For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
بڑی چیز ہے انساں ہونا ۔ سیمابؔ اکبر آبادی
۱
خاک سے پا کے نُمُو خاک میں پنہاں ہونا
سچ تو یہ ہے کہ عجب کھیل ہے انساں ہونا
۲
پہلے خود جلوہ فروزِ دلِ انساں ہونا
پھر اُسی کی نگہِ شوق سے پنہاں ہونا
۳
اس مصیبت کا نہ ہے کوئی مداوا نہ علاج
کیا بُرا روگ ہے دل دے کے پریشاں ہونا
۴
اک قیامت تھا میرے عالمِ غربت کے لیے
رنگِ حسرت کا شفق بن کے نمایاں ہونا
۵
ورقِ گل ہو کہ ہو آئینہ زارِ شبنم
اُنہیں ہر رنگ سے آتا ہے نمایاں ہونا
۶
کھول دی عبرتِ انجام نے آنکھیں سیمابؔ
میں سمجھتا تھا بڑی چیز ہے انساں ہونا
बढी चीज़ है इंसां होना – सीमाब अक्बराबादी
१
ख़ाक से पा के नुमू ख़ाक में पिन्हां होना
सच तो ये है के अजब खेल है इंसां होना
२
पहले ख़ुद जल्वा-फ़रोज़-ए दिल-ए इंसां होना
फिर उसी की नग’ह-ए शौक़ से पिन्हां होना
३
इस मुसीबत का न है कोई मुदावा न इलाज
क्या बुरा रोग है दिल दे के परेशां होना
४
एक क़यामत था मेरे आलम-ए ग़ुर्बत के लिए
रंग-ए हसरत का शफ़क़ बन के नुमायाँ होना
५
वरक़-ए गुल हो के हो आईना-ज़ार-ए शब्नम
उन्हें हर रंग से आता है नुमायां होना
६
खोल दीं इब्रत-ए अंजाम ने आंखें सीमाब
मैं समझता था बढी चीज़ है इंसां होना
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. syed aashiq husain seemab akbarabadi (1880-1951) was a scholar of farsi and arabi in addition to urdu. A progressive poet of secular outlook who wrote nazm of socialist themes as well odes to krishn and buddh. He also did a poetic urdu translation of the whole qur’aan. His secular credentials are impeccable. He along with his contemporary hasrat mohani, participated in the freedom struggle and composed a collection of devotional poems to krishn, which was published as a book called ‘krishn geet’. This Ghazal is linked to ‘Ghalib naqsh-e qadam’.
1
Khaak1 se pa kay numoo2 Khaak meN pinhaaN3 hona
sach to ye hai keh ajab4 khel hai insaaN hona 1.dust, clay 2.appear, creation 3.hidden 4.strange, fascinating
Humans are created from clay and disintegrate/disappear into clay. Being human is a strange game.
2
pahlay Khud jalva-faroz1-e dil-e insaaN hona
phir usi ki nag’h2-e shauq3 se pinhaaN4 hona 1.image/manifestation shining/showing 2.eyes 3.desiring, seeking 4.hidden
First, you yourselves make an appearance in human hearts and then hide yourselves from their eyes. This of course is addressed to the divine beloved.
3
is museebat ka na hai koi madavaa1 na ilaaj2
kya bura rog3 hai dil dey ke pareshaaN hona 1.healing 2.cure 3.disease
There is neither a cure nor any healing from this difficulty/affliction. What a terrible disease it is to give your heart to the beloved and earn sorrow in return.
4
ek qayamat1 tha meray aalam2-e Ghurbat3 kay liye
raNg4-e hasrat5 ka shafaq6 ban kay numaayaaN7 hona 1.day of judgement, tumult, calamity 2.condition 3.homesickness, exile 4.colour, nature 5.longing 6.twilight 7.appear
The poet/lover is away from home … perhaps wandering the desert searching for the beloved. The horizon/twilight appears red at sunset … like blood. This is similar to his own bleeding desire. Thus, the redness of the twilight is tumultous torment for him because it reminds him of his own unfulfilled desire.
