For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
اُردو نے کہا ۔۔ ۔ سید محمد شاہد
اُردو نے کہا ۔۔۔
بے ڈھنگ ترے بول ہوں گفتار کی کوشش پہ تری
لڑکھڑاتی ہوئی بولی کو میں پروازِ تکلّم دے دوں
عمر بھر تو نے مساواتِ ریاضی لکّھے
تیری تحریر کو اِک سحرِ توہم دے دوں
بطنِ مادر سے مِلا شوق تو پھر کیوں نہ ترے
سادہ لہجے کو بھی شاعر کا ترنّم دے دوں
ہوتا ہے شب و روز یہاں کذب و ریا کا سودا
تیرے اقوال سے بازار کو اک شورِ تلاطم دے دوں
راسخ الفکر گوارا کسی صورت کرے کہنا تیرا
صاف گوئی کو میں پوشاک مُلائم دے دوں
حق سُن کے جو آواز ملانے سے جھجکتے ہوں اُنہیں
کیوں نہ لبَّیک میں کچھ زورِ تحکّم دے دوں
شیخ و نقاد تو دونوں ہی تری بات کو رد کرتے ہیں
تیرے الفاظ کو مضبوطی و اندازۂ عالِم دے دوں
ہو کے پھر قول کے قائل بنیں وہ بھی شاہد
اُن کے ہوںٹوں پہ میں بیباک تبسّم دے دوں
उर्दू ने कहा – शाहेद
उर्दू ने कहा …
बे-ढंग तेरे बोल हों गुफ़्तार की कोशिस पे तेरी
लड़खड़ाती हुई बोली को मैं परवाज़-ए तकल्लुम दे दूं
उम्र भर तू ने मसावात-ए रियाज़ी लिक्खे
तेरी तहरीर को एक सहर-ए तव्वहुम दे दूं
बत्न-ए मादर से मिला शौक़ तो फिर क्यूं न तेरे
सादा लहजे को भी शाएर का तरन्नुम दे दूं
होता है शब ओ रोज़ यहां कज़्ब ओ रिया का सौदा
तेरे अल्फ़ाज़ से बाज़ार को मैं शोर-ए तलातुम दे दूं
रासिख़-उल फ़िक्र गवारा किसी सूरत करे कहना तेरा
साफ़ गोई को मैं पोशाक मुलाएम दे दूं
हक़ सुन के जो आवाज़ मिलाने से झिजकते हों उन्हें
क्यूं न लब-बैक में कुछ ज़ोर-ए तहक्कुम दे दूं
शैख़ ओ नक़्क़ाद तो दोनों ही तेरी बात को रद्द करते हैं
तेरे अल्फ़ाज़ को मज़बूती ओ अन्दाज़ा-ए आलिम दे दूं
हो के फिर क़ौल के क़ाएल बने वो भी शाहेद
उन के होंटों पे मैं बेबाक तबस्सुम दे दूं
urdu ne kaha – shahed
Click here for overall comments and on any passage for meanings and discussion. I started seriously learning Urdu at the ripe old age of 65 (with more than generous help from my ustad, Moazzam Siddiqi). I am getting better, but still struggle. In spite of my inadequate knowledge, I dare to compose a little. What little I write tends to be controversial. This short composition reflects all of this and the generosity of the language – Urdu.
urdu ne kaha …
be-DhaNg1 tere bol hoN, guftaar2 ki koshish pe teri
laRkhaRaati hui boli ko maiN parvaaz3-e takallum4 de duN1.artless, awkward, crude 2.speech 3.flight 4.(poetic) speech, versification
Said Urdu …. your words may be crude, but because you try, let me grant the power of flight (of poetry) to your speech. The “teri” is strategically placed. It applies both to “guftaar ki koshish” and to “laRkhaRaati boli”.
umr bhar tuu ne masaavaat1-e riyaazi2 likkhe
teri tahrir3 ko ek sahr4-e tavahhum5 de duN1.equations 2.mathematical 3.writing 4.magic of 5.imagination, illusion
All your life you wrote mathematical equations. Let me grant your words (writing) the mysteries/magic of imagination.
batn1-e maadar2 se mila shauq3 to phir kyuN na tere
saada4 lahje5 ko bhi shaa’er ka tarannum6 de duN1.womb 2.mother 3.desire 4.plain 5.accent 6.melody, (poetic) recitation
You got this desire (to write verse) from your mother’s womb, so why should I not grant your plain accent the melody of poetic recitation.
hota hai shab o roz1 yahaaN kazb o riya2 ka sauda3
tere alfaaz4 se bazaar ko maiN shor5-e talaatum6 de duN1.day and night 2.lies and hypocrisy 3.trade, deal 4.words 5.sound, declaration, call 6.tumult, commotion, rebellion
Day and night, they deal in lies and hypocrisy here. Let me grant your words (the power of) the declaration of rebellion in this bazar (to the people gathered in the bazar/society).
raaseKh-ul-fikr1 gavaara2 kisi soorat3 kare kahna tera
saaf-goii4 ko maiN poshaak5 mulaaem6 de duN1.person with ingrained thoughts, closed mind 2.tolerate 3.somehow, in some way 4.plain/frank speaking 5.garment 6.soft
So that the closed-minded may somehow tolerate what you say, let me give your frank/plain speech/verse a soft garment.
