Recitation
suraiyya
یہ نہ تھی ہماری قسمت – مرزا غالب
١
یہ نہ تھی ہماری قسمت کہ وصالِ یار ہوتا
اگر اور جیتے رہتے یہی انتظار ہوتا
٢
ترے وعدے پر جیے ہم تو یہ جان جھوٹ جانا
کہ خوشی سے مر نہ جاتے اگر اعتبار ہوتا
٣
تری نازکی سے جانا کہ بندھا تھا عہد بودا
کبھی تو نہ توڑ سکتا اگر استوار ہوتا
٤
کوئی میرے دل سے پوچھے ترے تیرِ نیم کش کو
یہ خلش کہاں سے ہوتی جو جگر کے پار ہوتا
٥
یہ کہاں کی دوستی ہے کہ بنے ہیں دوست ناصح
کوئی چارہ ساز ہوتا کوئی غم گسار ہوتا
٦
رگِ سنگ سے ٹپکتا وہ لہو کہ پھر نہ تھمتا
جسےغم سمجھ رہے ہو یہ اگر شرار ہوتا
٧
غم اگرچہ جاں گسل ہے پہ کہاں بچیں کہ دل ہے
غمِ عشق گر نہ ہوتا غمِ روزگار ہوتا
٨
کہوں کس سے میں کہ کیا ہے شبِ غم بری بلا ہے
مجھے کیا برا تھا مرنا اگر ایک بار ہوتا
٩
ہوئے مر کے ہم جو رسوا ہوئے کیوں نہ غرقِ دریا
نہ کبھی جنازہ اُٹھتا نہ کہیں مزار ہوتا
١٠
اسے کون دیکھ سکتا کہ یگانہ ہے وہ یکتا
جو دوئی کی بو بھی ہوتی تو کہیں دو چار ہوتا
١١
یہ مسائلِ تصوّف یہ ترا بیان غالب
تجھے ہم ولی سمجھتے جو نہ بادہ خوار ہوتا
ये न थी हमारी क़िसमत – मिर्ज़ा ग़ालिब
1
ये न थी हमारी क़िसमत कि विसाल‐ए यार होता
अगर और जीते रहते यही इंतिज़ार होता
2
तिरे वादे पर जिये हम तो ये जान झूट जाना
कि ख़ुशी से मर न जाते अगर एतबार होता
3
तिरी नाज़ुकी से जाना कि बंधा था अहद बोदा
कभी तू न तोड़ सकता अगर उसतुवार होता
4
कोई मेरे दिल से पूछे तिरे तीर‐ए नीम-कश को
ये ख़लिश कहाँ से होती जो जिगर के पार होता
5
ये कहाँ की दोस्ती है कि बने हैं दोस्त नासिह
कोई चारा-साज़ होता कोई ग़म-गुसार होता
6
रग‐ए संग से टपकता वो लहू कि फिर न थमता
जिसे ग़म समझ रहे हो ये अगर शरार होता
7
ग़म अगरचे जाँ-गुसिल है पे कहाँ बचें कि दिल है
ग़म‐ए इश्क़ गर न होता ग़म‐ए रोज़गार होता
8
कहूँ किस से मैं कि क्या है शब‐ए ग़म बुरी बला है
मुझे क्या बुरा था मरना अगर एक बार होता
9
हुए मर के हम जो रुस्वा हुए क्यूँ न ग़र्क़‐ए दरया
न कभी जनाज़ा उठता न कहीं मज़ार होता
10
उसे कौन देख सकता कि यगाना है वो यकता
जो दूई की बू भी होती तो कहीं दो चार होता
11
ये मसाइल‐ए तसव्वुफ़ ये तिरा बयान ग़ालिब
तुझे हम वली समझते जो न बादा-ख़्वार होता
ye na thi hamaari qismat – mirza Ghalib
Click on any she’r for meanings and discussion.
1
yih nah thii hamaarii qismat1 kih visaal2-e yaar3 hotaa
agar aur jiite rahte yahii intizaar4 hotaa1.fate, destiny 2.union 3.beloved 4.waiting, longing
It was not my fate to be united with my beloved. It is just as well. If I had lived any longer, it would have been the same old waiting anyway. This reads as if the poet is writing about himself AFTER his death. A style of composition, not uncommon in Urdu poetry.
2
tire vaade1 par jiye hum to2 ye jaan3 jhuuT jaanaa
kih Khushii se mar na jaate agar eetebaar4 hotaa1.promise 2.can be read as “to”-“then” or as “tu”-“intimate you” 3.know, believe, (some have read this to mean “life” or “dear” i.e.beloved 4.trust
If you think I live on your promise, disabuse yourself of that thought. Would I not have not died of joy had I believed in your vow!
