For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
زمزمۂ ناشنیدہ ہوں ۔۱۱۔۲۰۔ جوشؔ ملیح آبادی
۱۱
کہتے ہیں مجھ کو لفظ نشیں رمز ناشناس
ہر چند سوئے شہر معانی دوندہ ہوں
۱۲
اس دور کی نظر میں بہ ایں نور و پختگی
قندیلِ بے فروغ و مئے ناکشیدہ ہوں
۱۳
مجھ سے خفا ہے ذُرّیتِ صرصر و سموم
صرف اس قصور پر کہ قبا پروریدہ ہوں
۱۴
مرنے کے بعد قبر میں گڑتا ہے آدمی
میں دَورِ زندگی ہی میں خاک آرمیدہ ہوں
۱۵
سَو سال بعد آئے گی جس کی زمیں پہ فصل
میں بد نصیب وہ ثمرِ نو رسیدہ ہوں
۱۶
اے زود زادگی و توَقُّف بریدگی
تیری نوازشوں سے گریباں دریدہ ہوں
۱۷
گزریں گے میری فکر کے جادے سے کل جلوس
گو آج کارواں سے تعلق بریدہ ہوں
۱۸
کل نطقِ عرش و فرش پہ ہو گا میرا سخن
کیا ہے جو آج مصحف نا رحل دیدہ ہوں
۱۹
پشتِ زمیں پہ مہرِ نبوت میرا قدم
وہ دستِ ذوالجلال کا ناطق جریدہ ہوں
۲۰
میں کثرتِ ظہور سے نا دیدنی ہوں جوشؔ
میں شدّتِ وجود سے نا آفریدہ ہوں
ज़मज़मा-ए नाशनीदा हूँ -०१-२० – जोश मलिहाबादी
१
मुमकिन है अहल-ए फिक्र में कल बरगुज़ीदा हूँ
अब तक तो एक ज़मज़मा-ए नाशुनीदा हूँ
२
बख़्शी है आसमां ने मुझे क़िस्मत-ए क़लम
पा-कोब-ए राह-ए तीरगी ओ सर बुरीदा हूँ
३
अब तक कहीं फ़ज़ा पे नहीं इश्वा-ए हुमा
एक मुद्दत-ए दराज़ से गो दाम चीदा हूँ
४
ज़र्रात-ए नासज़ा की ज़ियाफ़त के वास्ते
शबनम की तरह बर्ग-ए समन से चकीदा हूँ
५
अहल-ए बेहिश्त क्यूँ न ग़ज़बनाक हों के मैं
मैदान-ए अबलही का ग़ज़ाल-ए रमीदा हूँ
६
धूमें हैं मेरे कुफ़्र की शहर-ए मजाज़ में
सिर्फ़ इस गुनाह पर कि हक़ाएक़ रसीदा हूँ
७
पूजो तो ज़ुल्जलाल जो तोढो तो सिर्फ़ बुत
मैं उस ख़ुदा-ए अहल-ए जुनूँ से कशीदा हूँ
८
जिस का लहू हलाल है वो रिंद-ए कुश्तनी
जिस का सिला हराम है मैं वो क़सीदा हूँ
९
जो बख़्शती है ज़हन को शमशाद-क़ामती
मैं आज उस निगाह के हाथों ख़मीदा हूँ
१०
इस जुर्म में के इश्क़ को कहता हूँ ज़ो’फ़-ए अक़्ल
मैं ख़ानक़ह-दरीदा ओ मस्जिद गज़ीदा हूँ
११
कहते हैं मुझ को लफ़्ज़ नशीं रम्ज़ नाशनास
हर चंद सू-ए शहर-ए म’आनी दविंदा हूँ
१२
इस दौर की नज़र में ब-ए इं नूर ओ पुख़्तगी
क़िंदील-ए बे-फ़रोग़ ओ मय-ए ना-कशीदा हूँ
१३
मुझ से ख़फ़ा है ज़ुर्रियत-ए सर्सर ओ सुमूम
सिर्फ़ इस क़ुसूर पर कि क़बा परवरीदा हूँ
१४
मरने के बाद क़ब्र में गढ़ता है आदमी
मैं दौर-ए ज़िंदगी ही में ख़ाक आरमीदा हूँ
१५
सौ साल बाद आएगी जिस की ज़मीं पे फ़स्ल
मैं बद-नसीब वो समर-ए नौ रसीदा हूँ
१६
अए ज़ूद-ज़ादगी ओ तवक़्क़ुफ़ बुरीदगी
तेरी नवाज़िशौं से गरेबां दरीदा हूँ
१७
गुज़्रेंगे मेरी फ़िक्र के जादे से कल जुलूस
गो आज कारवाँ से ता’अल्लुक़ बुरीदा हूँ
१८
कल नुत्क़-ए अर्श ओ फ़र्श पे होगा मेरा सुख़न
क्या है जो आज मुसहफ़-ए ना-रहल-दीदा हूँ
१९
पुश्त-ए ज़मीं पे मोहर-ए नुबुव्वत मेरा क़दम
वो दस्त-ए ज़ुलजलाल का नातिक़ जरीदा हूँ
२०
मैं कसरत-ए ज़ुहूर से ना दीदनी हूँ जोश
मैं शिद्दत-ए वजूद से ना आफ़्रीदा हूँ
