For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
ہوسِ دار کیا کریں – معین احسن جذبیؔ
۱
دِل سرد ہو تو وا لبِ گُفتار کیا کریں
منسور کیا بنیں ہوسِ دار کیا کریں
۲
اب کیا سُنائیں یوسف و زنداں کی داستاں
پِھر گرم جنسِ درد کا بازار کیا کریں
۳
وہ ساغرِ نشاط ہو یا جامِ زہرِ غم
ساقی نے جب دیا ہو اِنکار کیا کریں
۴
دیکھے نہ اپنے ساتھ جو کوئی تو کیا کریں
سمجھے نہ کوئی بات تو اِصرار کیا کریں
۵
جذبیؔ نگاہ میں ہے برہنہ سری کی شان
ہَم احترامِ طرّۂ دستار کیا کریں
हवस-ए दार क्या करें – मोईन एहसन जज़्बी
१
दिल सर्द हो तो वा लब-ए गुफ़्तार क्या करें
मंसूर क्या बनें हवस-ए दार क्या करें
२
अब क्या सुनाएँ यूसुफ़ ओ ज़िन्दां की दास्ताँ
फिर गर्म जिन्स-ए दर्द का बाज़ार क्या करें
३
वो साग़र-ए नशात हो या जाम-ए ज़हर-ए ग़म
साक़ी ने जब दिया हो तो इनकार किया करें
४
देखे ना अपने साथ जो कोई तो क्या दिखाएँ
समझे ना कोई बात तो इसरार क्या करें
५
जज़्बी निगाह में है बरहना-सरी की शान
हम एहतेराम-ए तुर्रा-ए दस्तार क्या करें
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. moin ehsan jazbi (1912-2005) born in aazamgaRh and educated, taught and lived in aligaRh. Member of the Progressive Writers’ Association. He worked as an assistant editor of ‘aajkal’ of which josh malihabadi was also the chief editor. I am not sure if they overlapped but he was close to majaz, faani, sardar jafri and sibt-e hasan. He did his MA from aligaRh and later joined the faculty teaching there until his retirement. He also completed his PhD while teaching and published several collections of poetry.
1
dil sard1 ho to vaa2 lab-e guftaar3 kya kareN
mansur4 kya baneN havas-e daar5 kya kareN 1.cold 2.open 3.speaking lips 4.mansuur-al-hallaaj, a sufi scholar who was put to death declaring “I am the Truth”. In Urdu poetry he is used as a symbol of resistance/defiance 5.longing for the gallows
The heart of the audience, the public, is cold (unenthusiastic). Why then should the poet open his mouth to talk, why declare defiance (like Mansur), why long for the gallows.
2
ab kya sunaa’eN yusuf o zindaaN ki dastaaN6
phir garm7 jins-e dard8 ka baazaar kya kareN 6.the story of Joseph and his imprisonment (Joseph was tricked into slavery by his jealous brothers. But it ended well for Joseph, who was a very handsome man and his owner’s wife fell in love with him) 7.warm i.e.active (used here as an adjective for bazar) 8.constituent/ingredient of sorrow/pain
The poet has a story to tell – the story of Joseph, his imprisonment, pain and redemption. How can I tell this story, how can I activate/set up (garm) my bazaar (story) when hearts are cold.
3
vo saaGhar-e nishaat1 ho ya jaam-e zahr-e Gham2
saaqi ne jab diya ho to inkaar kya kareN 1.flask of pleasure 2.cup of poison of sorrow
Be it the flask of pleasure or the cup of sorrow, when the saaqi offers it, how can I refuse.
4
dekhe na apne saath jo koi to kya dikhaa’eN
samjhe na koi baat to israar1 kya kareN 1.insist
The poet is prepared to be alone and go his own way. If nobody else sees what I see, what is the use of trying to explain. If no one is willing to understand what you say, what is the use of insisting.
5
jazbi nigaah meN hai barahna-sari1 ki shaan
hum ehteraam2-e turra-e dastaar3 kya kareN 1.without head covering, sign of defiance 2.respect 3.jewel of crown.
O Jazbi, I can see the grandeur of bear-headedness (defiance). How can I respect the crown.
moin ehsan jazbi (1912-2005) born in aazamgaRh and educated, taught and lived in aligaRh. Member of the Progressive Writers’ Association. He worked as an assistant editor of ‘aajkal’ of which josh malihabadi was also the chief editor. I am not sure if they overlapped but he was close to majaz, faani, sardar jafri and sibt-e hasan. He did his MA from aligaRh and later joined the faculty teaching there until his retirement. He also completed his PhD while teaching and published several collections of poetry.
1
dil sard1 ho to vaa2 lab-e guftaar3 kya kareN
mansur4 kya baneN havas-e daar5 kya kareN
1.cold 2.open 3.speaking lips 4.mansuur-al-hallaaj, a sufi scholar who was put to death declaring “I am the Truth”. In Urdu poetry he is used as a symbol of resistance/defiance 5.longing for the gallows
The heart of the audience, the public, is cold (unenthusiastic). Why then should the poet open his mouth to talk, why declare defiance (like Mansur), why long for the gallows.
2
ab kya sunaa’eN yusuf o zindaaN ki dastaaN6
phir garm7 jins-e dard8 ka baazaar kya kareN
6.the story of Joseph and his imprisonment (Joseph was tricked into slavery by his jealous brothers. But it ended well for Joseph, who was a very handsome man and his owner’s wife fell in love with him) 7.warm i.e.active (used here as an adjective for bazar) 8.constituent/ingredient of sorrow/pain
The poet has a story to tell – the story of Joseph, his imprisonment, pain and redemption. How can I tell this story, how can I activate/set up (garm) my bazaar (story) when hearts are cold.
3
vo saaGhar-e nishaat1 ho ya jaam-e zahr-e Gham2
saaqi ne jab diya ho to inkaar kya kareN
1.flask of pleasure 2.cup of poison of sorrow
Be it the flask of pleasure or the cup of sorrow, when the saaqi offers it, how can I refuse.
4
dekhe na apne saath jo koi to kya dikhaa’eN
samjhe na koi baat to israar1 kya kareN
1.insist
The poet is prepared to be alone and go his own way. If nobody else sees what I see, what is the use of trying to explain. If no one is willing to understand what you say, what is the use of insisting.
5
jazbi nigaah meN hai barahna-sari1 ki shaan
hum ehteraam2-e turra-e dastaar3 kya kareN
1.without head covering, sign of defiance 2.respect 3.jewel of crown.
O Jazbi, I can see the grandeur of bear-headedness (defiance). How can I respect the crown.
