Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. momin husain sho’la kararavi (1901-xxxx), kausambi, India. I don’t know much more about the poet. I would appreciate any input. This Ghazal along with several others in the same zamin is linked to Ghalib naqsh-e qadam.
1
ranj¹-e duniya fikr²-e uqba³ jaane⁴ kya kya dil meN hai
zindagi do din ki apni saikRoN mushkil⁵ meN hai    1.sorrows 2.worries 3.next life, afterlife 4.who knows 5.difficulties
Sorrows/problems of this life, worry about afterlife, who knows what else the heart bears. In this short life of two days, our lives are in millions of difficulties.
2
raah¹-e ulfat² meN bahut kuchh Khaak bhi chhaani³ magar
meri jaanib⁴ se Ghubaar⁵ ab tak kisi ke dil meN hai    1.path 2.love 3.Khaak chhaan’na-to sift through dust is an expression meaning wander in search 4.towards 5.fog, suspicion, ill will
I have sifted the dust/wandered searching the path of love. In spite of this, there is that special someone who bears suspicion towards me i.e., the beloved does not think that I am a true/sincere lover.
3
vo jafa-pesha¹ jafa-juu² hai jafa us ki sarisht³
jis ko kahte haiN vafa⁴ vo mere aab-o-gil⁵ meN hai   1.practicing torture 2.searching (for new ways of) torture 3.nature, character 4.fidelity 5.water and clay (the constituents out of which humans are supposed to have been made), inborn nature
The beloved inflicts torture, searches for new ways to hurt, cruelty is in her nature, but that which is called fidelity is in my flesh and blood.
4
tah-nashiN¹ ho kar mili mauj²-e havaadis³ se nijaat⁴
kashti-e umr⁵-e ravaaN⁶ ab daaman-e-saahil⁷ meN hai   1.under layers i.e., buried 2.wave, onslaught 3.accidents, misfortunes 4.deliverance 5.life-span 6.flowing, passing 7.hem of the shore, shoreline
Only after being buried under do we get deliverance from misfortunes. It is only then that the boat of life reaches the other shore. Said Ghalib …
qaid-e-hayaat-o-band-e-Gham asl meN donoN ek haiN
maut se pahle aadmii Gham se nijaat paae kyuN
5
saKht-jaani¹ se meri paala² agar³ paRta usey
dekhta phir zor⁴ kitna baazu⁵-e qaatil⁶ meN hai   1.diehard, tough 2.paala paRna is an expression meaning have to deal with, come across 3.if 4.power 5.arm 6.killer, beloved
The ‘usey’ in the first misra is probably referring to the rival. If the rival had been a diehard like me, had he stayed the course (had be been a sincere lover), then he would have known the power of the arm of the beloved (the beloved slaughters true lovers).
6
apni apni gaa¹ rahe haiN donoN shaiKh-o-barhaman
dair²-o-k’aaba³ meN kahaaN hai jo hariim⁴-e dil meN hai   1.singing 2.temple 3.mosque 4.sanctuary
The shaiKh and the brahman are singing their own tune. How can you find in the temple or mosque that which is in the sanctuary of heart i.e., god lives in the heart.
7
marhale¹ har roz² insaaN ko naye aate haiN pesh³
aaj is manzil⁴ meN hai kal doosri manzil meN hai    1.obstacles 2.every day 3.confront 4.stage on the path towards the destination
Humans are faced with new obstacles every day. Today at this stage of live, tomorrow at the next.
8
kuchh to paas¹-e husn² kuchh un ki nazar³ ka saamna⁴
vo zabaaN par la nahiN sakta jo mere dil meN hai    1.consideration, regard 2.beauty, beloved 3.glance 4.come face to face
The poet/lover out of regard for the beloved, and out of fear of facing her cannot say what is in his heart.
9
jaanta huN go¹ maa’l²-e hazrat-e-aadam³ magar⁴
kuu⁵-e jaanaaN⁶ ki tamanna⁷ phir bhi mere dil meN hai   1.even though 2.result 3.an expression meaning ‘man’ 4.but 5.street 6.beloved 7.desire
In poetic convention lovers gather in the street of the beloved and either rot to death or are slaughtered by the beloved. The poet/lover knows full well the result of doing this, but he still desires to be in the street of the beloved.
10
dekhiye aaiina-e piiri¹ meN phir bachpan ka haal²
ahd³-e maazi⁴ ki jhalak⁵ kuchh ahd³-e mustaqbil⁶ meN hai   1.old age 2.condition 3.period, times 4.past 5.glimpse 6.future
In the reflection of old age, you can see the condition of youth. There is a glimpse of past times in the image of the future.
11
soch¹ kar fariyaad² ka anjaam³ maiN Khaamosh huN
varna⁴ ab bhi quvvat⁵-e fariyaad² mere dil meN hai    1.thinking about 2.appeal, plead 3.result 4.otherwise 5.power
Thinking about/knowing what the result of my appeal is going to be, I remain quiet. Otherwise, I still have the power in my heart to make a strong appeal.
12
hai shikast¹-e be-sutuuN² me’aar³-e istedaad⁴-e ishq
kohkan⁵ ka naam fard⁶-e jauhar⁷-e qaabil⁸ meN hai   1.breaking 2.name of the mountain through which farhaad cut a channel 3.standard 4.expanse, boundaries 5.another name of farhaad 6.list, register 7.brilliance, skills 8.experts
This has reference to the story of shirin-farhaad. farhaad was set the task of cutting a channel through the mountain be-sutuun as a condition of winning shirin’s hand. He immediately set about doing this with his pickaxe, even though it was considered to be an impossible task. That is the limit to which love can go to achieve fulfilment. Thus, the carving of be-sutuun sets the standards of the limits of the power of love. farhaad’s name has been entered in the list of skilled experts.
13
ishq-e majnuN ne kuchh ooNcha kar diya meyaar¹-e husn²
varna³ laila ki haqiiqat⁴ parda-e mahmil⁵ meN hai    1.standard 2.beauty 3.otherwise 4.truth, reality 5.palanquin/carriage atop a camel
It was the mad/passionate love of majnuN that raised the standard of beauty otherwise the truth of the beauty of laila would have remained hidden behind the veil of the mahmil.
14
koi hai saaGhar-ba-kaf¹ koi suraahi-dar-baGhal²
tishna-kaam³ ab tak magar⁴ sho’la⁵ teri mahfil⁶ meN hai   1.cup/goblet in hand 2.flask/flagon under the arm 3.thirsty 4.but 5.pen-name of the poet 6.gathering
Some carry cups of wine in their hands, some tuck a flagon under their arm, but sho’la remains thirsty in your gathering. This could be addressed to the saaqi or to god.