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. josh malihabadi (1898-1982) is called shaa’er-e inqelaab, poet of change/revolution. He is very secular and nationalistic in his writings and rebels against orthodoxy. His range of language and vocabulary is simply amazing. This nazm is one of several very poignant nazm that he wrote about his disillusionment with his reception in pakistan. This Ghazal/nazm is linked to ‘ba-diram na-Khariida huN’ under Ghalib naqsh-e qadam.
11
kahte haiN mujh ko lafz-nashiiN1 ramz2 naa-shinaas3
har-chand4 suu5-e shahr-e m’aani6 davinda7 huN 1.occupant of a house of words, wordsmith 2.mysteries, allusions 3.ignorant 4.even then 5.towards 6.meaning 7.runner
Even though those who do not understand allusions/mysteries call me a mere wordsmith, I keep running towards meaning i.e., I keep writing verse of deep meaning.
12
iss daur1 ki nazar2 meN ba-iiN3 noor4 o puKhtagi5
qindeel6-e be-faroGh7 o mai8-e naa-kashiida9 huN 1.times, age, period 2.eyes 3.inspite of 4.brilliance 5.maturity 6.lamp 7.without light, unlit 8.wine 9.undistilled
Inspite of my brilliance and maturity, in the eyes of the present times, I am like an unlit lamp and undistilled wine i.e., I am not appreciated.
13
mujh se Khafa1 hai zurriyat2-e sarsar3 o sumoom4
sirf5 is qusoor6 par keh qaba7 parvariida8 huN 1.annoyed 2.family, progeny, children 3.windstorm 4.poison 5.only 6.transgression 7.robe 8.fostered, patronized
Here ‘qaba-robe’ symbolizes authority, power. josh was promised land, privileges, honorarium as an enticement to migrate to pakistan. As soon as he did so, a section of the polity raised many objections, and he was forced to renounce/forgo all gifts. This politicization of his grants and creating of political opposition is characterized as poisonous windstorms. Thus, the ‘family’ of poisonous windstorms is annoyed with him only because he was patronized by those in authority.
14
marne ke baad qabr1 meN gaRta2 hai aadmi
maiN daur3-e zindagi hi meN Khaak-aramiida4 huN 1.grave 2.buried 3.times, period 4.resting/sleeping in the dust
People are buried in their graves after dying. I dwell/sleep in the dust during my lifetime.
15
sau saal baad aa’egi jis ki zamiiN peh fasl1
maiN bad-nasiib2 vo samar3-e nau-rasiida4 huN 1.harvest 2.unfortunate 3.fruit 4.newly arrived, newborn
I am that unfortunate, raw fruit that will be harvested a hundred years from now i.e., my poetry will be appreciated long after I am dead.
