For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
موجوں میں کوئی گرداب نہیں ۔ جوش ملیح آبادی
۱
اے شوق، مجھے گمراہ نہ کر، شورش کے لیے اسباب نہیں
اُمّید کے اُجڑے گلشن میں، اِک پھول بھی اب شاداب نہیں
۲
اب عشق کا چہرہ کیا دیکھوں، اے حسن ترے آئینے میں
اِحساس کی آنکھیں ڈھونڈتی ہیں، اُمّید کے رُخ پر آب نہیں
۳
اب دل کا سفینہ کیا اُبھرے طوفاں کی ہوائیں ساکن ہیں
اب بحر سے کشتی کیا کھیلے، موجوں میں کوئی گرداب نہیں
۴
پھر جوشؔ فسردہ خاطر ہے، اے عہدِ تمنّا، واپس آ
آسائش کھائے جاتی ہے تمکین کی دل کو تاب نہیں
मौजौं में कोई गिर्दाब नहीं – जोश मलीह’आबादी
१
अए शौक़, मुझे गुमराह न कर, शोरिश के लिए अस्बाब नहीं
उम्मीद के उजढे गुल्शन में, एक फूल भी अब शादाब नहीं
२
अब इश्क़ का चेहरा क्या देखूं, अए हुस्न तेरे आईने में
एहसास की आंखें ढूंढती हैं, उम्मीद के रुख़ पर आब नहीं
३
अब दिल का सफ़ीना क्या उभरे, तूफ़ां की हवाएं साकिन हैं
अब बहर से कश्ती क्या खेले, मौजौं में कोई गिर्दाब नहीं
४
फिर जोश फ़सुर्दा ख़ातिर है, अए अहद-ए तमन्ना, वापस आ
आसा’एश खाए जाती है, तमकीन की दिल को ताब नहीं
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. josh malihabadi (1898-1982) is known as a poet of revolution. He was a secular humanist writing sharply against colonialism, abuse of power, injustice and orthodoxy. This short Ghazal bemoans the onset of old age when he has lost the intensity of passion or perhaps there is some other reason that is causing it.
1
aye shauq1, mujhe gumraah2 na kar, shorish3 ke liye asbaab4 nahiiN
ummiid5 ke ujRe6 gulshan7 meN, ek phuul bhi ab shaadaab8 nahiiN 1.desire, passion 2.mislead, astray 3.turmoil 4.means, resources 5.hope 6.ruined, desolate 7.garden 7.fresh, vibrant
O passion, do not lead me astray; I no longer have the resources/strength to deal with this turmoil. In the ruined garden of hope, not even a single flower remains vibrant. The poet addresses ‘shauq’ (passion) as a force that might tempt him into chaos. He is weary either with old age or the trials and tribulations of life. The desolate garden of hope has lost its bloom, there is not even a single flower left that is fresh/vibrant.
2
ab ishq kaa chehraa1 kyaa dekhuuN, aye husn2 tere aaiine meN
ehsaas3 ki aaNkheN DhuunDhti haiN, ummiid4 ke ruKh5 par aab6 nahiiN 1.face 2.beauty 3.feelings 4.hope 5.face, visage 6.brilliance, lustre
Why should I look at the face of love now, O beauty, in your mirror? The eyes of awareness search for the glow, but there is no lustre left on hope’s visage. Love and beauty are intertwined with a sense of disappointment. The poet suggests that even the mirror of beauty cannot revive the faded charm of hope, indicating a deep sense of despair.
3
ab dil kaa safinaa1 kyaa ubhre’2, tuufaaN3 ki havaaeN saakin4 haiN
ab bahr5 se kashti kyaa khele, maujoN6 meN koi girdaab7 nahiiN 1.boat, ship 2.rise, emerge 3.storm 4.still 5.ocean 6.waves 7.whirlpool
How can the heart’s ship rise now, when the stormy winds are still? How can the boat play in the sea, when the waves lack whirlpools? These are stormy winds and whirlpools of the poet’s own passion and enthusiasm to deal with difficulties. The winds are still and there are no whirlpools. He no longer has defiant courage to deal with passion, so how can the boat rise above the waters or play with the ocean.
