For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the “Roman” or “Notes” tab.
Recitation
شبِ تار رہے گی کب تک – جوشؔ ملیح آبادی
۱
فقہ کی گرمیِ بازار رہے گی کب تک
دستِ مجذوب میں تلوار رہے گی کب تک
۲
سازِ تحقیق سے نکلے گی نہ تا کئے آواز
تارِ تقلید میں جھنکار رہے گی کب تک
۳
زہن کے پاؤں کی زنجیر کٹے گی کس روز
سر پہ گرتی ہوئی دیوار رہے گی کب تک
۴
مُردہ اقوال کے سیلے ہوئے تہ خانوں میں
زندگی نقش بہ دیوار رہے گی کب تک
۵
قصرِ افکار پہ اسلاف کے گھن کی آواز
ذہنِ اخلاف کی معمار رہے گی کب تک
۶
جس کے گاہک مہ و خورشید ہیں آخر وہ نگاہ
سنگ ریزوں کی خریدار رہیگی کب تک
۷
جنسِ کاسِد کو گھنی چھاؤں میں رکھنے والو
دھوپ میں دولتِ بیدار رہیگی کب تک
۸
نور کو خضر کا منصب نہ ملے گا تاچند
تیرگی قافلہ سالار رہے گی کب تک
۹
آخر اِس معرکۂ نفس کُشی کی رو میں
قوم کی قوم خور آزار رہے گی کب تک
۱۰
دامِ باطل سے جو اِنساں کو چھڑا سکتی ہے
پا بہ زنجیر وہ گفتار رہے گی کب تک
۱۱
بول ائے خسروِ اِنصاف کہ گل بانگِ شعور
مستحقِ رسن و دار رہے گی کب تک
۱۲
پیشِ زُہاد جنوں یشہ و شمشیر بکف
سر نگوں جراؑتِ اِنکار رہے گی کب تک
۱۳
ائے امیرِ اُفق و داورِ صبح تاباں
یہ گھٹا ٹوپ شبِ تار رہے گی کب تک
۱۴
آخر اِس آدمِ سر خفتہ کی پیشانی پر
شکنِ سبّحہ و زُنّار رہے گی کب تک
۱۵
اے میرے ولولۂ وحدتِ نوعِ اِنساں
مُلک و مِلّت پہ یہ تکرار رہے گی کب تک
۱۶
لے، یہ سر رشتہ کونین ہے، ائے ذوقِ جدل
آخر آپس میں یہ پیکار رہے گی کب تک
शब-ए तार रहेगी कब तक – जोश मलीहाबादी
१
फ़िक़ की गर्मी-ए बाज़ार रहे गी कब तक
दस्त-ए मज्ज़ूब में तल्वार रहे गी कब तक
२
साज़-ए तहक़ीक़ से निकले गी ना ता कै आवाज़
तार-ए ताक़लीद में झंकार रहे गी कब तक
३
ज़हन के पाऊँ में ज़ंजीर रहे गी कब तक
सर पे गिरती हुई दीवार रहे गी कब तक
४
मुर्दा अक़्वाल के सीले हुए तहख़ानों में
ज़िन्दगी नक़्श ब दीवार रहे गी कब तक
५
क़स्र-ए अफ़्कार पर अस्लाफ़ के घन की आवाज़
ज़हन-ए अख़्लाफ़ की मे’मार करे गी कब तक
६
जिस के गाहक मह ओ ख़ुर्शीद हैं आख़िर वो निगाह
संग रेज़ों की ख़रीदार रहे गी कब तक
७
जिन्स-ए कासिद को घनी छाओं में रखने वालो
धूप में दौलत-ए बेदार रहे गी कब तक
८
नूर को ख़िज़्र का मनसब ना मिलेगा ता चंद
तीरगी क़ाफ़ेला सालार रहे गी कब तक
९
आख़ेर इस मा’रेका-ए नफ़्स कुशी की रौ में
क़ौम की क़ौम ख़ुर-आज़ार रहेगी कब तक
१०
दाम-ए बातिल से जो इंसां को छुढा सकती है
पा ब ज़ंजीर वो गुफ़्तार रहेगी कब तक
११
बोल अए ख़ुस्रव-ए इंसाफ़ के गुल बांग-ए श’ऊर
मुस्तहक़-ए रसन ओ दार रहेगी कब तक
१२
पेश-ए ज़ुहाद-ए जुनूं पेशा ओ शमशीर बकफ़
सर निगूँ जुर’अत-ए इंकार रहेगी कब तक
१३
अए अमीर-ए उफ़क़ ओ दावर-ए सुबह ताबाँ
ये घटाटोप शब-ए तार रहेगी कब तक
१४
आख़िर इस आदम-ए सर ख़ुफ़्ता की पेशानी पर
शिकन-ए सुब्बह ओ ज़ुन्नार रहेगी कब तक
१५
अए मेरे वलवला-ए वहदत-ए नौ-ए इन्सां
मुल्क ओ मिल्लत पे ये तक्रार रहेगी कब तक
१६
ले, ये सर-रिश्ता-ए कौनैन है, अए ज़ौक़-ए जदल
आख़िर आपस में ये पैकार रहेगी कब तक
