For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
ajai siNgh
آ بھی نہ سکوں ۔ مرزا غالبؔ
۱
اِس قدر ضبط کہاں ہے کبھی آ بھی نہ سکوں
ستم اِتنا تو نہ کیجے کہ اُٹھا بھی نہ سکوں
۲
لگ گئی آگ اگر گھر کو تو اندیشہ کیا
شعلۂ دِل تو نہیں ہے کہ بُجھا بھی نہ سکوں
۳
تم نہ آؤ گے تو مرنے کی ہیں سَو تدبیریں
موت کچھ تم تو نہیں ہو کہ بُلا بھی نہ سکوں
۴
ہنس کے بلوائیے مٹ جائے گا سب دل کا گلہ
کیا تصوُّر ہے تمہارا کہ مِٹا بھی نہ سکوں
۵
مہرباں ہو کے بلا لو مجھے چاہو جس وقت
میں گیا وقت نہیں ہوں کہ پھر آ بھی نہ سکوں
۶
ضعف میں طعنۂ اغیار کا شکوہ کیا ہے
بات کچھ سر تو نہیں ہے کہ اُٹھا بھی نہ سکوں
۷
زہر ملتا ہی نہیں مجھ کو ستمگر ورنہ
کیا قسم ہے ترے ملنے کی کہ کھا بھی نہ سکوں
आ भी न सकूँ – मिर्ज़ा ग़ालिब
१
इस क़दर ज़ब्त कहाँ है कभी आ भी न सकूँ
सितम इतना तो न कीजे के उठा भी न सकूँ
२
लग गई आग अगर घर को तो अंदेशा क्या
शो’ला-ए दिल तो नहीं है कि बुझा भी न सकूँ
३
तुम न आओगे तो मरने की हैं सौ तद्बीरें
मौत कुछ तुम तो नहीं हो के बुला भी न सकूँ
४
हँस के बुलवाइए मिट जाएगा सब दिल का गिला
क्या तसव्वुर है तुम्हारा के मिटा भी न सकूँ
५
मेहरबाँ हो के बुला लो मुझे चाहो जिस वक़्त
मैं गया वक़्त नहीं हूँ कि फिर आ भी न सकूँ
६
ज़ोफ़ में ताना-ए अग़्यार का शिकवा क्या है
बात कुछ सर तो नहीं है के उठा भी न सकूँ
७
ज़हर मिलता ही नहीं मुझ को सितमगर वर्ना
क्या क़सम है तेरे मिलने की के खा भी न सकूँ
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. mirza asadullah KhaaN Ghalib (1797-1869). I dare not write any introduction. On more than one occasion Ghalib has warned his readers that he needs no introduction or even address. I humbly comply. This Ghazal is also linked to Ghalib naqsh-e qadam along with those of other shu’ara composed in the same radeef and qaafiya. Included is an English translation by my dear friend, badri raina, retired professor of English, dehli University, poet, writer, who has translated several Ghalib Ghazal and published them as a book. The first four ash’aar in this version were not included in later editions for Ghalib’s diivaan. kalidas gupta raza dates this Ghazal to 1833. This Ghazal, along with others who composed in the same zamin is linked to Ghalib naqsh-e qadam.
1
is qadar1 zabt2 kahaaN hai kabhi aa bhi na sakuN
sitam3 itnaa to na kiije keh uThaa bhi na sakuN 1.so much 2.tolerance, self control 3.torture
I don’t have enough self-control to restrain myself from showing up at your door. Do not torture me so much that I may not be able to bear it any more.
2
lag ga’ii aag agar ghar ko to andesha1 kya
sho’la2-e dil to nahiN hai keh bujha bhi na sakuN 1.fear 2.flame
What concern do I have if the house catches fire. It is not like the passion/flame of my heart that it cannot be put out.
3
tum na aaoge to marne ki haiN sau tadbiireN1
maut2 kuchh tum to nahiN ho keh bulaa bhi na sakuN 1.methods, ways 2.death
If you do not come, there are a hundred ways in which I can kill myself. Death is not like you that it cannot be summoned.
4
haNs ke bulvaaiye miT jaayegaa sab dil ka gila1
kya tasavvur2 hai tumhaara keh miTaa3 bhi na sakuN 1.complaint 2.imagination, thought, memories 3.erase
Call me happily and all complaints of the heart will be erased. After all, complaints are not like your memories (etched in my heart) that cannot be erased.
5
mehrbaaN1 ho ke bulaa lo mujhe chaaho jis vaqt
maiN gayaa-vaqt2 nahiN huuN ki phir aa bhi na sakuN 1.kind, benevolent 2.time gone by, past
Be kind and call me any time you choose. I am not like the past that cannot come back. He is needling the beloved.
