Recitation
k. l. saigal singing
وحشت ہی سہی – مرزا غالب
١
عشق مجھ کو نہیں وحشت ہی سہی
میری وحشت تری شہرت ہی سہی
٢
قطع کیجے نہ تعلق ہم سے
کچھ نہیں ہے تو عداوت ہی سہی
٣
میرے ہونے میں ہے کیا رسوائی
ائے وہ مجلس نہیں خلوت ہی سہی
٤
ہم بھی دشمن تو نہیں ہیں اپنے
غیر کو تجھ سے محبّت ہی سہی
٥
اپنی ہستی ہی سے ہو جو کچھ ہو
آگہی گر نہیں غفلت ہی سہی
٦
عمر ہر چند کہ ہے برق خرام
دل کے خوں کرنے کی فرصت ہی سہی
٧
ہم کوئی ترکِ وفا کرتے ہیں
نہ سہی عشق مصیبت ہی سہی
٨
کچھ تو دے ائے فلکِ نا انصاف
آہ و فریاد کی رخصت ہی سہی
٩
ہم بھی تسلیم کی خوُ ڈالیں گے
بے نیازی تری عادت ہی سہی
١٠
یار سے چھیڑ چلی جائے اسد
گر نہیں وصل تو حسرت ہی سہی
वहशत ही सही – मिर्ज़ा ग़ालिब
1
इश्क़ मुझ को नहीं वहशत ही सही
मेरी वहशत तेरी शोहरत ही सही
2
क़ता कीजे न ता’अल्लुक़ हम से
कुछ नहीं है तो अदावत ही सही
3
मेरे होने में है क्या रुस्वाई
अय वो मजलिस नहीं ख़लवत ही सही
4
हम भी दुशमन तो नहीं हैं अपने
ग़ैर को तुझ से मुहब्बत ही सही
5
अपनी हस्ती ही से हो जो कुछ हो
आगही गर नहीं ग़फ़लत ही सही
6
उमर हर-चंद कि है बरक़-ख़िराम
दिल के ख़ूँ करने की फ़ुरसत ही सही
7
हम कोई तर्क‐ए वफ़ा करते हैं
न सही इश्क़ मुसीबत ही सही
8
कुछ तो दे अय फ़लक‐ए ना-इंसाफ़
आह‐ओ‐फ़रयाद की रुख़सत ही सही
9
हम भी तस्लीम की ख़ू डालेंगे
बे-नियाज़ी तिरी आदत ही सही
10
यार से छेड़ चली जाए असद
गर नहीं वसल तो हसरत ही सही
vahshat hi sahi – mirza Ghalib
Click on any she’r for word meanings and discussion.
1
ishq mujh ko nahiN vahshat1 hi sahi2
merii vahshat teri shohrat3 hi sahi1.madness, passion 2.let it be, it may be so 3.fame
The beloved has accused the poet/lover of madness/passion rather than the true love he claims to have. The irate poet/lover replies, that may be so and then let my madness cause your name to be famous – to be talked about all over town.
2
qata1 kiije na taalluq2 hum se
kuchh nahiN hai to adaavat3 hi sahi1.break of 2.relationship 3.enmity
The poet/lover wants to maintain a relationship even if it be that of enmity. If she simply ignores him, that would be unbearable.
3
mere hone meN hai kyaa rusvaaii1
ay voh majlis2 nahiN Khalvat3 hi sahi1.embarrassment 2.gathering 3.privacy
The beloved has not invited the poet/lover to her party claiming that it would be an embarrassment. The poet/lover retorts, how can that be an embarrassment and even if it is, even you cannot invite me to the open gathering, let it be to you private chambers. A beautiful play on words to get an even richer reward from the beloved.
4
hum bhi dushman to nahiN haiN apne
Ghair1 ko tujh se mohabbat hi sahi1.other, rival
If it is that the rival loves you, then after all I cannot be my own enemy, I cannot wish myself ill, so I will have to look elsewhere.