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. josh malihabadi (1898-1982) is known as – shaa’er-e inqelaab – poet of revolution. His nazm are fiery, passionate, and full of energy. His Ghazal and rubaaii are equally good. He was a secular humanist writing sharply and irreverently against colonialism, abuse of power, injustice and orthodoxy.
1
fiq’h1 ki garmi-e bazaar2 rahe gi kab tak
dast-e majzuub3 meN talwaar rahe gi kab tak 1.religious law, Islamic fatwa 2.brisk trade, demand, acceptance 3.hand of the madman
How long will we accept/deal in these bizarre diktats, how long will foolish men be allowed to hold a sword over our heads.
2
saaz-e tahqiiq4 se nikle gi na ta ka’e5 aavaaz
taar-e taqliid6 meN jhankaar rahe gi kab tak 4.lute of inquiry 5.how long 6.string (musical) of blind followership
How long will the joyous music of enquiry be silenced, how long will the benumbing chorus of blind faith continue to resonate?
3
zahn1 ke paauN meN zanjiir rahe gi kab tak
sar pe girti hui diivaar rahe gi kab tak 1.mind, reason
When will Reason break out of its fetters? How long do we have to suffer the threat of walls crashing on our heads?
4
murda aqvaal2 ke seele hue3 tah KhaanoN4 meN
zindagi naqsh ba diivaar5 rahe gi kab tak 2.dead/obsolete sayings/pronouncements (fatwa) 3.rotten 4.basements (dark rooms), dungeons 5.etching on the wall, spectator
In the rotting dungeons of outdated belief, how long will Life remain passive/frozen, like a painting on the wall?
5
qasr-e afkaar1 par aslaaf2 ke ghan3 ki aavaaz
zahn-e aKhlaaf4 ki me’maar5 kare gi kab ta 1.palace/castle of reason 2.ancestors 3.hammer, blow 4.mind/reason of the progeny 5.architect
How long will the sledgehammer of ancestors descend upon their progeny to box in their minds/reason?
6
jis ke gaahak mah o Khurshiid6 haiN aaKhir7 vo nigaah8
sang-rezauN9 ki Kharidaar rahe gi kab ta 6.moon and sun 7.for how long 8.vision 9.pebbles
The vision that even the heavens seek to own, how long will it be condemned to picking pebbles on the earth?
7
jins-e kaasid1 ko ghani chhaaoN2 meN rakhne vaalo
dhoop3 meN daulat-e bedaar4 rahe gi kab ta 1.fake ingredients 2.dense shadow (protective) 3.sunlight, fierce exposure 4.wealth of wakefulness/awareness (knowledge, reason)
How long will deceptions (fake ingredients) remain protected. How long will Reason suffer torment in the heat of the sun?
8
noor5 ko Khizr6 ka mansab7 na milega taa chand8
teeragi9 qaafila saalaar10 rahe gi kab ta 5.light 6.legendary old man who knows everything and is a guide 7.responsibility, office 8.until when 9.darkness 10.caravan leader
How long will sanity be denied the right to guide. How long will blind allegiance continue to lead?