5
varaq1-e gul2 ho keh ho aaina-zaar3-e shabnam4
unheN har raNg se aata hai numaayaaN5 hona 1.page, sheet, petal 2.rose 3.multiple reflections, mirror house 4.dew drops 5.appear
Whether it be a rose-petal or multitude of dew drops reflecting the beloved’s image, she/he knows how to manifest him/herself in many different ways. This applies more to the divine beloved than to the conventional romance beloved.
6
khol diiN ibrat1-e anjaam2 ne aaNkheN seemab3
maiN samjhta tha baRi cheez hai insaaN hona 1.lesson teaching 2.end result 3.pen-name of the poet
The ‘end-result’ is death and the day of judgement. From this the poet has drawn a lesson and learnt the truth about humans. Before that he used to think that it was a big deal to be human. Now he knows better.
syed aashiq husain seemab akbarabadi (1880-1951) was a scholar of farsi and arabi in addition to urdu. A progressive poet of secular outlook who wrote nazm of socialist themes as well odes to krishn and buddh. He also did a poetic urdu translation of the whole qur’aan. His secular credentials are impeccable. He along with his contemporary hasrat mohani, participated in the freedom struggle and composed a collection of devotional poems to krishn, which was published as a book called ‘krishn geet’. This Ghazal is linked to ‘Ghalib naqsh-e qadam’.
1
Khaak1 se pa kay numoo2 Khaak meN pinhaaN3 hona
sach to ye hai keh ajab4 khel hai insaaN hona
1.dust, clay 2.appear, creation 3.hidden 4.strange, fascinating
Humans are created from clay and disintegrate/disappear into clay. Being human is a strange game.
2
pahlay Khud jalva-faroz1-e dil-e insaaN hona
phir usi ki nag’h2-e shauq3 se pinhaaN4 hona
1.image/manifestation shining/showing 2.eyes 3.desiring, seeking 4.hidden
First, you yourselves make an appearance in human hearts and then hide yourselves from their eyes. This of course is addressed to the divine beloved.
3
is museebat ka na hai koi madavaa1 na ilaaj2
kya bura rog3 hai dil dey ke pareshaaN hona
1.healing 2.cure 3.disease
There is neither a cure nor any healing from this difficulty/affliction. What a terrible disease it is to give your heart to the beloved and earn sorrow in return.
4
ek qayamat1 tha meray aalam2-e Ghurbat3 kay liye
raNg4-e hasrat5 ka shafaq6 ban kay numaayaaN7 hona
1.day of judgement, tumult, calamity 2.condition 3.homesickness, exile 4.colour, nature 5.longing 6.twilight 7.appear
The poet/lover is away from home … perhaps wandering the desert searching for the beloved. The horizon/twilight appears red at sunset … like blood. This is similar to his own bleeding desire. Thus, the redness of the twilight is tumultous torment for him because it reminds him of his own unfulfilled desire.
5
varaq1-e gul2 ho keh ho aaina-zaar3-e shabnam4
unheN har raNg se aata hai numaayaaN5 hona
1.page, sheet, petal 2.rose 3.multiple reflections, mirror house 4.dew drops 5.appear
Whether it be a rose-petal or multitude of dew drops reflecting the beloved’s image, she/he knows how to manifest him/herself in many different ways. This applies more to the divine beloved than to the conventional romance beloved.
6
khol diiN ibrat1-e anjaam2 ne aaNkheN seemab3
maiN samjhta tha baRi cheez hai insaaN hona
1.lesson teaching 2.end result 3.pen-name of the poet
The ‘end-result’ is death and the day of judgement. From this the poet has drawn a lesson and learnt the truth about humans. Before that he used to think that it was a big deal to be human. Now he knows better.
