For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
عقل سے غدّاری ہے ۔ جوشؔ ملیح آبادی
۱
پھر وہی دل ہے وہی درد کی بیماری ہے
اور کس وقت؟ کہ جب کوچ کی تیاری ہے
۲
قیدِ ہستی سے رہائی کی تمنّا ہے مجھے
اور وہ برسرِ تدبیرِ گرفتاری ہے
۳
خلوتِ مسئلہ سنجی میں بپا ہے کہرام
لیلیِ عقلِ جہاں بیں پہ غشی طاری ہے
۴
کس کو سمجھاؤں کہ اس دورِ سکوں خواہی میں
کرمِ یار میرے حق میں ستمگاری ہے
۵
پھیر لے اے میرے غم خوار نگاہیں مجھ سے
کہ اب اس دل کا مداوا تری بے زاری ہے
۶
نوکِ مژگاں پہ اٹھاتا تھا کبھی ہفت افلاک
پردۂ چشم پر اب رنگِ سمن جاری ہے
۷
غرق رہتا ہوں تصوّر میں کسی کے شب و روز
گو سمجھتا ہوں کہ یہ ذہن کی بیماری ہے
۸
دل دھڑکتا ہے تو گھبرا کے یہ کہتا ہے دماغ
اے جہاں باختہ یہ عقل سے غدّاری ہے
۹
حیف اس دور میں بھی ہے وہی طفلانہ مزاج
اب بھی اِک تازہ کھلونے کی طلب گاری ہے
۱۰
کل ٹپکتے تھے دمِ حرفِ حِکایت آنسو
آج آواز کی پلکوں سے لہو جاری ہے
۱۱
ہائے پھر کِشورِ قِرطاس و قلم میں اے جوشؔ
خد و خال و رخِ رنگیں کی عمل داری ہے
अक़्ल से गद्दारी है – जोश मलीह आबादी
१
फिर वही दिल है वही दर्द की बीमारी है
और किस वक़्त? के जब कूच की तय्यारी है
२
क़ैद-ए हस्ती से रेहाई की तमन्ना है मुझे
और वो बरसर-ए तद्बीर-ए गिरफ़्तारी है
३
ख़ल्वत-ए मस’अला संजी में बपा है कोहराम
लैली-ए अक़्ल-ए जहाँ-बीं पे ग़शी तारी है
४
किस को समझाऊँ के इस दौर-ए सकूँ-ख़्वाही में
करम-ए यार मेरे हक़ में सितमगारी है
५
फेर ले अए मेरे ग़मख़्वार निगाहें मुझ से
के अब इस दिल का मदावा तेरी बेज़ारी है
६
नोक-ए मिज़्श्गाँ पे उठाता था कभी हफ़्त-अफ़्लाक
परदा-ए चश्म पर अब रंग-ए समन जारी है
७
ग़र्क़ रहता हूँ तसव्वुर में किसी के शब ओ रोज़
गो समझता हूँ के ये ज़हन की बीमारी है
८
दिल धढकता है तो घबरा के ये कहता है दिमाग़
अए जहाँ-बाख़्ता ये अक़्ल से गद्दारी है
९
हैफ़ इस दौर में भी है वही तिफ़्लाना मिज़ाज
अब भी एक ताज़ा खिलौने की तलबगारी है
१०
कल टपकते थे दम-ए हर्फ़-ए हिकायत आँसू
आज आवाज़ की पल्कौं से लहू जारी है
११
हाए फिर किश्वर-ए क़िर्तास ओ क़लम में अए जोश
ख़द ओ ख़ाल ओ रुख़-ए रंगीं की अमलदारी है
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. He has written extensively about the beauty of dawn. His collection of nazm/Ghazal and rubaaii about the beauty of dawn can be accessed both under the poet’s name and from the Theme Index, ‘jalva-e sahr’. In this nazm/Ghazal, josh pays tribute to the beauty of the beloved regardless of the call of reason or of advanced age.
1
phir vahii dil hai vahii dard kii biimaarii hai
aur kis vaqt? keh jab kooch1 kii tayyaarii hai 1.departure (from this world)
The poet/lover is getting old and it is near the time of his passing. He has been in love and suffered the pain of love during his youth. But once again (in his old age), it is the same old heart and the same old affliction of love. And at what time? When he is getting ready to depart (this world).
