For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
غزل بر زبانِ اُردو – جوشؔ ملیح آبادی
۱
آ، کہ پھر آج ہم آہنگ ہوئی ہے لبِ جُو
نے کی لے، چاند کی تنویر، صبا کی خوشبُو
۲
منعقد پھر سے کروں محفلِ جمشید و قباد
دو گھڑی صدر نشینی پہ جو آمادہ ہو تو
۳
وقتِ کُن جو دِلِ یزداں میں ہوا تھا غلطاں
میرے دِل میں بھی وہی آ کے جگا دے جادو
۴
کُفر سجدے میں گرے دین کی نبضیں چُھٹ جائیں
آج آ، دوش پہ بکھرائے ہوئے یوں گیسو
۵
میں ہوں وہ رِند جسے دیکھ کے کہتے ہیں ملک
آفریں باد، بر ایں خلوتیِ جام و سُبو
۶
عقل کہتی ہے کہ کس طرح میَسّر ہوگا
عشق کہتا ہے کہ فردوس ہے تیرا پہلو
۷
کیفِ ہستی سے گہر بار کر اِن آنکھوں کو
غمِ ہستی سے ٹپکتے نہیں جِن کے آنسو
۸
آ، پِلا پھر مئے اَسرارِ سکون و جنبش
ائے بہ تمکینِ حرمِ قدس و بہ شوخیِ آہو
۹
آج یوں دِل میں لطافت سے ہیں ارماں بیچین
جیسے طاعت میں بدلتے ہیں فرشتے پہلو
۱۰
خاک مست، آبِ رواں تند، ہوائیں سرشار
آ ج اپنے پہ عناصر کو نہیں ہے قابوُ
۱۱
آج ائے نورِ نگاہِ قمر و بنتِ سحاب
کاش میرا سرِ شوریدہ ہو تیرا زانوُ
۱۲
پرُسشِ چند نفس ائے میرے سرمایۂ شوق
زحمتِ چند قدم، ائے میرے سروِ دِلجوُ
۱۳
آج ائے جوشؔ ترے رنگِ غزل گوئی سے
قندِ پارس کا مزا ہے بزبانِ اُردو
ग़ज़ल बर ज़बान-ए उर्दू – जोश मलीहाबादी
१
आ, के फिर आज हम आहंग हुई है लब-ए जू
नै की लै, चाँद की तन्वीर, सबा की ख़ुशबू
२
मुन’अक़िद फिर से करूँ महफ़िल-ए जम्शेद ओ क़बाद
दो घडी सदर-नशीनी पे जो आमादा हो तू
३
वक़्त-ए कुन जो दिल-ए यज़्दां पे हुआ था ग़ल्तां
मेरे दिल में भी वोही आ के जगा दे जादू
४
कुफ़्र सिज्दे में गिरे, दीन की नब्ज़ें छुट जाएँ
आज आ दोश पे बिख्राए हुए यूँ गेसू
५
मैं हूँ वो रिंद जिसे देख के कहते हैं मलक
आफ़रीं-बाद, बर-ईं ख़िल्वती-ए जाम ओ सुबू
६
अक़्ल कहती है के किस तरह मै’अस्सर होगा
इश्क़ कहता है के फ़िरदौस है तेरा पहलू
७
कैफ़-ए हस्ती से गुहर-बार कर इन आँखों को
ग़म-ए हस्ती से टपकते नहीं जिन के आंसू
८
आ पिला फिर मै-ए अस्रार-ए सुकून ओ जुम्बिश
अए बा-तमकीन-ए-हरम-ए-क़ुद्स ओ बा शूख़ि-ए आहू
९
आज यूँ दिल में लताफ़त से हैं अर्मां बेचैन
जैसे ता’अत में बदलते हैं फ़रिश्ते पहलू
१०
ख़ाक मस्त, आब-ए रवां तुन्द, हवाएं सरशार
आज अपने पे अनासिर को नहीं है क़ाबू
११
आज अए नूर-ए निगाह-ए क़मर ओ बिन्त-ए सहाब
काश मेरा सर-ए शोरीदा हो तेरा ज़ानू
१२
पुर्सिश-ए चन्द नफ़स अए मेरे सरमाया-ए शौक़
ज़हमत-ए चन्द क़दम, अए मेरे सर्व-ए दिलजू
१३
आज अए जोश तेरे रंग-ए ग़ज़ल-गोई से
कंद-ए पारस का मज़ा है ब-ज़बान-ए उर्दू
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. shabbir hasan KhaaN 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. Here josh is very artfully calling calling upon his beloved to come and do a list of things he is begging her to do. It is not explicitly stated who the beloved is and it is easy to interpret each verse as applying to a “conventional” beloved. Only at the end does he reveal that the beloved is “urdu” and it is beautiful to see how each verse is applicable both to a conventional beloved and to urdu as a beloved.
