN taqdireN hamaari
vatan thaa zahn1 meN zindaaN2 nahiN tha
chaman KhwaaboN ka yuuN viraaN3 nahiN tha

1.mind, imagination 2.prison 3.desolate

Even after independence, our chains/fetters have not been cut, our fate has not changed.  We had in mind a homeland, not a prison, when we worked for independence.  The garden of our dreams was not so desolate.
2
bahaaroN ne diye vo daaGh1 ham ko
nazar aata hai maqtal2 baaGh ham ko
gharoN ko chhoR kar jab ham chale the
hamaare dil meN kya kya valvale3 the

1.wound, deception 2.slaughter house 3.enthusiasm, passion

Spring has deceived us.  Our garden looks like a slaughter house.  When we left home (in search of independence) we had such passion …
3
ye socha tha hamaara raaj hoga
sar-e mehnat-kashaaN1 par taaj hoga
na looTegaa koi mehnat kisi ki
milegi sab ko daulat zindagi ki

1.workers

… we have thought that it would be our (people’s) reign, that the heads of workers would bear crowns, that no one would usurp the labour of others, that everyone would receive the gift of life.
4
na chaateNgi hamaaraa KhuuN mashineN
baneNgi rashk-e-jannat1 ye zamineN
koi gauhar2 koi aadam3 na hoga
kisi ko rahzanoN4 ka Gham5 na hoga

1.envy of heavens 2.gauhar ayub, son of ayub KhaaN 3.probably adamji one of the wealthiest men in pakistan 4.robbers 5.fear

We had imagined that machines would not lick/drink our blood, that the earth would become the envy of heavens.  We had thought that there would be no gauhar (symbol of nepotism and corruption) or aadam (symbol of concentration of wealth), that no one would be afraid of being robbed.
5
luTi har gaam1 par ummid2 apni
moharram3 ban gaii har iid apni
musallat4 hai saroN par raat ab tak
vahi hai soorat-e-haalaat5 ab tak

1.step 2.hope 3.mourning 4.overpowering 5.shape of conditions

At our step, our hopes were shattered.  Every celebration turned into mourning.  A dark night still overpowers our lives.  Our conditions have not changed (between conolonialism and independence).
6
Khushi hai chand logoN ki viraasat1
kaha jaata hai Gham haiN apni qismat
hue haiN jhoNpRe hi nazr2-e toofaaN
magar qaa’em3 haiN ab tak qasr4 o aivaaN5

1.inheritance 2.sacrificial offering 3.stable 4.palaces 5.halls

Happiness in the inheritance of a few.  They say that sorrow is written into our fate.  Huts have been offered up as sacrifice to storms, but palaces and halls are still standing.
7
zamaane ko jalaal1 apna dikha de
jala de taKht o taaj un ka jala de
hai ab tak paa-ba-jaulaaN2 Khitta-e-paak3
paRi aazaadiyoN ke sar pe hai Khaak

1.anger 2.fetters on feet 3.region of pakistan

Show you anger to the world.  Burn their throne and crown.  The land of pakistan is still in fetters/chains.  They smear ashes on the brow of Freedom.
8
sitaara auj1 par hai rahzanauN2 ka
nahiN pursaaN3 koii Khasta-tanauN4 ka

1.apex, climax 2.robbers 3. well wisher, asking after 4.broken

The lucky star of the usurper is on the rise.  There is no one to ask after the weak and downtrodden.

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