11
bol aye Khusrav-e insaaf1 ke gul baang2-e sha’uur3
mustahaq4-e rasan o daar5 rahegi kab ta 1.lord of justice 2.song, trumpet, declaration 3.wisdom 4.deserving
5.noose and gallows
Tell me O Lord of Justice, how long will the right to think be viewed as deserving of the hangman’s noose?
12
pesh-e zuhaad6-e junuuN pesha7 o shamshir bakaf8
sar niguuN9 jura’at-e inkaar10 rahegi kab ta 6.before the sanctimonious, religious 7.professional madmen 8.sword in hand 9.heads bowed 10.courage of denial/refusal
How long will the courage of denial remain meekly bowed before the madness-purveying, sword weilding preacher?
13
aye ameer-e ufaq1 o daavar-e subah taabaaN2
ye ghaTaTop3 shab-e taar4 rahegi kab ta 1.lord of the horizons, skies 2.lord of the bright dawn 3.dense darkness 4.dark night
O lord of the skies, king of the brightness of dawn (josh is referring to human capabilities – human beings) how long with this dense dark night prevail?
14
aaKhir is aadam5-e sar Khufta6 ki peshaani7 par
shikan8-e subbah9 o zunnaar10 rahegi kab ta 5.Adam, man, human 6.hidden head, unused mind 7.forehead, brow 8.wrinkle 9.Islamic prayer beads, tasbih 10.Hindu holy thread, janev
How long will the brow of this somnolent/sleeping man remain wrinkled by the press of religion and faith?
15
aye mere valvala1-e vahdat2-e nau-e insaaN3
mulk4 o millat5 pe ye takraar6 rahegi kab ta 1.enthusiasm, passion 2.one-ness, equality 3.human species 4.country 5.community 6.dispute
O, my passion for the one-ness of humanity, I ask, how long will my homeland’s perpetual internecine dispute last?
16
le, ye sar-rishta7-e kaunain8 hai, aye zauq-e jadal9
aaKhir aapas meN ye paikaar10 rahegi kab ta 7.main connection, best path 8.two worlds, here and hereafter, salvation 9.taste/desire for war 10.conflict
The “ye-this” in the first misra is the poet’s “passion for the one-ness of humanity”. O, you conflict lovers, take/accept “this”, this is the best path to salvation. How long will this mutual animosity last
josh malihabadi (1898-1982) is known as – shaa’er-e inqelaab – poet of revolution. His nazm are fiery, passionate, and full of energy. His Ghazal and rubaaii are equally good. He was a secular humanist writing sharply and irreverently against colonialism, abuse of power, injustice and orthodoxy.
1
fiq’h1 ki garmi-e bazaar2 rahe gi kab tak
dast-e majzuub3 meN talwaar rahe gi kab tak
1.religious law, Islamic fatwa 2.brisk trade, demand, acceptance 3.hand of the madman
How long will we accept/deal in these bizarre diktats, how long will foolish men be allowed to hold a sword over our heads.
2
saaz-e tahqiiq4 se nikle gi na ta ka’e5 aavaaz
taar-e taqliid6 meN jhankaar rahe gi kab tak
4.lute of inquiry 5.how long 6.string (musical) of blind followership
How long will the joyous music of enquiry be silenced, how long will the benumbing chorus of blind faith continue to resonate?
3
zahn1 ke paauN meN zanjiir rahe gi kab tak
sar pe girti hui diivaar rahe gi kab tak
1.mind, reason
When will Reason break out of its fetters? How long do we have to suffer the threat of walls crashing on our heads?
4
murda aqvaal2 ke seele hue3 tah KhaanoN4 meN
zindagi naqsh ba diivaar5 rahe gi kab tak
2.dead/obsolete sayings/pronouncements (fatwa) 3.rotten 4.basements (dark rooms), dungeons 5.etching on the wall, spectator
In the rotting dungeons of outdated belief, how long will Life remain passive/frozen, like a painting on the wall?
5
qasr-e afkaar1 par aslaaf2 ke ghan3 ki aavaaz
zahn-e aKhlaaf4 ki me’maar5 kare gi kab tak
1.palace/castle of reason 2.ancestors 3.hammer, blow 4.mind/reason of the progeny 5.architect
How long will the sledgehammer of ancestors descend upon their progeny to box in their minds/reason?