1
aa, keh phir aaj hum aahaNg1 hui hai lab e joo2
nae ki lae3, chaand ki tanveer4, saba5 ki Kushbuu 1.harmonious 2.river bank 3.flute music 4.brightness 5.early morning breeze
Come, (my beloved), the music of the flute, the light of the moon and the fragrance of early the early morning breeze are harmonious with each other on the banks of the river. This is an opportune time.
2
mun’aqid6 phir se karuN mehfil7 e jamshed o qabad8
do ghaRi9 sadr nashini10 pe jo aamada11 ho tuu 6.arrange 7.assembly 8.legendary kings patronized the arts 9.two moments 10.chief guest 11.agree
The courts of jamshed and qabaad (early Persian kings) are famous for their patronage of the arts. josh promises to organize gatherings of the same grandeur if his beloved agrees to be chief guest. I will organize again the old assembly of great art/artists if you agree to be the chief guest, even if only for two minutes.
3
vaqt e kun12 jo dil e yazdaN13 pe hua tha GhaltaN14
mere dil meN bhi vohi aa ke jaga de jaduu 2.at the time of creation 13.god 14.dissolved, immersed
That which was in god’s heart at the moment of creation, come and create the same fascination of creativity in my heart.
4
kufr1 sijde2 meN gire, deen3 ki nabzeN4 chhuT jaayeN4
aaj aa dosh5 pe bikhraaye hue yuN gesoo6 1.non-belief 2.bow, prostrate 3.faith 4.lose its pulse/nerve 5.shoulder 6.tresses, curls
Non-believers will prostrate themselves and orthodoxy will lose its nerve in awe when you, O, my beloved, will come with hair spread on your shoulders.
5
maiN huN vo riNd7 jise dekh ke kahte haiN malak8
aafreeN-baad9, bar-eeN10 Khilwati11 e jaam o suboo12 7.drinks (alcohol) used for “sinner” 8.angels 9.congratulations 10.on this 11.person who sits in privacy (familiarity), close companion 12.wine cup and flask
O, my beloved, I am that sinner at whom angels look with admiration when they see that I am intimate with you, with wine cup and flask.
6
aql kahti hai keh kis tarah maiassar13 hoga
ishq kahta hai keh firdaus14 hai tera pahloo15 13.available 14.heaven 15.company
I know (my brain tells me) that I will not be able to get it but my heart tells me that your company is heaven.
7
kaif-e hasti1 se guhar-baar2 kar in aaNkhoN ko
Gham-e hasti3 se Tapakte nahiN jin ke aaNsoo 1.pleasure of life 2.pearl (tears) scattering/showering 3.sorrow of living
O my beloved, come that tears of joy may flow from eyes that have not cried even in pain. Here the poet is asking for an increase in refined sensitivity which will cause tears to flow even in the eyes in the hard hearted who do not cry at the sight of pain. The beloved is capable of increasing this sensitivy.
8
aa pila phir mai4-e asraar5-e sukoon o jumbish6
aye ba tamkin-e haram-e quds7 o ba shooKhi-e aahu8 4.wine 5.secrets 6.stillness and movement (everything, all life) 7.grandeur of the house of god 8.coyness of a fawn
Give me again the wine that holds the secrets of the universe (still and moving, dead and alive). Come, by the grandeur of god, come, by the coyness of fawn.