2
qaid1-e hasti2 se rehaaii3 kii tamannaa4 hai mujhe
aur voh bar-sar5-e tadbiir6-e giraftaarii7 hai 1.prison, confinement 2.existence, life 3.release, freedom 4.desire 5.busy planning, busy getting ready 6.scheme, plan 7.imprisonment, capture
The poet/lover desires to be released from the confines of life … he may be getting too old, he may have suffered too much pain or he might be wishing to transcend material life into the spiritual. Who is the ‘voh’. It could either be the beloved or fate. In any case, he is desirous of dying and the beloved (or fate) is busy making plans to capture him.
3
Khalvat1-e mas’ala-sanjii2 meN bapa3 hai kohraam4
lailii-e-aql-e-jahaaN-biiN5 pe Ghashii6 taarii7 hai 1.solitude, seclusion 2.evaluating problems/mysteries, intellectual contemplation 3.underway, happening 4.loud tumult 5.personification of world seeing/discerning mind 6.faint, pass out 7.happen
The poet/thinker is engaged in ‘Khalvat-e mas’ala-sanjii’ – deep intellectual contemplation of problems, in solitude. What he experiences is chaotic tumult. The personification of the world-seeing intellect faints in the face of this enormity.
4
kis ko samjhaauuN keh is daur1-e sukuuN-Khwaahii2 meN
karam3-e yaar4 mere haq5 meN sitamgaarii6 hai 1.time, age 2.tranquility seeking 3.kindness, attention 4.friend, beloved 5.used to mean – towards me, mine by rights 6.torment
How can I explain to anyone that this age (stage of life) when I seek peace and tranquility, even the attention of the beloved is a torment.
5
pher1 le aye mere GhamKhwaar2 nigaaheN3 mujh se
keh ab is dil kaa mudaavaa4 terii bezaarii5 hai 1.turn away 2.sympathizer, consoler 3.eyes 4.cure, healing 5.disinterest
Here by ‘GhamKhwaar’ josh probably means the beloved who has turned her attention towards him (in this daur-e sukuuN-Khwaahi – from the previous she’r). I don’t think that he implies a third person, some other friend who is a sympathizer. Thus, O beloved, turn your eyes away from me, for now (at this stage of my life) the cure of my heart is your inattention/indifference. Yet again, elsewhere he writes …
is sin meN bhi paRti haiN haseenoN pe nigaaheN
qadmoN ke tale` ab bhi javaani ki haiN raaheN
ab bhi ye tamanna hai mileN phool si baaheN
asnaam ko mumkin hai ke ham josh na chaaheN
ghuTTi meN paRi aashiqi o barhamani hai
kya gulbadani, gulbadani, gulbadani hai
6
nok1-e mizshgaaN2 pe uThaataa thaa kabhii haft-aflaak3
parda4-e chashm5 par ab raNg-e-saman6 jaarii hai 1.point 2.eyelash 3.seven skies 4.veil, used here to mean surface 5.eye 6.colour of jasmine – white
At one time, I used to be able to lift the seven skies on the tip of my eyelashes but now there is a pale white colour across the surface of my eyes … i.e., I cannot see far anymore.
7
Gharq1 rahtaa huN tasavvur2 meN kisii ke shab-o-roz3
go4 samajhtaa huN keh ye zahn5 kii biimaarii hai 1.drowned, immersed 2.thoughts, imagination 3.night and day 4.even though 5.mind
I remain immersed in thoughts of that special someone day and night even though I understand/know that this is a disease of the mind.
8
dil DhaRaktaa1 hai to ghabraa2 ke ye kahtaa hai dimaaGh3
aye jahaaN-baaKhta4 ye aql5 se Ghaddaarii5 hai 1.beats, palpitates 2.alarmed 3.mind 4.defeated by the world 5.intelligence, reason 6.betrayal, treason
Presumably, his heart started beating rapidly at the sight of the beloved. The mind got alarmed and remined him that he has been beaten/defeated by life and at this stage of life, this beating of the heart is a betrayal of intelligence/reason.
9
haif1 is daur2 meN bhii hai vahii tiflaanaa3 mizaaj4
ab bhii ek taazaa5 khilaune kii talabgaarii6 hai 1.alas, regret 2.age, time 3.childish 4.temperament 5.fresh, new 6.demand
Alas, even at this (advanced) age, there is the same old childish temperament of asking for a new toy to play with.