4
phir josh1 fasurda2 Khaatir3 hai, aye ahd4-e tamannaa5, vaapas6 aa
aasaa’esh7 khaa’e8 jaati hai, tamkiin9 ki dil ko taab10 nahiiN 1.pen-name 2.dispirited, wilted 3.heart, soul 4.age, times, era, period 5.longing 6.return 7.comfort, tranquility 8.eats, consumes 9.grandeur, greatness 10.strength, capacity
Once again, josh feels dispirited, O era of longing, come back; tranquility consumes him, and the heart has no strength for greatness. The poet mourns the loss of an era filled with aspirations and desires. The current state of comfort and complacency saps his vitality, leaving him yearning for the passionate struggles of the past that gave life its meaning.
josh malihabadi (1898-1982) is known as a poet of revolution. He was a secular humanist writing sharply against colonialism, abuse of power, injustice and orthodoxy. This short Ghazal bemoans the onset of old age when he has lost the intensity of passion or perhaps there is some other reason that is causing it.
1
aye shauq1, mujhe gumraah2 na kar, shorish3 ke liye asbaab4 nahiiN
ummiid5 ke ujRe6 gulshan7 meN, ek phuul bhi ab shaadaab8 nahiiN
1.desire, passion 2.mislead, astray 3.turmoil 4.means, resources 5.hope 6.ruined, desolate 7.garden 7.fresh, vibrant
O passion, do not lead me astray; I no longer have the resources/strength to deal with this turmoil. In the ruined garden of hope, not even a single flower remains vibrant. The poet addresses ‘shauq’ (passion) as a force that might tempt him into chaos. He is weary either with old age or the trials and tribulations of life. The desolate garden of hope has lost its bloom, there is not even a single flower left that is fresh/vibrant.
2
ab ishq kaa chehraa1 kyaa dekhuuN, aye husn2 tere aaiine meN
ehsaas3 ki aaNkheN DhuunDhti haiN, ummiid4 ke ruKh5 par aab6 nahiiN
1.face 2.beauty 3.feelings 4.hope 5.face, visage 6.brilliance, lustre
Why should I look at the face of love now, O beauty, in your mirror? The eyes of awareness search for the glow, but there is no lustre left on hope’s visage. Love and beauty are intertwined with a sense of disappointment. The poet suggests that even the mirror of beauty cannot revive the faded charm of hope, indicating a deep sense of despair.
3
ab dil kaa safinaa1 kyaa ubhre’2, tuufaaN3 ki havaaeN saakin4 haiN
ab bahr5 se kashti kyaa khele, maujoN6 meN koi girdaab7 nahiiN
1.boat, ship 2.rise, emerge 3.storm 4.still 5.ocean 6.waves 7.whirlpool
How can the heart’s ship rise now, when the stormy winds are still? How can the boat play in the sea, when the waves lack whirlpools? These are stormy winds and whirlpools of the poet’s own passion and enthusiasm to deal with difficulties. The winds are still and there are no whirlpools. He no longer has defiant courage to deal with passion, so how can the boat rise above the waters or play with the ocean.
4
phir josh1 fasurda2 Khaatir3 hai, aye ahd4-e tamannaa5, vaapas6 aa
aasaa’esh7 khaa’e8 jaati hai, tamkiin9 ki dil ko taab10 nahiiN
1.pen-name 2.dispirited, wilted 3.heart, soul 4.age, times, era, period 5.longing 6.return 7.comfort, tranquility 8.eats, consumes 9.grandeur, greatness 10.strength, capacity
Once again, josh feels dispirited, O era of longing, come back; tranquility consumes him, and the heart has no strength for greatness. The poet mourns the loss of an era filled with aspirations and desires. The current state of comfort and complacency saps his vitality, leaving him yearning for the passionate struggles of the past that gave life its meaning.
