Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. akbar allahabadi (1846-1921) was a judge and a witty, humorous person which shows up in his humorous and sarcastic compositions. But his Ghazal are equal if not better in quality. Here he is being sarcastic about the reluctance of the muslim community of the time to work hard to acquire an education and get a job. Editorial comment – looking down on ‘western education’ is still in fashion in some sections, though not in the Indian muslim community.
1
Khuda-haafiz¹ musalmaanoN ka akbar²
mujhe to un ki Khush-haali³ se hai yaas⁴     1.god save 2.pen-name of the poet 3.well being 4.hopelessness
My god save muslims O akbar. I do not have high hopes for their well-being. Why not? He illustrates that with a fable.
2
ye aashiq shaahid¹-e maqsud² ke haiN
na jaaeNge va-lekin³ saii⁴ ke paas   1.beauty, beloved 2.desired 3.but 4.effort, hard work
They are lovers of the beautfiul beloved but they will not go anywhere near hard work.
3
sunaauN tum ko ek farzi¹ latiifa²
kiya hai jis ko maiN ne zeb³-e qirtaas⁴     1.made up, fictional 2.funny story 3.adornment 4.blank page
Let me tell you a fictional funny story that I have written and adorned a blank page.
4
kahaa majnuN se ye laila ki maaN ne
ki beTa tu agar kar le em.ae¹ paas   1.M.A. degree
This uses the legend of laila-majnuN in which the distraught lover majnuN wanders the desert in search of laila. laila’s mother says to majnuN – son, if you successfully complete your M.A. degree …
5
to fauran¹ biyaah² duuN lailaa ko tujh se
bilaa-diqqat³ maiN ban jaauN teri saas⁴     1.immediately 2.wed 3.without any difficulty 4.mother-in-law
… then I would immediately wed laila to you and without any hesitation become your mother-in-law.
6
kahaa majnuN ne ye achchhi sunaai
kujaa¹ aashiq kujaa college ki bakvaas²     1.where (used in the sense of incompatibility) 2.nonsense
majnuN replied … you tell a likely story. How can a lover’s sensibilities be compatible with the nonsense of college.
7
kujaa¹ ye fitrati² josh³-e tabi’at⁴
kujaa ThuNsi⁵ hui chiizoN ka ehsaas⁶     1.where 2.natural, inborn 3.passion 4.character, nature 5.stuffed 6.feelings
How can the inborn passion of a lover’s nature survive the feeling of stuffed knowledge/sentiments.
8
baRi-bi¹ aap ko kya ho gaya hai
hiran² pe laadi³ jaati hai kahiN ghaas   1.old woman 2.deer 3.loaded
Old woman, what has come over you. Is hay ever loaded on the back of a deer.
9
ye achchhi qadr-daani¹ aap ne ki
mujhe samjhaa hai koi harcharan-daas²     1.appreciation 2.derogatory reference to those to get schooling for low level clerical jobs
This is fine appreciation that you offer. Do you think I will become a lowly clerk.
10
dil apna Khuun karne ko huN maujud¹
nahiN manzur² maGhz-e-sar³ ka aamaas⁴     1.present, ready 2.acceptable 3.internals of the head, brain 4.swelling (used here to mean headache)
I am ready to bleed from my heart but this headache is not acceptable to me.
11
yahi Thahri jo shart¹-e vasl²-e lailaa
to istefa³ mera baa-hasrat-o-yaas⁴     If this is the condition of union with laila, then here is my resignation along with all the desires and longing.