9
aaj yuN dil meN lataafat9 se haiN armaaN10 bechain
jaise taa’at11 meN badalte haiN farishte12 pahluu13 9.subtlety 10.desires 11.prayer 12.angels 13.sides (pahloo badalna – changing sides – to be restless)
Come, I am restless in spite of the subtle pleasure in my heart just like even angels change sides in restlessness during prayer.
10
Khaak1 mast, aab-e ravaaN2 tund3, havaaeN sarshaar4
aaj apne pe anaasir5 ko nahiN hai qaboo6 1.dust/earth 2.flowing water 3.fast 4.satisfied 5.elements (fire, water, air, earth) 6.control
O beloved, the earth is in a trance, water flows swiftly/restlessly and the winds blow happily. Elements cannot contain themselves for joy, in anticipation of your arrival!
11
aaj aye nuur-e nigah7-e qamar8 o bint-e sahaab9
kaash mera sar-e shorida10 ho tera zanoo11 7.light of the eyes, beloved 8.moon 9.daughter of the clouds (which give blessings as rain) 10.head with unkempt hair (mad/passionate) 11.lap
O, beloved of the moon, daughter of heavens, I wish I could rest my “mad/passionate head” on your lap.
12
pursish12-e chand nafas13 aye mere sarmaya-e shauq14
zahmat-e chand qadam15, aye mere sarv16-e diljoo17 12.inquire after 13.few moments 14.treasure of my desire 15.inconvenience of a few steps in funeral 16.cypress 17.heart warming.
O, my beloved, treasure of my desires, spare a thought for me, bear the inconvenience of walking a few steps with my funeral bier.
13
aaj aye josh tere raNg-e Ghazal goii1 se
qand-e paaras2 ka maza hai ba-zabaan3-e urdu 1.style/manner of your Ghazal recitation 2.sweetness of faarsi 3.language
Today O josh, the style/manner of your Ghazals brings the sweet pleasure of faarsi through urdu. josh reveals his beloved to be urdu and the beauty of his Ghazal writing/recitation is like a sweet desert by way of urdu. We finally see that in the entire Ghazal all metaphors refer to urdu as the beloved.
shabbir hasan KhaaN 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. Here josh is very artfully calling calling upon his beloved to come and do a list of things he is begging her to do. It is not explicitly stated who the beloved is and it is easy to interpret each verse as applying to a “conventional” beloved. Only at the end does he reveal that the beloved is “urdu” and it is beautiful to see how each verse is applicable both to a conventional beloved and to urdu as a beloved.
1
aa, keh phir aaj hum aahaNg1 hui hai lab e joo2
nae ki lae3, chaand ki tanveer4, saba5 ki Kushbuu
1.harmonious 2.river bank 3.flute music 4.brightness 5.early morning breeze
Come, (my beloved), the music of the flute, the light of the moon and the fragrance of early the early morning breeze are harmonious with each other on the banks of the river. This is an opportune time.
2
mun’aqid6 phir se karuN mehfil7 e jamshed o qabad8
do ghaRi9 sadr nashini10 pe jo aamada11 ho tuu
6.arrange 7.assembly 8.legendary kings patronized the arts 9.two moments 10.chief guest 11.agree
The courts of jamshed and qabaad (early Persian kings) are famous for their patronage of the arts. josh promises to organize gatherings of the same grandeur if his beloved agrees to be chief guest. I will organize again the old assembly of great art/artists if you agree to be the chief guest, even if only for two minutes.
3
vaqt e kun12 jo dil e yazdaN13 pe hua tha GhaltaN14
mere dil meN bhi vohi aa ke jaga de jaduu
12.at the time of creation 13.god 14.dissolved, immersed
That which was in god’s heart at the moment of creation, come and create the same fascination of creativity in my heart.
