For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
فروزاں ہے زندگی ۱۔۱۰۔ جوشؔ ملیح آبادی
۱
کیا صِرف نور ہی میں درخشاں ہے زندگی
ظلمت کے طاق میں بھی فروزاں ہیں زندگی
۲
پھولوں کے رنگ ہی میں نہیں قلزمِ نمُود
کانٹوں کے روپ میں بھی نُمایاں ہے زندگی
۳
تیرے خطوط ہی میں نہیں اے خمِ بلور
رگ ہائے سنگ میں بھی پر افشاں ہے زندگی
۴
نا پختگی ہے، اے حرکت، اِس قدر غرور
فرشِ جمود پر بھی گل افشاں ہیں زندگی
۵
اس درجے ناز کر نہ غزالِ صبا خرام
کہ سارِ پابگل میں بھی جولاں ہے زندگی
۶
پیغمبر و فرشتہ و یزدان و اہرمن
ان سب کی داستان کا عنواں ہے زندگی
۷
قدرت کا ایک زمزمۂ جاں نواز ہے
اے مفتیو نہ کفر نہ ایماں ہے زندگی
۸
ہر مومن و مجوسی و ملحد کے فرق پر
بادِ شمال و ابرِ دُر افشاں ہے زندگی
۹
جن مشکلوں پہ حصر ہے تکمیلِ ذات کا
اُن مشکلوں کے فیض سے آساں ہیں زندگی
۱۰
دیکھیں تو کائنات کے دامن کی صِرف بیل
جانچیں تو کائنات بہ داماں ہے زندگی
फ़रोज़ां है ज़िंदगी – १-१० – जोश मलीहआबादी
१
क्या सिर्फ़ नूर ही में दरख़्शां है ज़िंदगी
ज़ुल्मत के ताक़ में भी फ़रोज़ां है ज़िंदगी
२
फूलों के रंग ही में नहीं क़ुल्ज़ुम-ए नुमूद
कांटों के रूप में भी नुमायां है ज़िंदगी
३
तेरे ख़ुतूत ही में नहीं ऐ ख़ुम-ए बिलोर
रग-हाए-संग में भी पर-अफ़शां है ज़िंदगी
४
ना-पुख़्तगी है, अए हरकत, इस क़दर ग़ुरूर
फ़र्श-ए जुमूद पर भी गुल-अफ़शां है ज़िंदगी
५
इस दर्जे नाज़ कर ना ग़ज़ाल-ए सबा-ख़िराम
के सार-ए पा-ब-गिल में भी जौलां है ज़िंदगी
६
पैग़म्बर ओ फ़रिश्ता ओ यज़्दान ओ अहरमन
इन सब की दास्तान का उन्वां है ज़िंदगी
७
क़ुदरत का एक ज़मज़मा-ए जां-नवाज़ है
अए मुफ़्तियो न कुफ़्र न ईमां है ज़िंदगी
८
हर मोमिन ओ मजूसी ओ मुल्हिद के फ़र्क़ पर
बाद-ए शुमाल ओ अब्र-ए दुर-अफ़्शां है ज़िंदगी
९
जिन मुश्किलों पर हसर है तक्मील-ए ज़ात का
उन मुश्किलों के फ़ैज़ से आसां है ज़िंदगी
१०
देखें तो का’एनात के दामन की सिर्फ़ बेल
जांचें तो का’एनात ब-दामां है ज़िंदगी
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. josh malihabadi (1898-1982) is known as – shaa’er-e inqelaab – poet of revolution. His nazm are fiery, passionate and full of energy. His Ghazal and rubaaii are equally good. He was a secular humanist writing sharply and irreverently against colonialism, abuse of power, injustice and orthodoxy. Typically, josh’s compositions throb and overflow with energy and ‘josh/passion’. Here josh celebrates life because it is finite and circumscribed, but still enjoyable. In this celebration, josh defies the rather morose convention that ‘real life begins after death’. He would much rather enjoy what he has. This is a long Ghazal-numa nazm, posted in two parts for easy reading.
1
kya sirf1 nuur2 hi meN darakhshaaN3 hai zindagi
zulmat4 ke taaq5 meN bhi farozaaN6 hai zindagi 1.only 2.light 3.shining 4.darkness 5.niche 6.radiant
Does life shine only in light. No, it is radiant even in the niche of darkness. Here, light and darkness can be symbolic of joy and sorrow. The poet avers that life can be radiant, can be enjoyed fully during periods of joy as well as sorrow.