10
kal Tapakte1 the dam2-e harf3-e hikaa’et4 aaNsu5
aaj aavaaz kii palkoN6 se lahuu7 jaarii8 hai 1.drip, flow 2.time, moment 3.word, speech 4.story 5.tears 6.eyelids 7.blood 8.emerging, flowing
In the past, when he narrated his story (of love) tears flowed. Whose tears? Most probably the beloved’s. But now, when he narrates his story, tears of blood flow from the ‘eyes of his own voice’ i.e., it is only his voice/he himself that suffers.
11
haa’e phir kishvar1-e qirtaas2 o qalam3 meN aye josh4
Khad-o-Khaal5 o ruKh-e-raNgiiN6 kii amal-daarii7 hai 1.domain 2.book, paper 3.pen 4.pen-name of the poet 5.stature and form 6.beautifu/colourful face 7.government, command and control
O josh, in the domain of paper and pen (my Ghazal-writing) still the beauty of the beloved is in control. faiz ahmed faiz in ‘mauzoo-e suKhan’ writes ….
haae us jism ke kambaKht dilaavez Khatoot
aap hi kahiye kaheeN aise bhi afsooN hoNge
apna mauzoo e suKhan in ke siva aur nahiN
taba’a shaa’er ka vatan in ke siva aur nahiN
… and in ‘maut’, he writes that even in the face of death …
jis tarah aa’egi jis roz qaza aa’egi
Khwaah qaatil ki tarah aa’e keh mahboob-sifat
dil se bas hogi yahi harf e vida’ ki soorat
lillah alhamd ba anjaam e dil e dil zadagaN
kalama e shukr banaam e lab e shiriN dahnaN
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. He has written extensively about the beauty of dawn. His collection of nazm/Ghazal and rubaaii about the beauty of dawn can be accessed both under the poet’s name and from the Theme Index, ‘jalva-e sahr’. In this nazm/Ghazal, josh pays tribute to the beauty of the beloved regardless of the call of reason or of advanced age.
1
phir vahii dil hai vahii dard kii biimaarii hai
aur kis vaqt? keh jab kooch1 kii tayyaarii hai
1.departure (from this world)
The poet/lover is getting old and it is near the time of his passing. He has been in love and suffered the pain of love during his youth. But once again (in his old age), it is the same old heart and the same old affliction of love. And at what time? When he is getting ready to depart (this world).
2
qaid1-e hasti2 se rehaaii3 kii tamannaa4 hai mujhe
aur voh bar-sar5-e tadbiir6-e giraftaarii7 hai
1.prison, confinement 2.existence, life 3.release, freedom 4.desire 5.busy planning, busy getting ready 6.scheme, plan 7.imprisonment, capture
The poet/lover desires to be released from the confines of life … he may be getting too old, he may have suffered too much pain or he might be wishing to transcend material life into the spiritual. Who is the ‘voh’. It could either be the beloved or fate. In any case, he is desirous of dying and the beloved (or fate) is busy making plans to capture him.
3
Khalvat1-e mas’ala-sanjii2 meN bapa3 hai kohraam4
lailii-e-aql-e-jahaaN-biiN5 pe Ghashii6 taarii7 hai
1.solitude, seclusion 2.evaluating problems/mysteries, intellectual contemplation 3.underway, happening 4.loud tumult 5.personification of world seeing/discerning mind 6.faint, pass out 7.happen
The poet/thinker is engaged in ‘Khalvat-e mas’ala-sanjii’ – deep intellectual contemplation of problems, in solitude. What he experiences is chaotic tumult. The personification of the world-seeing intellect faints in the face of this enormity.
4
kis ko samjhaauuN keh is daur1-e sukuuN-Khwaahii2 meN
karam3-e yaar4 mere haq5 meN sitamgaarii6 hai
1.time, age 2.tranquility seeking 3.kindness, attention 4.friend, beloved 5.used to mean – towards me, mine by rights 6.torment
How can I explain to anyone that this age (stage of life) when I seek peace and tranquility, even the attention of the beloved is a torment.