16
aye zood-zaadagi1 o tavaqquf2 buriidagi3
teri nawazishoN4 se garebaaN-dariida5 huN 1.born of haste, hasty nature 2.hesitation, contemplation 3.cutting off 4.favours, blessings 5.torn collar
A torn collar is a symbol of distress. The poet is blaming his own hasty nature and tendency to cut/behead contemplation. It is because of ‘blessings’ of this hasty nature that he is distressed now.
17
guzreNge1 meri fikr2 ke jaade3 se kal jaloos4
go5 aaj karvaaN se ta’alluq6 buriida7 huN 1.will pass by or pass through 2.thought, philosophy 3.path 4.processions, crowds 5.even though 6.relationship 7.cut off
Tomorrow crowds will pass through the path of my thinking even though today my relationship with the caravan is cut off.
18
kal nutq1-e arsh2 o farsh3 peh hoga mera suKhan4
kya hai jo aaj mus’haf5-e naa-rahl-diida6 huN 1.sound, speech 2.sky 3.floor, earth 4.verse, words 5.book 6.unseen by folding stand
Customarily a wooden, carved folding stand is used to a venerated volume such as the qur’aan, guru granth and the like. Thus, today I am like a book that has not been placed on a rahl-an honoured place, but tomorrow my words will be spoken both on the sky and the earth.
19
pusht1-e zamiiN peh mohr2-e nubuvvat3 mera qadam4
voh dast5-e zuljalaal6 ka naatiq7-jariida8 huN 1.back 2.stamp 3.prophethood 4.step, arrival 5.hand 6.glorious lord, god 7.speaker 8.account book, chronicle
It is believed that there was stamp/seal of prophethood on mohammed’s back/shoulder blade. That also marks him as the last of the prophets. In much the same way josh likes to portray himself as the last poet … none like him, after him. Thus, my arrival on earth is like a stamp of prophethood on the back of the earth, I am such a speaker/chronicler of the glory of the hand of god.
20
maiN kasrat1-e zuhoor2 se naa-diidni3 huN josh4
maiN shiddat5-e vujood6 se naa-afriida7 huN 1.abundance, excess 2.appearance, manifestation 3.unseen, invisible, ignored 4.poet’s pen-name 5.intensity, power 6.existence 7.uncreated
By ‘kasrat-e zuhoor’ he probably means- abundance of his writings. O josh, I have written so much that I have become invisible, commonplace, taken for granted, ignored. The first misra presents a paradox. So does the second- the power of his existence, his life, his words is so great that the world has been unable to absorb it. It is as if he was never created.
josh malihabadi (1898-1982) is called shaa’er-e inqelaab, poet of change/revolution. He is very secular and nationalistic in his writings and rebels against orthodoxy. His range of language and vocabulary is simply amazing. This nazm is one of several very poignant nazm that he wrote about his disillusionment with his reception in pakistan. This Ghazal/nazm is linked to ‘ba-diram na-Khariida huN’ under Ghalib naqsh-e qadam.
11
kahte haiN mujh ko lafz-nashiiN1 ramz2 naa-shinaas3
har-chand4 suu5-e shahr-e m’aani6 davinda7 huN
1.occupant of a house of words, wordsmith 2.mysteries, allusions 3.ignorant 4.even then 5.towards 6.meaning 7.runner
Even though those who do not understand allusions/mysteries call me a mere wordsmith, I keep running towards meaning i.e., I keep writing verse of deep meaning.
12
iss daur1 ki nazar2 meN ba-iiN3 noor4 o puKhtagi5
qindeel6-e be-faroGh7 o mai8-e naa-kashiida9 huN
1.times, age, period 2.eyes 3.inspite of 4.brilliance 5.maturity 6.lamp 7.without light, unlit 8.wine 9.undistilled
Inspite of my brilliance and maturity, in the eyes of the present times, I am like an unlit lamp and undistilled wine i.e., I am not appreciated.
