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. This long nazm, in praise of the fingers of the poet, their pen and their words, is posted in 5 parts for easy reading/listening. All the 5 parts are linked to ‘suKhanvar o suKhavari’ in the Theme Index page.
23
uNgliaN chhalkaa⁹ chukeNgi jab ma’ani ke ayaaGh¹⁰
jal uThenge daa’eroN¹¹ ke taaq¹² meN laakhoN chiraaGh 9.spill, overflowing 10.cups 11.circles (centres of knowledge) 12.alcove
When fingers fill cups of words making them overflow with meaning, millions of lights light up in the alcoves of spheres of knowledge.
24
surma’ii¹³ satroN¹⁴ ki galiyoN meN bahe gi turfa¹⁵ nahr¹⁶
jagmagaa uTTheNge saahil par Khirad-afroz¹⁷ shahr¹⁸ 13.grey 14.lines 15.enchanting 16.stream 17.wisdom increasing 18.establishments
An enchanting river flows along grey written lines and on the banks, centers/cities of learning emerge.
25
shahr ke GhurfoN¹⁹ se jhaaNkeNge butaan-e lala-faam²⁰
ood²¹ ki lapToN²² se mahkeNge²³ tamanna²⁴ ke Khayaam²⁵    19.windows 20.idols (beauties) tulip bodied 21.incense 22.swirls 23.fragrant 24.desire 25.platforms
Beautiful idols peep from the windows of the cities of learning. Desire wafts redolent like waves of incense.
26
shamsa¹ e qasr-e hunar² par jhaljhalaaeNge³ huruuf
taaj-e daulat⁴ ki damak⁵ par muskuraaeNge huruuf 1.sun, brilliance 2.palace of talent 3.sparkle 4.crown of the wealthy 5.shine
Words will shine like suns over mansions of talent, their sparkle outshining the glint of the diamond studded crown.
27
yuN sajil⁶ nuqtoN⁷ meN hogi taab⁸-e dur-haa-e adan⁹
shaa’eroN¹⁰ ki muflisi¹¹ shaahoN¹³ pe hogi Khanda-zan¹⁴   6.clear 7.points 8.brilliance 9.pearls of Aden (reputed to be the brightest and best)
Powerful/clear thoughts will acquire brilliance like pearls (of Aden) enabling poor poets to sneer at the wealth of kings.
28
aur jab namnaak¹⁵ satrauN¹⁶ ko sukha¹⁷ de ga sufuuf¹⁸
qasr-ha¹⁹ e saNg²⁰ ban jaaeNge billoriiN-huruuf²¹ 15.moist 16.lines 17.dry 18.powder (of time) 19.mansions 20 stone
And when the wet lines of ink are dried with the powder of Time vulnerable words cast of crystal, will morph into fortified stone castles.
29
aaeeNge phir gardish-e dauraaN²² ki zad²³ par vo qasuur²⁴
un pe jhapTenge saneN²⁵, un ko jhinjoRenge shuhuur²⁶    21.crystalline (delicate) words 22.movement of times (changing) 23.within reach (for attack) 24.mansions 25.years 26.months
They will become a target of the vicissitudes of Time. The passage of time will attack and shake them.
30
hauNkte¹ arz-o-sam’a², kaRkaaeNge³ un par kamaaN
unko raundeNge⁴ karoRoN doNgRoN⁵ ke kaarvaaN 1.huffing and puffing 2.earth and sky, history, time 3.twang (bow-arrow) 4.trample 5.heavy rains
Winds of Time will blow hard against them and twang their bow (to attack). They will be trampled upon by millions of storms.
31
un pe bole ga hatoRa vaqt-e pur-ajlaal⁶ ka
ghan⁷ bajega un pe aalam-kob⁸ maah-o-saal⁹ ka 6.full of anger 7.hammer 8.world destroying 9.month and year, time
The angry hammer of Time will strike them. The club of world destroying Time will beat on them.
32
jaaheloN¹⁰ ki ToliyaaN¹¹ un ko giraane aaeNgi
un par auchhe¹² naaqidoN¹³ ki te’oriyaN¹⁴ manDlaaeNgi¹⁵ 10.unlettered 11.gangs 12.unsophisticate 13.critic 14.whims, moods 15.hover over
Hordes of the ignorant will come to tear them down. Uncouth critics will attack them on mere whims and fancies.
33
un ke kajlaane¹⁶ ko garjega faqeehoN¹⁷ ka Khizaab¹⁸
un pe kaRke ga chhichhore¹⁹ baadshaahoN ka itaab²⁰    16.blacken 17.religious (Islamic) jurist 18.hair blackening dye 19.uncouth 20.anger
Old preachers will shout thunderously to blacken them. The displeasure of shallow minded kings will descend on them.