5
pher1 le aye mere GhamKhwaar2 nigaaheN3 mujh se
keh ab is dil kaa mudaavaa4 terii bezaarii5 hai
1.turn away 2.sympathizer, consoler 3.eyes 4.cure, healing 5.disinterest
Here by ‘GhamKhwaar’ josh probably means the beloved who has turned her attention towards him (in this daur-e sukuuN-Khwaahi – from the previous she’r). I don’t think that he implies a third person, some other friend who is a sympathizer. Thus, O beloved, turn your eyes away from me, for now (at this stage of my life) the cure of my heart is your inattention/indifference. Yet again, elsewhere he writes …
is sin meN bhi paRti haiN haseenoN pe nigaaheN
qadmoN ke tale` ab bhi javaani ki haiN raaheN
ab bhi ye tamanna hai mileN phool si baaheN
asnaam ko mumkin hai ke ham josh na chaaheN
ghuTTi meN paRi aashiqi o barhamani hai
kya gulbadani, gulbadani, gulbadani hai
6
nok1-e mizshgaaN2 pe uThaataa thaa kabhii haft-aflaak3
parda4-e chashm5 par ab raNg-e-saman6 jaarii hai
1.point 2.eyelash 3.seven skies 4.veil, used here to mean surface 5.eye 6.colour of jasmine – white
At one time, I used to be able to lift the seven skies on the tip of my eyelashes but now there is a pale white colour across the surface of my eyes … i.e., I cannot see far anymore.
7
Gharq1 rahtaa huN tasavvur2 meN kisii ke shab-o-roz3
go4 samajhtaa huN keh ye zahn5 kii biimaarii hai
1.drowned, immersed 2.thoughts, imagination 3.night and day 4.even though 5.mind
I remain immersed in thoughts of that special someone day and night even though I understand/know that this is a disease of the mind.
8
dil DhaRaktaa1 hai to ghabraa2 ke ye kahtaa hai dimaaGh3
aye jahaaN-baaKhta4 ye aql5 se Ghaddaarii5 hai
1.beats, palpitates 2.alarmed 3.mind 4.defeated by the world 5.intelligence, reason 6.betrayal, treason
Presumably, his heart started beating rapidly at the sight of the beloved. The mind got alarmed and remined him that he has been beaten/defeated by life and at this stage of life, this beating of the heart is a betrayal of intelligence/reason.
9
haif1 is daur2 meN bhii hai vahii tiflaanaa3 mizaaj4
ab bhii ek taazaa5 khilaune kii talabgaarii6 hai
1.alas, regret 2.age, time 3.childish 4.temperament 5.fresh, new 6.demand
Alas, even at this (advanced) age, there is the same old childish temperament of asking for a new toy to play with.
10
kal Tapakte1 the dam2-e harf3-e hikaa’et4 aaNsu5
aaj aavaaz kii palkoN6 se lahuu7 jaarii8 hai
1.drip, flow 2.time, moment 3.word, speech 4.story 5.tears 6.eyelids 7.blood 8.emerging, flowing
In the past, when he narrated his story (of love) tears flowed. Whose tears? Most probably the beloved’s. But now, when he narrates his story, tears of blood flow from the ‘eyes of his own voice’ i.e., it is only his voice/he himself that suffers.
11
haa’e phir kishvar1-e qirtaas2 o qalam3 meN aye josh4
Khad-o-Khaal5 o ruKh-e-raNgiiN6 kii amal-daarii7 hai
1.domain 2.book, paper 3.pen 4.pen-name of the poet 5.stature and form 6.beautifu/colourful face 7.government, command and control
O josh, in the domain of paper and pen (my Ghazal-writing) still the beauty of the beloved is in control. faiz ahmed faiz in ‘mauzoo-e suKhan’ writes ….
haae us jism ke kambaKht dilaavez Khatoot
aap hi kahiye kaheeN aise bhi afsooN hoNge
apna mauzoo e suKhan in ke siva aur nahiN
taba’a shaa’er ka vatan in ke siva aur nahiN
… and in ‘maut’, he writes that even in the face of death …
jis tarah aa’egi jis roz qaza aa’egi
Khwaah qaatil ki tarah aa’e keh mahboob-sifat
dil se bas hogi yahi harf e vida’ ki soorat
lillah alhamd ba anjaam e dil e dil zadagaN
kalama e shukr banaam e lab e shiriN dahnaN