2
phuuloN ke raNg hi meN nahiiN qulzum1-e numuud2
kaaNToN ke ruup3 meN bhi numayaaN4 hai zindagi 1.ocean 2.visible, exibited 3.shape, form 4.visible, manifest
Life manifests itself not just in the ocean of colours of flowers but equally in the form of thorns; suggesting that beauty exists in all creation’s contrasts.
3
tere Khutuut1 hi meN nahiN aye Khum2-e bilor3
rug-haa4-e saNg5 meN bhi par-afshaaN6 hai zindagi 1.lines, engravings 2.goblet, cup 3.crystalline 4.plural of rug-veins 5.stone, rock 6.flapping wings, flying, flowing, throbbing
Life isn’t confined to crystal goblets’ engravings – it pulses even in veins of rocks, emphasizing its pervasive vitality.
4
naa-puKhtagi1 hai, aye harkat2, is qadar3 Ghuruur4
farsh5-e jumuud6 par bhi gul-afshaaN7 hai zindagi 1.immaturity 2.movement, mobility 3.so much 4.pride, conceit 5.floor 6.stillness 7.blossoming like flowers
Movement/mobility/the ability to move thinks that it alone has life. Such conceit, O movement, shows your immaturity. Life blooms like flowers even on the floor of stillness. In both a literal and figurative sense this could be about life growing from the stillness/immobility of the earth/soil.
5
iss darje1 naaz2 kar na Ghazaal3-e sabaa-Khiraam4
keh saar5-e paa-ba-gil6 meN bhi jaulaaN7 hai zindagi 1.to such a degree 2.pride 3.gazelle, deer 4.gait of breeze, running like the wind, fleet-footed 5.essence 6.feet in clay/soil 7.galloping, running
O fleet-footed gazelle, do not be proud to such a degree because the essence of those with feet firmly planted into the soil, also has a gallop.
6
paiGhambar1 o farishta2 o yazdaan3 o aharman4
in sab ki daastaan5 kaa unvaaN6 hai zindagi 1.(divine) messenger 2.angel 3.god 4.devil, satan
Life is the theme in all divine/cosmic stories – of prophets, angels, gods and demons; unifying cosmic narratives into a single thread of throbbing life.
7
qudrat1 kaa ek zamzamaa2-e jaaN-navaaz3 hai
aye muftiyo4 na kufr5 na imaaN6 hai zindagi 1.nature 2.melody 3.soul-stirring 4.judge, law-giver, preacher 5.non-faith 6.faith
Life is nature’s soul-stirring melody, transcending man-made labels of faith/blasphemy; a rebuke to the dogmatic preacher.
8
har1 momin2 o majuusi3 o mulhid4 ke farq5 par
baad6-e shumaal7 o abr8-e dur-afshaaN9 hai zindagi 1.every 2.believer 3.fire-worshipper 4.atheist 5.differences 6.breeze, wind 7.northern 8.clouds 9.pearl-scattering
On the differences between every believer, fire-worshipper and atheist alike, life showers pearls like blessings brought by north winds and clouds; i.e., nature allows for differences, celebrates and blesses differences.
9
jin mushkiloN1 par hasr2 hai takmiil3-e zaat4 kaa
unn mushkiloN1 ke faiz5 se aasaaN6 hai zindagi 1.difficulties, obstacles 2.dependance 3.completion, fulfillment 4.being 5.benevolence 6.easy
The overcoming of obstacles that seem to limit self-fulfillment, those very obstacles actually make life easy/enjoyable through their benevolence i.e., the real enjoyment of life is in overcoming obstacles.
10
jin mushkiloN1 par hasr2 hai takmiil3-e zaat4 kaa
unn mushkiloN1 ke faiz5 se aasaaN6 hai zindagi 1.difficulties, obstacles 2.dependance 3.completion, fulfillment 4.being 5.benevolence 6.easy
The overcoming of obstacles that seem to limit self-fulfillment, those very obstacles actually make life easy/enjoyable through their benevolence i.e., the real enjoyment of life is in overcoming obstacles.
josh malihabadi (1898-1982) is known as – shaa’er-e inqelaab – poet of revolution. His nazm are fiery, passionate and full of energy. His Ghazal and rubaaii are equally good. He was a secular humanist writing sharply and irreverently against colonialism, abuse of power, injustice and orthodoxy. Typically, josh’s compositions throb and overflow with energy and ‘josh/passion’. Here josh celebrates life because it is finite and circumscribed, but still enjoyable. In this celebration, josh defies the rather morose convention that ‘real life begins after death’. He would much rather enjoy what he has. This is a long Ghazal-numa nazm, posted in two parts for easy reading.