3
tirii naazukii1 se jaanaa kih baNdhaa thaa ahd2 bodaa3
kabhii tuu nah toR saktaa agar ustuvaar4 hotaa1.tenderness, delicacy 2.promise, commitment 3.weak 4.strong
The beloved is delicate, otherwise how could she have broken a strong commitment. What a way to compliment her on her delicacy.
4
koii mere dil se puuchhe tire tiir-e niim-kash1 ko
yih Khalish2 kahaaN se hotii jo jigar ke paar hotaa1.half drawn (arrow) 2.pain, irritation
The beloved’s glance is through languid, half-open eyes. She sends only half-hearted love messages (through her looks) just enough to keep the lover on his toes. Someone should ask me the effect of your half drawn arrow. Because it is penetrated halfway through my liver/heart, it hurts all the more. If it had gone through, then it would have been a clean cut, and less hurtful i.e.the hurt comes from anticipation and unfulfilled promises.
5
yih kahaaN kii dostii hai kih baney haiN dost naasih1
koii chaarah-saaz2 hotaa koii Gham-gusaar3 hotaa1.counseller, preacher 2.healer 3.sympathizer
What kind of friendship is this, when all they offer is useless preaching, “words of wisdom”. So much better if they had offered some healing, some sympathy.
6
rag1-e sang2 se Tapaktaa vuh3 lahuu4 kih phir nah thamtaa5
jise Gham samajh rahe ho ye agar sharaar5 hotaa1.vein 2.stone 3.used here to mean “so much” 4.blood 5.slow/stop 6.sparks
When a rock is struck, it gives out a spark. The lover’s heart has been struck and it bleeds – has grief. If this grief could somehow be translated into a blow that creates a spark in the rock, then so much blood flow would ensue that it would not stop i.e.the lover’s grief is heavy.
7
Gham agarchih1 jaaN-gusil2 hai pah kahaaN bacheN kih dil hai
Gham-e ishq gar nah hotaa Gham-e rozgaar3 hotaa1.even though 2.life sapping 3.daily living
We can never escape grief, even though it is life-sapping, because we have a heart and a heart always has to have grief. If it were not grief of passion, it would have been grief/worry of making a livelihood.
8
kahuuN kis se maiN kih kyaa hai shab1-e Gham burii balaa2 hai
mujhe kyaa buraa thaa marnaa agar ek baar hotaa1.evening (of grief) 2.(bad, great) calamity
How/Who can I tell, the evening of grief is a great calamity. It kills.And it comes back again and again. So it kills again and again. If only I had to die only once (once and for all) then it would have been easy.
9
hue mar ke ham jo rusvaa1 hue kyuuN nah Gharq2-e daryaa3
nah kabhii janaazah4 uThtaa nah kahiiN mazaar5 hotaa1.disgraced, scandalized 2.drowned 3.river, sea 4.coffin, funereal procession 5.grave, mausoleum
Nobody comes to the funeral of the lover/poet, nobody cares whether he lives or dies. It would have been better to drown without a trace with no need for a funeral or of a grave. That way his reputation would be saved.
10
use kaun dekh saktaa kih yagaanah1 hai vuh yaktaa2
jo duuii3 kii buu4 bhii hotii to kahiiN do chaar5 hotaa1.alone, one 2.unique 3.duality 4.even a trace 5.encounter (literally, two eyes meet and become four – come face to face and see)
The beloved is god and is unique. If there were two then we would have seen one or the other somewhere. But the play of yak, do, and do-chaar is beautiful.
11
yih masaail1-e tasavvuf2 yih tiraa bayaan3 Ghalib
tujhe ham valii4 samajhte jo nah baadah-Khvaar5 hotaa1.puzzles, mysteries 2.mysticism, Sufi philosophy 3.style of expression 4.prophet, learned man 5.wine drinker
Complex puzzles of mysticism and the eloquent exposition/explanation of Ghalib. Had he not been a drunkard, we would have considered him a holy seer! Reminds me of “zikr us parivash ka aur phir bayaan apna”.
ye na thi hamaari qismat – mirza Ghalib
1
yih nah thii hamaarii qismat1 kih visaal2-e yaar3 hotaa
agar aur jiite rahte yahii intizaar4 hotaa
1.fate, destiny 2.union 3.beloved 4.waiting, longing
It was not my fate to be united with my beloved. It is just as well. If I had lived any longer, it would have been the same old waiting anyway. This reads as if the poet is writing about himself AFTER his death. A style of composition, not uncommon in Urdu poetry.
2
tire vaade1 par jiye hum to2 ye jaan3 jhuuT jaanaa
kih Khushii se mar na jaate agar eetebaar4 hotaa
1.promise 2.can be read as “to”-“then” or as “tu”-“intimate you” 3.know, believe, (some have read this to mean “life” or “dear” i.e.beloved 4.trust
If you think I live on your promise, disabuse yourself of that thought. Would I not have not died of joy had I believed in your vow!