6
jis ke gaahak mah o Khurshiid6 haiN aaKhir7 vo nigaah8
sang-rezauN9 ki Kharidaar rahe gi kab tak
6.moon and sun 7.for how long 8.vision 9.pebbles
The vision that even the heavens seek to own, how long will it be condemned to picking pebbles on the earth?
7
jins-e kaasid1 ko ghani chhaaoN2 meN rakhne vaalo
dhoop3 meN daulat-e bedaar4 rahe gi kab tak
1.fake ingredients 2.dense shadow (protective) 3.sunlight, fierce exposure 4.wealth of wakefulness/awareness (knowledge, reason)
How long will deceptions (fake ingredients) remain protected. How long will Reason suffer torment in the heat of the sun?
8
noor5 ko Khizr6 ka mansab7 na milega taa chand8
teeragi9 qaafila saalaar10 rahe gi kab tak
5.light 6.legendary old man who knows everything and is a guide 7.responsibility, office 8.until when 9.darkness 10.caravan leader
How long will sanity be denied the right to guide. How long will blind allegiance continue to lead?
9
aaKhir is ma’arika1-e nafs kushi2 ki rau3 meN
qaum4 ki qaum Khur5 aazaar6 rahegi kab tak
1.battle 2.soul/life killing, life sapping 3.flow 4.community 5.short for Khurshid – sun, light, knowledge 6.sick for, denied access to
In the flow/movement of this soul sapping war, how long will humankind be denied the light of Reason?
10
daam-e baatil7 se jo insaaN ko chhuRa sakti hai
pa ba zanjir8 vo guftaar9 rahegi kab tak
7.web/trap of falsehood 8.leg in chains 9.discussion
That which can liberate man from the trap of superstition, how long will that discourse remain enchained?
11
bol aye Khusrav-e insaaf1 ke gul baang2-e sha’uur3
mustahaq4-e rasan o daar5 rahegi kab tak
1.lord of justice 2.song, trumpet, declaration 3.wisdom 4.deserving
5.noose and gallows
Tell me O Lord of Justice, how long will the right to think be viewed as deserving of the hangman’s noose?
12
pesh-e zuhaad6-e junuuN pesha7 o shamshir bakaf8
sar niguuN9 jura’at-e inkaar10 rahegi kab tak
6.before the sanctimonious, religious 7.professional madmen 8.sword in hand 9.heads bowed 10.courage of denial/refusal
How long will the courage of denial remain meekly bowed before the madness-purveying, sword weilding preacher?
13
aye ameer-e ufaq1 o daavar-e subah taabaaN2
ye ghaTaTop3 shab-e taar4 rahegi kab tak
1.lord of the horizons, skies 2.lord of the bright dawn 3.dense darkness 4.dark night
O lord of the skies, king of the brightness of dawn (josh is referring to human capabilities – human beings) how long with this dense dark night prevail?
14
aaKhir is aadam5-e sar Khufta6 ki peshaani7 par
shikan8-e subbah9 o zunnaar10 rahegi kab tak
5.Adam, man, human 6.hidden head, unused mind 7.forehead, brow 8.wrinkle 9.Islamic prayer beads, tasbih 10.Hindu holy thread, janev
How long will the brow of this somnolent/sleeping man remain wrinkled by the press of religion and faith?
15
aye mere valvala1-e vahdat2-e nau-e insaaN3
mulk4 o millat5 pe ye takraar6 rahegi kab tak
1.enthusiasm, passion 2.one-ness, equality 3.human species 4.country 5.community 6.dispute
O, my passion for the one-ness of humanity, I ask, how long will my homeland’s perpetual internecine dispute last?
16
le, ye sar-rishta7-e kaunain8 hai, aye zauq-e jadal9
aaKhir aapas meN ye paikaar10 rahegi kab tak
7.main connection, best path 8.two worlds, here and hereafter, salvation 9.taste/desire for war 10.conflict
The “ye-this” in the first misra is the poet’s “passion for the one-ness of humanity”. O, you conflict lovers, take/accept “this”, this is the best path to salvation. How long will this mutual animosity last?