haq1 sun ke jo aavaaz milaane2 se jhijakte3 hoN unheN
kyuN na lab-bayk4 meN kuchh zor5-e tahakkum6 de duN1.truth 2.lend support to 3.hesitate 4.declaration of agreement 5.strength 6.commandment/assertion
Those that listen to and agree with the truth (of what you say) but hesitate to support you, let me give their declaration of agreement assertive strength/clarity.
shaiKh1 o naqqaad2 to donoN hi teri baat ko rudd3 karte haiN
tere alfaaz4 ko mazbooti5 o andaaza6-e aalim7 de duN1.priest (Islamic) 2.critic (literary) 3.reject 4.words 5.strength 6.style, character 6.scholar, scholarship
The religious puritan and the literary critic, both reject your verse (because it offends orthodoxy and is not literally excellent). Let me grant your words the strength and style of scholarship.
ho ke phir qaul1 ke qaa’el2 bane vo bhi shahed3
un ke hoNTauN pe maiN be-baak4 tabassum5 de duN1.saying, words 2.convinced 3.witness, testify 4.fearless 5.smile
Then they will be convinced of the veracity of your words and bear witness to Truth. Let me grant a fearless smile to their lips. “shahed” is used strategically – both the name and pen-name of the poet as well as converting the hesitant and critical audience to becoming “witnesses” to attest to the truth.
urdu ne kaha – shahed
I started seriously learning Urdu at the ripe old age of 65 (with more than generous help from my ustad, Moazzam Siddiqi). I am getting better, but still struggle. In spite of my inadequate knowledge, I dare to compose a little. What little I write tends to be controversial. This short composition reflects all of this and the generosity of the language – Urdu.
urdu ne kaha …
be-DhaNg1 tere bol hoN, guftaar2 ki koshish pe teri
laRkhaRaati hui boli ko maiN parvaaz3-e takallum4 de duN
1.artless, awkward, crude 2.speech 3.flight 4.(poetic) speech, versification
Said Urdu …. your words may be crude, but because you try, let me grant the power of flight (of poetry) to your speech. The “teri” is strategically placed. It applies both to “guftaar ki koshish” and to “laRkhaRaati boli”.
umr bhar tuu ne masaavaat1-e riyaazi2 likkhe
teri tahrir3 ko ek sahr4-e tavahhum5 de duN
1.equations 2.mathematical 3.writing 4.magic of 4.imagination
All your life you wrote mathematical equations. Let me grant your words (writing) the mysteries/magic of imagination.
batn1-e maadar2 se mila shauq3 to phir kyuN na tere
saada4 lahje5 ko bhi shaa’er ka tarannum6 de duN
1.womb 2.mother 3.desire 4.plain 5.accent 6.melody, (poetic) recitation
You got this desire (to write verse) from your mother’s womb, so why should I not grant your plain accent the melody of poetic recitation.
hota hai shab o roz1 yahaaN kazb o riya2 ka sauda3
tere alfaaz4 se bazaar ko maiN shor5-e talaatum6 de duN
1.day and night 2.lies and hypocrisy 3.trade, deal 4.words 5.sound, declaration, call 6.tumult, commotion, rebellion
Day and night, they deal in lies and hypocrisy here. Let me grant your words (the power of) the declaration of rebellion in this bazar (to the people gathered in the bazar/society).
raaseKh-ul-fikr1 gavaara2 kisi soorat3 kare kahna tera
saaf-goii4 ko maiN poshaak5 mulaaem6 de duN
1.person with ingrained thoughts, closed mind 2.tolerate 3.somehow, in some way 4.plain/frank speaking 5.garment 6.soft
So that the closed-minded may somehow tolerate what you say, let me give your frank/plain speech/verse a soft garment.
haq1 sun ke jo aavaaz milaane2 se jhijakte3 hoN unheN
kyuN na lab-bayk4 meN kuchh zor5-e tahakkum6 de duN
1.truth 2.lend support to 3.hesitate 4.declaration of agreement 5.strength 6.commandment/assertion
Those that listen to and agree with the truth (of what you say) but hesitate to support you, let me give their declaration of agreement assertive strength/clarity.
shaiKh1 o naqqaad2 to donoN hi teri baat ko rudd3 karte haiN
tere alfaaz4 ko mazbooti5 o andaaza6-e aalim7 de duN
1.priest (Islamic) 2.critic (literary) 3.reject 4.words 5.strength 6.style, character 6.scholar, scholarship
The religious puritan and the literary critic, both reject your verse (because it offends orthodoxy and is not literally excellent). Let me grant your words the strength and style of scholarship.
ho ke phir qaul1 ke qaa’el2 bane vo bhi shahed3
un ke hoNTauN pe maiN be-baak4 tabassum5 de duN
1.saying, words 2.convinced 3.witness, testify 4.fearless 5.smile
Then they will be convinced of the veracity of your words and bear witness to Truth. Let me grant a fearless smile to their lips. “shahed” is used strategically – both the name and pen-name of the poet as well as converting the hesitant and critical audience to becoming “witnesses” to attest to the truth.
John Ishvaradas Abdallah
https://www.facebook.com/app_scoped_user_id/10000…
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184.180.221.241
Happy World Poetry Day!
Your post, “Urdu Ne Kaha,” to celebrate this day is admirable …
Your audio is always more enjoyable …
Keep it up …
With Love and best wishes, always …
John I A