6
zo’f1 meN taana2-e aGhyaar3 ka shikva4 kya hai
baat kuchh sar to nahiN hai keh uTha bhi na sakuN 1.weakness 2.taunt 3.others, rivals 4.complaint
Why complain about the taunts of rivals even if I am weak. Words are not like a head that I may not be able to bear/hold up. Thus, he can bear the bitterness of taunts even if he is so weak that he cannot hold up his head.
7
zahr miltaa hi nahiN mujh ko sitamgar1 varna2
kya qasam hai tere milne ki keh khaa bhi na sakuN 1.tyrant, oppressor 2.otherwise
In urdu the phrase is ‘zahr khaana’ literally to eat poison equivalent to the English ‘take poison’. Also ‘qasam khaana’ is usually used to mean – forswear, promise to abstain. To make a promise to do something, normally ‘vaada karna’ is used. The beloved has been ignoring the poet/lover for so long that he wants to end his life by taking poison but cannot find it. If I can find it, I can take (eat) it because it is not like your promise to forswear meeting which I cannot take (eat).
mirza asadullah KhaaN Ghalib (1797-1869). I dare not write any introduction. On more than one occasion Ghalib has warned his readers that he needs no introduction or even address. I humbly comply. This Ghazal is also linked to Ghalib naqsh-e qadam along with those of other shu’ara composed in the same radeef and qaafiya. Included is an English translation by my dear friend, badri raina, retired professor of English, dehli University, poet, writer, who has translated several Ghalib Ghazal and published them as a book. The first four ash’aar in this version were not included in later editions for Ghalib’s diivaan. kalidas gupta raza dates this Ghazal to 1833. This Ghazal, along with others who composed in the same zamin is linked to Ghalib naqsh-e qadam.
1
is qadar1 zabt2 kahaaN hai kabhi aa bhi na sakuN
sitam3 itnaa to na kiije keh uThaa bhi na sakuN
1.so much 2.tolerance, self control 3.torture
I don’t have enough self-control to restrain myself from showing up at your door. Do not torture me so much that I may not be able to bear it any more.
2
lag ga’ii aag agar ghar ko to andesha1 kya
sho’la2-e dil to nahiN hai keh bujha bhi na sakuN
1.fear 2.flame
What concern do I have if the house catches fire. It is not like the passion/flame of my heart that it cannot be put out.
3
tum na aaoge to marne ki haiN sau tadbiireN1
maut2 kuchh tum to nahiN ho keh bulaa bhi na sakuN
1.methods, ways 2.death
If you do not come, there are a hundred ways in which I can kill myself. Death is not like you that it cannot be summoned.
4
haNs ke bulvaaiye miT jaayegaa sab dil ka gila1
kya tasavvur2 hai tumhaara keh miTaa3 bhi na sakuN
1.complaint 2.imagination, thought, memories 3.erase
Call me happily and all complaints of the heart will be erased. After all, complaints are not like your memories (etched in my heart) that cannot be erased.
5
mehrbaaN1 ho ke bulaa lo mujhe chaaho jis vaqt
maiN gayaa-vaqt2 nahiN huuN ki phir aa bhi na sakuN
1.kind, benevolent 2.time gone by, past
Be kind and call me any time you choose. I am not like the past that cannot come back. He is needling the beloved.
6
zo’f1 meN taana2-e aGhyaar3 ka shikva4 kya hai
baat kuchh sar to nahiN hai keh uTha bhi na sakuN
1.weakness 2.taunt 3.others, rivals 4.complaint
Why complain about the taunts of rivals even if I am weak. Words are not like a head that I may not be able to bear/hold up. Thus, he can bear the bitterness of taunts even if he is so weak that he cannot hold up his head.
7
zahr miltaa hi nahiN mujh ko sitamgar1 varna2
kya qasam hai tere milne ki keh khaa bhi na sakuN
1.tyrant, oppressor 2.otherwise
In urdu the phrase is ‘zahr khaana’ literally to eat poison equivalent to the English ‘take poison’. Also ‘qasam khaana’ is usually used to mean – forswear, promise to abstain. To make a promise to do something, normally ‘vaada karna’ is used. The beloved has been ignoring the poet/lover for so long that he wants to end his life by taking poison but cannot find it. If I can find it, I can take (eat) it because it is not like your promise to forswear meeting which I cannot take (eat).
[English]
badri raina
5
O call me tenderly whenever you should;
I am no bygone time, now lost for good.
7
Sooner could I swallow some deadly draught or two,
Than swear with any conviction by our rendezvous.
[end-English]
