Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. syed vahiduddin ahmed beKhud dehlavi (1863-1955) disciple of daaGh dehlavi, learnt arabi and faarsi from altaaf husain haali. He in turn helped illustrious shaagird including heera lal falak and murli dhar shaad. This Ghazal is modeled after Ghalib’s ‘koii ummeed bar nahiN aati’ and is linked to Ghalib naqsh-e qadam.
1
dil ki ab kuchh Khabar¹ nahiN aati
lab² tak aah³-e jigar⁴ nahiN aati   1.news, awareness 2.lips, mouth 3.sigh, moan 4.liver-seat of fortitude
In urdu poetic tradition the liver is the seat of forbearance and fortitude. When the pain of unrequited love becomes unbearable then a sigh/moan would emerge from the lips. But for some reason, this has not happened in a long time, so the lover does not know the condition of his own heart. Why has the ‘jigar’ not let out a sigh – it remains for us to guess. Perhaps it is because it has gotten used to the pain, bearing it silently.
2
niind meri rafeeq¹-e hijraaN² thi
yeh bhi ab raat bhar nahiN aati    1.companion, friend 2.separation
During nights of separation, sleep used to be a companion/friend of the lover. But now the pain has gotten so intense that he cannot sleep all night long i.e., sleep is no longer his companion.
3
mahram¹-e ishq thi, bani Ghammaaz²
sharm aye chashm³-e tar⁴ nahiN aati     1.intimate, familiar 2.tale teller, gossip monger 3.eye 4.wet, tearful
The lover’s eye was his friend and trusted confidant, but now it has turned gossip monger and is revealing his secret. Shame on you O tearful eye. Of course, his eyes are tearful because of the pain of love and that is why the whole world knows his secret.
4
ishq meN kaT¹ gaii javaani to
umr² kaTti nazar³ nahiN aati     1.passed 2.life, life-span 3.contextually it means – doesn’t appear like
I passed through youth easily because of love. It doesn’t seem like the rest of life will pass that easily.
5
buu-e gul¹ kya qafas² se Darti hai
kyuN nasiim³-e sahar⁴ nahiN aati    1.rose 2.cage 3.breeze 4.dawn
The poet is like a bird in a cage. When the bird was free in the garden, the morning breeze blew and brought the fragrance of the rose. Now that he is in a cage, far away from the garden, he does not have that experience. Is the fragrance of the rose afraid of the cage. The morning breeze does not blow here.
6
maaNgta huN duaa’eN furqat¹ meN
maut aaye, magar nahiN aati    1.separation
Distressed by separation from the beloved, the lover prays for death but his death ‘does not come’ (this literal translation is awkward in English).
7
dil Khushi ke liye tarasta¹ hai
bhool kar bhi idhar nahiN aati    1.thirsts
The heart years/thirsts for happiness/peace/tranquility but even in forgetfulness it (happiness personified) does not turn this way.
8
sab hunar¹ yaad haiN zamaane² ke
haaN vafa³ ek magar nahiN aati     1.skill, talent 2.times, age 3.fidelity, keeping promises
The beloved is notorious for making promises but ignoring them. Thus, she remembers/knows all the skills/arts of the time except she does not know how to keep her promise.
9
sharm¹ ne kya paRha diya tum ko
aaj mujh tak nazar² nahiN aati     1.shyness, coyness 2.glance
What has shyness taught you today. Your eyes are not raised, your glance does not get directed towards me.
10
dil diya lutf¹ ki nazar² bhi na kii
sharm³ aye muft-bar⁴ nahiN aati     1.grace, elegance, kindness 2.glance 3.shame 4.free-loader
The implication is that if you take the heart you have to give something in return. Thus, I gave you my heart, you did not even give me a look of kindness. Are you not ashamed of being a free-loader.
11
ham bhi piite nahiN haiN mai¹ beKhud²
jab ghaTa³ jhoom kar nahiN aati    1.wine 2.pen-name of the poet 3.rain clouds
In poetic convention, spring is the time of festivities. It also coincides with the arrival of rain. Thus, whenever rain clouds appear in the sky, the poet/lover celebrates, calling for wine to drink. Thus, O beKhud, I too, don’t drink wine, unless dark, rainy clouds swirl in the sky.