13
mujh se Khafa1 hai zurriyat2-e sarsar3 o sumoom4
sirf5 is qusoor6 par keh qaba7 parvariida8 huN
1.annoyed 2.family, progeny, children 3.windstorm 4.poison 5.only 6.transgression 7.robe 8.fostered, patronized
Here ‘qaba-robe’ symbolizes authority, power. josh was promised land, privileges, honorarium as an enticement to migrate to pakistan. As soon as he did so, a section of the polity raised many objections, and he was forced to renounce/forgo all gifts. This politicization of his grants and creating of political opposition is characterized as poisonous windstorms. Thus, the ‘family’ of poisonous windstorms is annoyed with him only because he was patronized by those in authority.
14
marne ke baad qabr1 meN gaRta2 hai aadmi
maiN daur3-e zindagi hi meN Khaak-aramiida4 huN
1.grave 2.buried 3.times, period 4.resting/sleeping in the dust
People are buried in their graves after dying. I dwell/sleep in the dust during my lifetime.
15
sau saal baad aa’egi jis ki zamiiN peh fasl1
maiN bad-nasiib2 vo samar3-e nau-rasiida4 huN
1.harvest 2.unfortunate 3.fruit 4.newly arrived, newborn
I am that unfortunate, raw fruit that will be harvested a hundred years from now i.e., my poetry will be appreciated long after I am dead.
16
aye zood-zaadagi1 o tavaqquf2 buriidagi3
teri nawazishoN4 se garebaaN-dariida5 huN
1.born of haste, hasty nature 2.hesitation, contemplation 3.cutting off 4.favours, blessings 5.torn collar
A torn collar is a symbol of distress. The poet is blaming his own hasty nature and tendency to cut/behead contemplation. It is because of ‘blessings’ of this hasty nature that he is distressed now.
17
guzreNge1 meri fikr2 ke jaade3 se kal jaloos4
go5 aaj karvaaN se ta’alluq6 buriida7 huN
1.will pass by or pass through 2.thought, philosophy 3.path 4.processions, crowds 5.even though 6.relationship 7.cut off
Tomorrow crowds will pass through the path of my thinking even though today my relationship with the caravan is cut off.
18
kal nutq1-e arsh2 o farsh3 peh hoga mera suKhan4
kya hai jo aaj mus’haf5-e naa-rahl-diida6 huN
1.sound, speech 2.sky 3.floor, earth 4.verse, words 5.book 6.unseen by folding stand
Customarily a wooden, carved folding stand is used to a venerated volume such as the qur’aan, guru granth and the like. Thus, today I am like a book that has not been placed on a rahl-an honoured place, but tomorrow my words will be spoken both on the sky and the earth.
19
pusht1-e zamiiN peh mohr2-e nubuvvat3 mera qadam4
voh dast5-e zuljalaal6 ka naatiq7-jariida8 huN
1.back 2.stamp 3.prophethood 4.step, arrival 5.hand 6.glorious lord, god 7.speaker 8.account book, chronicle
It is believed that there was stamp/seal of prophethood on mohammed’s back/shoulder blade. That also marks him as the last of the prophets. In much the same way josh likes to portray himself as the last poet … none like him, after him. Thus, my arrival on earth is like a stamp of prophethood on the back of the earth, I am such a speaker/chronicler of the glory of the hand of god.
20
maiN kasrat1-e zuhoor2 se naa-diidni3 huN josh4
maiN shiddat5-e vujood6 se naa-afriida7 huN
1.abundance, excess 2.appearance, manifestation 3.unseen, invisible, ignored 4.poet’s pen-name 5.intensity, power 6.existence 7.uncreated
By ‘kasrat-e zuhoor’ he probably means- abundance of his writings. O josh, I have written so much that I have become invisible, commonplace, taken for granted, ignored. The first misra presents a paradox. So does the second- the power of his existence, his life, his words is so great that the world has been unable to absorb it. It is as if he was never created.
