Recitation
قدرتی خوبی ۔ میر انیس
خورشید کو کچھ حاجتِ زیور نہیں زنہار
پھولوں پہ کوئی عطر لگاۓ تو ہے بیکار
اعلیٰ ہے اگر جنس تو کیا حاجتِ اظہار
خود مشک ہو خوشبو نہ کہ خوشبو کہے عطار
جو بد ہے سو بد ہے جو نکو ہے سو نکو ہے
چھپنے کی نہیں آپ اگر عود میں بو ہے
क़ुद्रती ख़ूबी – मीर अनीस
ख़ुर्शीद को कुच्छ हाजित-ए-ज़ेवर नहीं ज़िनहार
फूलों पे कोइ इत्र लगाए तो है बेकार
आला है अगर जिन्स तो क्या हाजित-ए-इज़हार
ख़ुद मुश्क हो ख़ुशबू ना के ख़ुशबू कहे अत्तार
जो बद है सो बद है जो नकू है सो नकू है
छुपने की नहीं आप अगर ऊद में बू है
qudrati Khoobi – mir anis
Click here for overall comments and on the passage for meanings and discussion. Consider the remarkable similarity between mir anis’ “phoolauN pe koii itr lagaae to hai bekaar” and Shakespeare’s “To throw a perfume on the violet,” and many more.
Khursheed1 ko kuchh haajit-e-zevar2 nahiN zinhaar3
phoolauN pe koii itr lagaae to hai bekaar
a’ala4 hai agar jins5 to kya haajit-e-izhaar6
Khud mushk7 ho Khushboo nah ke Khushboo kahe attaar8
jo bad9 hai so bad hai jo naku10 hai so naku hai
chhupne ki nahiN aap agar ood11 meN boo hai1.sun 2.need for ornaments 3.by no means 4.high, superior 5.material, components, nature 6.need to express/say 7.musk 8.perfumer, chemist 9.bad, evil 10.virtuous 11.incense
The sun surely does not need any bright ornaments. It is useless to throw perfume on flowers. If basic nature is superior there is no need to brag. Musk itself gives off fragrance, the perfumer does not have to say that it is musk. He who is evil, IS evil and he who is virtuous, IS virtuous. If incense has fragrance, it will not hide.
qudrati Khoobi – mir anis
Consider the remarkable similarity between mir anis’ “phoolauN pe koii itr lagaae to hai bekaar” and Shakespeare’s “To throw a perfume on the violet,” and many more.
Khursheed1 ko kuchh haajit-e-zevar2 nahiN zinhaar3
phoolauN pe koii itr lagaae to hai bekaar
a’ala4 hai agar jins5 to kya haajit-e-izhaar6
Khud mushk7 ho Khushboo nah ke Khushboo kahe attaar8
jo bad9 hai so bad hai jo naku10 hai so naku hai
chhupne ki nahiN aap agar ood11 meN boo hai
1.sun 2.need for ornaments 3.by no means 4.high, superior 5.material, components, nature 6.need to express/say 7.musk 8.perfumer, chemist 9.bad, evil 10.virtuous 11.incense
The sun surely does not need any bright ornaments. It is useless to throw perfume on flowers. If basic nature is superior there is no need to brag. Musk itself gives off fragrance, the perfumer does not have to say that it is musk. He who is evil, IS evil and he who is virtuous, IS virtuous. If incense has fragrance, it will not hide.
Native Beauty – Shakespeare
In King John, Act IV, Scene 2, King John has himself coronated a second time and his courtiers (tongue in cheek) admonish him.
To guard a title that was rich before,
To gild refined gold, to paint the lily,
To throw a perfume on the violet,
To smooth the ice, or add another hue
Unto the rainbow, or with taper-light
To seek the beauteous eye of heaven to garnish,
Is wasteful and ridiculous excess.