3
tirii naazukii1 se jaanaa kih baNdhaa thaa ahd2 bodaa3
kabhii tuu nah toR saktaa agar ustuvaar4 hotaa
1.tenderness, delicacy 2.promise, commitment 3.weak 4.strong
The beloved is delicate, otherwise how could she have broken a strong commitment. What a way to compliment her on her delicacy.
4
koii mere dil se puuchhe tire tiir-e niim-kash1 ko
yih Khalish2 kahaaN se hotii jo jigar ke paar hotaa
1.half drawn (arrow) 2.pain, irritation
The beloved’s glance is through languid, half-open eyes. She sends only half-hearted love messages (through her looks) just enough to keep the lover on his toes. Someone should ask me the effect of your half drawn arrow. Because it is penetrated halfway through my liver/heart, it hurts all the more. If it had gone through, then it would have been a clean cut, and less hurtful i.e.the hurt comes from anticipation and unfulfilled promises.
5
yih kahaaN kii dostii hai kih baney haiN dost naasih1
koii chaarah-saaz2 hotaa koii Gham-gusaar3 hotaa
1.counseller, preacher 2.healer 3.sympathizer
What kind of friendship is this, when all they offer is useless preaching, “words of wisdom”. So much better if they had offered some healing, some sympathy.
6
rag1-e sang2 se Tapaktaa vuh3 lahuu4 kih phir nah thamtaa5
jise Gham samajh rahe ho ye agar sharaar5 hotaa
1.vein 2.stone 3.used here to mean “so much” 4.blood 5.slow/stop 6.sparks
When a rock is struck, it gives out a spark. The lover’s heart has been struck and it bleeds – has grief. If this grief could somehow be translated into a blow that creates a spark in the rock, then so much blood flow would ensue that it would not stop i.e.the lover’s grief is heavy.
7
Gham agarchih1 jaaN-gusil2 hai pah kahaaN bacheN kih dil hai
Gham-e ishq gar nah hotaa Gham-e rozgaar3 hotaa
1.even though 2.life sapping 3.daily living
We can never escape grief, even though it is life-sapping, because we have a heart and a heart always has to have grief. If it were not grief of passion, it would have been grief/worry of making a livelihood.
8
kahuuN kis se maiN kih kyaa hai shab1-e Gham burii balaa2 hai
mujhe kyaa buraa thaa marnaa agar ek baar hotaa
1.evening (of grief) 2.(bad, great) calamity
How/Who can I tell, the evening of grief is a great calamity. It kills.And it comes back again and again. So it kills again and again. If only I had to die only once (once and for all) then it would have been easy.
9
hue mar ke ham jo rusvaa1 hue kyuuN nah Gharq2-e daryaa3
nah kabhii janaazah4 uThtaa nah kahiiN mazaar5 hotaa
1.disgraced, scandalized 2.drowned 3.river, sea 4.coffin, funereal procession 5.grave, mausoleum
Nobody comes to the funeral of the lover/poet, nobody cares whether he lives or dies. It would have been better to drown without a trace with no need for a funeral or of a grave. That way his reputation would be saved.
10
use kaun dekh saktaa kih yagaanah1 hai vuh yaktaa2
jo duuii3 kii buu4 bhii hotii to kahiiN do chaar5 hotaa
1.alone, one 2.unique 3.duality 4.even a trace 5.encounter (literally, two eyes meet and become four – come face to face and see)
The beloved is god and is unique. If there were two then we would have seen one or the other somewhere. But the play of yak, do, and do-chaar is beautiful.
11
yih masaail1-e tasavvuf2 yih tiraa bayaan3 Ghalib
tujhe ham valii4 samajhte jo nah baadah-Khvaar5 hotaa
1.puzzles, mysteries 2.mysticism, Sufi philosophy 3.style of expression
4.prophet, learned man 5.wine drinker
Complex puzzles of mysticism and the eloquent exposition/explanation of Ghalib. Had he not been a drunkard, we would have considered him a holy seer! Reminds me of “zikr us parivash ka aur phir bayaan apna”.
ye na thi hamaari qismat – Raina’s Rendition
1
Consummation was not to be the crowning of my fate
A lifetime more would find me still ‘mid reveries uncreate
2
Forget that I have lived so long by the promises received
I should have died of ecstasy had I been undecieved
4
The satiety of your arrow’s dart my heart can best explain
Had the steel not held, but cut through clean, would poorly entertain
5
That friends should all turn counsellers, what pious mockery
Instead of risking discomfort in helpful sympathy
6
Should you but inject into stone grief and agony
In lieu of sparks streaks of blood would drip unceasingly
7
So long as the heart is what it is, suffering must endure
If not the tribulations of love, of survival, for sure
8
Who is there will understand the knell that sundown rings
Death were welcome, but not, indeed, all through the evening
9
Should slander be my destimy, I wish I would rather drown
Than have some graveyard advertise my ignominious renown
11
Such metaphysics, such argument, such peerless eloquence
I were a prophet had not sweet wine befuddled my better sense