1
kya sirf1 nuur2 hi meN darakhshaaN3 hai zindagi
zulmat4 ke taaq5 meN bhi farozaaN6 hai zindagi
1.only 2.light 3.shining 4.darkness 5.niche 6.radiant
Does life shine only in light. No, it is radiant even in the niche of darkness. Here, light and darkness can be symbolic of joy and sorrow. The poet avers that life can be radiant, can be enjoyed fully during periods of joy as well as sorrow.
2
phuuloN ke raNg hi meN nahiiN qulzum1-e numuud2
kaaNToN ke ruup3 meN bhi numayaaN4 hai zindagi
1.ocean 2.visible, exibited 3.shape, form 4.visible, manifest
Life manifests itself not just in the ocean of colours of flowers but equally in the form of thorns; suggesting that beauty exists in all creation’s contrasts.
3
tere Khutuut1 hi meN nahiN aye Khum2-e bilor3
rug-haa4-e saNg5 meN bhi par-afshaaN6 hai zindagi
1.lines, engravings 2.goblet, cup 3.crystalline 4.plural of rug-veins 5.stone, rock 6.flapping wings, flying, flowing, throbbing
Life isn’t confined to crystal goblets’ engravings – it pulses even in veins of rocks, emphasizing its pervasive vitality.
5
naa-puKhtagi1 hai, aye harkat2, is qadar3 Ghuruur4
farsh5-e jumuud6 par bhi gul-afshaaN7 hai zindagi
1.immaturity 2.movement, mobility 3.so much 4.pride, conceit 5.floor 6.stillness 7.blossoming like flowers
Movement/mobility/the ability to move thinks that it alone has life. Such conceit, O movement, shows your immaturity. Life blooms like flowers even on the floor of stillness. In both a literal and figurative sense this could be about life growing from the stillness/immobility of the earth/soil.
5
iss darje1 naaz2 kar na Ghazaal3-e sabaa-Khiraam4
keh saar5-e paa-ba-gil6 meN bhi jaulaaN7 hai zindagi
1.to such a degree 2.pride 3.gazelle, deer 4.gait of breeze, running like the wind, fleet-footed 5.essence 6.feet in clay/soil 7.galloping, running
O fleet-footed gazelle, do not be proud to such a degree because the essence of those with feet firmly planted into the soil, also has a gallop.
6
paiGhambar1 o farishta2 o yazdaan3 o aharman4
in sab ki daastaan5 kaa unvaaN6 hai zindagi
1.(divine) messenger 2.angel 3.god 4.devil, satan
Life is the theme in all divine/cosmic stories – of prophets, angels, gods and demons; unifying cosmic narratives into a single thread of throbbing life.
7
qudrat1 kaa ek zamzamaa2-e jaaN-navaaz3 hai
aye muftiyo4 na kufr5 na imaaN6 hai zindagi
1.nature 2.melody 3.soul-stirring 4.judge, law-giver, preacher 5.non-faith 6.faith
Life is nature’s soul-stirring melody, transcending man-made labels of faith/blasphemy; a rebuke to the dogmatic preacher.
8
har1 momin2 o majuusi3 o mulhid4 ke farq5 par
baad6-e shumaal7 o abr8-e dur-afshaaN9 hai zindagi
1.every 2.believer 3.fire-worshipper 4.atheist 5.differences 6.breeze, wind 7.northern 8.clouds 9.pearl-scattering
On the differences between every believer, fire-worshipper and atheist alike, life showers pearls like blessings brought by north winds and clouds; i.e., nature allows for differences, celebrates and blesses differences.
9
jin mushkiloN1 par hasr2 hai takmiil3-e zaat4 kaa
unn mushkiloN1 ke faiz5 se aasaaN6 hai zindagi
1.difficulties, obstacles 2.dependance 3.completion, fulfillment 4.being 5.benevolence 6.easy
The overcoming of obstacles that seem to limit self-fulfillment, those very obstacles actually make life easy/enjoyable through their benevolence i.e., the real enjoyment of life is in overcoming obstacles.
10
dekheN to kaa’enaat1 ke daaman2 ki sirf bel3
jaaaNcheN4 to kaa’enaat1 ba-damaaN5 hai zindagi
1.universe, cosmos 2.hem of the garment 3.vine, embroidery along the hem 4.examining 5.carrying/gathering in the hem, possessing
While superficially life appears as mere embroidery on the hem of the robe of the universe/existence, on closer examination you can see that life carries the universe in the hem of its garment i.e., it owns the universe.
