For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
جلنے کو طُور تھا ۔ امیرؔ مینائی
۱
موقوف جُرم ہی پہ کرم کا ظہُور تھا
بندے اگر قُصُور نہ کرتے قُصُور تھا
۲
اے برقِ حسنِ یار یہ اچھا ظہُور تھا
دیدار کو کلیم تھے، جلنے کو طُور تھا
۳
جب تک کہ چشمِ شوق میں وحدت کا نُور تھا
جِس بام پر نِگاہ پڑی کوہِ طُور تھا
۴
سَو شعر ایک جلسے میں کہتے تھے ہم امیرؔ
جب تک نہ شعر کہنے کا ہم کو شعور تھا
जलने को तूर था । अमीर मीनाई
१
मौक़ूफ़ जुर्म ही पे करम का ज़ुहूर था
बंदे अगर क़ुसूर न करते क़ुसूर था
२
अए बर्क़-ए हुस्न-ए यार ये अच्छा ज़ुहूर था
दीदार को कलीम थे, जलने को तूर था
३
जब तक के चश्म-ए शौक़ में वहदत का नूर था
जिस बाम पर निगाह पढी कोह-ए तूर था
४
सौ शे’र एक जलसे में कहते थे हम अमीर
जब तक न शे’र कहने का हम को शु’ऊर था
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. amir minaaii (1829-1900) was contemporary of daaGh dehlavi and much like him received patronage in rampur and later in hyderabad, where he died and is buried. This is one of several Ghazal of minaaii and other shu’ara in the same radeef/qaafiya as Ghalib and is linked to ‘Ghalib naqsh-e qadam’.
1
mauquuf1 jurm2 hi pe karam3 ka zahuur4 tha
band’e5 agar qusuur6 na kart’e qusuur tha 1.dependent 2.crime, sin 3.kindness, forgiveness 4.manifestation, appearance 5.slaves, creatures 6.mistake
The manifestation/appearance of kindness is dependent on the commitment of sin i.e., if no one commits a sin, then there is no forgiveness and god does not get to show his kindness. Therefore if the creatures of god do not commit any sins then that is the greatest sin. Said panDit anand narain mulla …
us ke karam pe shak tujhe zaahid zaroor tha
varna tera qusoor na karna qusoor tha
2
aye barq1-e husn2-e yaar3 ye achchha zahuur4 tha
diidaar5 ko kaliim6 th’e, jalne ko tuur7 tha 1.lightning 2.beauty, glory 3.friend, beloved, god 4.manifestation 5.vision, sight, display 6.another name of moosa/Moses 7.mount tuur
It is said that moosa/Moses went up mount tuur asking to see god or some evidence of his existence. He was told that he could not bear the sight, but he insisted. The manifestation appeared as a flash of lightning which caused moosa to faint, and burnt up the mountain. The poet is ironic in saying … what a wonderful manifestation O lightning of the glory of god, mount tuur is reduced to ashes and moosa gets to see the glory. Is this fair!
3
jab tak keh chashm1-e shauq2 meN vahdat3 ka nuur4 tha
jis baam5 par nigaah6 paRi koh-e-tuur7 tha 1.eye 2.desire 3.unity, one-ness 4.light 5.rooftop 6.sight, glance 7.mount tuur
As long as the eye of desire (to see the beloved) had the light of ‘one-ness’, as long as it was focussed on the thought that there is only one beloved; then every rooftop that we look at appears like mount tuur (which is where moosa is said to have seen divine manifestation). The beloved is imagined to appear on her rooftop and that is divine.
4
sau she’r ek jalse1 meN kahte th’e ham amiir2
jab tak na she’r kahne ka hum ko shu’uur3 tha 1.pulic gathering 2.pen-name 3.ability, wisdom, art
O amiir, I used to recite a hundred verses in public gatherings until I acquired the wisdom to compose (tasteful) verse i.e., wordsmithing is easy; you can spout off a hundred verses, but composing meaningful ash’aar is an artform. Said Ghalib …
Ghalib nabuvad sheva-e man qaafiya bandi
zulmiist ke bar kilk o varaq meekunam imshab
O, Ghalib, it is not my practice to do word-smithing
It is cruelty that I visit on pen and paper tonight
amir minaaii (1829-1900) was contemporary of daaGh dehlavi and much like him received patronage in rampur and later in hyderabad, where he died and is buried. This is one of several Ghazal of minaaii and other shu’ara in the same radeef/qaafiya as Ghalib and is linked to ‘Ghalib naqsh-e qadam’.
1
mauquuf1 jurm2 hi pe karam3 ka zahuur4 tha
band’e5 agar qusuur6 na kart’e qusuur tha
1.dependent 2.crime, sin 3.kindness, forgiveness 4.manifestation, appearance 5.slaves, creatures 6.mistake
The manifestation/appearance of kindness is dependent on the commitment of sin i.e., if no one commits a sin, then there is no forgiveness and god does not get to show his kindness. Therefore if the creatures of god do not commit any sins then that is the greatest sin. Said panDit anand narain mulla …
us ke karam pe shak tujhe zaahid zaroor tha
varna tera qusoor na karna qusoor tha
2
aye barq1-e husn2-e yaar3 ye achchha zahuur4 tha
diidaar5 ko kaliim6 th’e, jalne ko tuur7 tha
1.lightning 2.beauty, glory 3.friend, beloved, god 4.manifestation 5.vision, sight, display 6.another name of moosa/Moses 7.mount tuur
It is said that moosa/Moses went up mount tuur asking to see god or some evidence of his existence. He was told that he could not bear the sight, but he insisted. The manifestation appeared as a flash of lightning which caused moosa to faint, and burnt up the mountain. The poet is ironic in saying … what a wonderful manifestation O lightning of the glory of god, mount tuur is reduced to ashes and moosa gets to see the glory. Is this fair!
3
jab tak keh chashm1-e shauq2 meN vahdat3 ka nuur4 tha
jis baam5 par nigaah6 paRi koh-e-tuur7 tha
1.eye 2.desire 3.unity, one-ness 4.light 5.rooftop 6.sight, glance 7.mount tuur
As long as the eye of desire (to see the beloved) had the light of ‘one-ness’, as long as it was focussed on the thought that there is only one beloved; then every rooftop that we look at appears like mount tuur (which is where moosa is said to have seen divine manifestation). The beloved is imagined to appear on her rooftop and that is divine.
4
sau she’r ek jalse1 meN kahte th’e ham amiir2
jab tak na she’r kahne ka hum ko shu’uur3 tha
1.pulic gathering 2.pen-name 3.ability, wisdom, art
O amiir, I used to recite a hundred verses in public gatherings until I acquired the wisdom to compose (tasteful) verse i.e., wordsmithing is easy; you can spout off a hundred verses, but composing meaningful ash’aar is an artform. Said Ghalib …
Ghalib nabuvad sheva-e man qaafiya bandi
zulmiist ke bar kilk o varaq meekunam imshab
O, Ghalib, it is not my practice to do word-smithing
It is cruelty that I visit on pen and paper tonight