4
kufr1 sijde2 meN gire, deen3 ki nabzeN4 chhuT jaayeN4
aaj aa dosh5 pe bikhraaye hue yuN gesoo6
1.non-belief 2.bow, prostrate 3.faith 4.lose its pulse/nerve 5.shoulder 6.tresses, curls
Non-believers will prostrate themselves and orthodoxy will lose its nerve in awe when you, O, my beloved, will come with hair spread on your shoulders.
5
maiN huN vo riNd7 jise dekh ke kahte haiN malak8
aafreeN-baad9, bar-eeN10 Khilwati11 e jaam o suboo12
7.drinks (alcohol) used for “sinner” 8.angels 9.congratulations 10.on this 11.person who sits in privacy (familiarity), close companion 12.wine cup and flask
O, my beloved, I am that sinner at whom angels look with admiration when they see that I am intimate with you, with wine cup and flask.
6
aql kahti hai keh kis tarah maiassar13 hoga
ishq kahta hai keh firdaus14 hai tera pahloo15
13.available 14.heaven 15.company
I know (my brain tells me) that I will not be able to get it but my heart tells me that your company is heaven.
7
kaif-e hasti1 se guhar-baar2 kar in aaNkhoN ko
Gham-e hasti3 se Tapakte nahiN jin ke aaNsoo
1.pleasure of life 2.pearl (tears) scattering/showering 3.sorrow of living
O my beloved, come that tears of joy may flow from eyes that have not cried even in pain. Here the poet is asking for an increase in refined sensitivity which will cause tears to flow even in the eyes in the hard hearted who do not cry at the sight of pain. The beloved is capable of increasing this sensitivy.
8
aa pila phir mai4-e asraar5-e sukoon o jumbish6
aye ba tamkin-e haram-e quds7 o ba shooKhi-e aahu8
4.wine 5.secrets 6.stillness and movement (everything, all life) 7.grandeur of the house of god 8.coyness of a fawn
Give me again the wine that holds the secrets of the universe (still and moving, dead and alive). Come, by the grandeur of god, come, by the coyness of fawn.
9
aaj yuN dil meN lataafat9 se haiN armaaN10 bechain
jaise taa’at11 meN badalte haiN farishte12 pahluu13
9.subtlety 10.desires 11.prayer 12.angels 13.sides (pahloo badalna – changing sides – to be restless)
Come, I am restless in spite of the subtle pleasure in my heart just like even angels change sides in restlessness during prayer.
10
Khaak1 mast, aab-e ravaaN2 tund3, havaaeN sarshaar4
aaj apne pe anaasir5 ko nahiN hai qaboo6
1.dust/earth 2.flowing water 3.fast 4.satisfied 5.elements (fire, water, air, earth) 6.control
O beloved, the earth is in a trance, water flows swiftly/restlessly and the winds blow happily. Elements cannot contain themselves for joy, in anticipation of your arrival!
11
aaj aye nuur-e nigah7-e qamar8 o bint-e sahaab9
kaash mera sar-e shorida10 ho tera zanoo11
7.light of the eyes, beloved 8.moon 9.daughter of the clouds (which give blessings as rain) 10.head with unkempt hair (mad/passionate) 11.lap
O, beloved of the moon, daughter of heavens, I wish I could rest my “mad/passionate head” on your lap.
12
pursish12-e chand nafas13 aye mere sarmaya-e shauq14
zahmat-e chand qadam15, aye mere sarv16-e diljoo17
12.inquire after 13.few moments 14.treasure of my desire 15.inconvenience of a few steps in funeral 16.cypress 17.heart warming.
O, my beloved, treasure of my desires, spare a thought for me, bear the inconvenience of walking a few steps with my funeral bier.
13
aaj aye josh tere raNg-e Ghazal goii1 se
qand-e paaras2 ka maza hai ba-zabaan3-e urdu
1.style/manner of your Ghazal recitation 2.sweetness of faarsi 3.language
Today O josh, the style/manner of your Ghazals brings the sweet pleasure of faarsi through urdu. josh reveals his beloved to be urdu and the beauty of his Ghazal writing/recitation is like a sweet desert by way of urdu. We finally see that in the entire Ghazal all metaphors refer to urdu as the beloved.