5
apni hasti1 hi se ho jo kuchh ho
aagahi2 gar nahiN Ghaflat3 hi sahi1.existence/being 2.awareness 3.forgetfulness/non-being
Whatever happens (whatever you can achieve/learn), can happen through one’s own existence/effort. If you cannot achieve it through awareness/knowledge then it is just as well to achieve it through forgetfulness (of love)/sufi trance? If we interpret “forgetfulness” as a sufi denial of self or non-being, then the thing we are trying to ahieve is one-ness with god. This interpretation is further re-inforced by the contrast between ‘hasti-Ghaflat’ i.e. between being and non-being.
6
umr har-chand1 ke hai barq-Khiraam2
dil ke KhooN karne ki fursat3 hi sahi1.even though 2.gait/speed of lightning 3.liesure, opportunity
Even though life passes quickly like a flash of lightning, I should have at least enough liesure opportunity to bleed my heart (to death, pining away for the beloved).
7
ham koii tark1-e vafaa2 karte haiN
na sahi ishq museebat hi sahi1.give up, quit 2.fidelity, faith
Am I the one to give up faith with her (certainly not). Even if she does not return my love, even if she visits calamity after calamity on me, I will still stay faithful.
8
kuchh to de aye falak1-e naa-insaaf2
aah-o-faryaad3 ki ruKhsat4 hi sahi1.sky, heaven 2.unjust 3.sigh/wail and appeal 4.permission
The poet/lover has been turned down many times and regards the sky/heavens to be unjust and is asking it to at least give him permission/time to cry out and appeal.
9
hum bhi tasleem1 ki Khoo2 DaaleNge
be-niyaazi3 teri aadat4 hi sahi1.acceptance/resignation 2.nature/qualities 3.neglect 4.habit
Neglecting me has become a habit with you. I have to develop the nature/qualities of acceptance/resignation.
10
yaar se chheR1 chalii jaae asad2
gar nahiN vasl3 to hasrat4 hi sahi1.playful teasing 2.sometimes Ghalib uses this as his taKhallus 3.union 4.desire
Playful teasing with the beloved should continue, O asad. Even if I don’t achieve union, at least I should keep up the desire. This reminds me of faiz’s she’r below. See ‘nahiN nigaah meN manzil’ on this site. nahiN nigaah meN manzil to justaju hi sahi nahiN visaal mai’assar to aarzu hi sahi
vahshat hi sahi – mirza Ghalib
1
ishq mujh ko nahiN vahshat1 hi sahi2
merii vahshat teri shohrat3 hi sahi
1.madness, passion 2.let it be, it may be so 3.fame
The beloved has accused the poet/lover of madness/passion rather than the true love he claims to have. The irate poet/lover replies, that may be so and then let my madness cause your name to be famous – to be talked about all over town.
2
qata1 kiije na taalluq2 hum se
kuchh nahiN hai to adaavat3 hi sahi
1.break of 2.relationship 3.enmity
The poet/lover wants to maintain a relationship even if it be that of enmity. If she simply ignores him, that would be unbearable.
3
mere hone meN hai kyaa rusvaaii1
ay voh majlis2 nahiN Khalvat3 hi sahi
1.embarrassment 2.gathering 3.privacy
The beloved has not invited the poet/lover to her party claiming that it would be an embarrassment. The poet/lover retorts, how can that be an embarrassment and even if it is, even you cannot invite me to the open gathering, let it be to you private chambers. A beautiful play on words to get an even richer reward from the beloved.
4
hum bhi dushman to nahiN haiN apne
Ghair1 ko tujh se mohabbat hi sahi
1.other, rival
If it is that the rival loves you, then after all I cannot be my own enemy, I cannot wish myself ill, so I will have to look elsewhere.
5
apni hasti1 hi se ho jo kuchh ho
aagahi2 gar nahiN Ghaflat3 hi sahi
1.existence/being 2.awareness 3.forgetfulness/non-being
Whatever happens (whatever you can achieve/learn), can happen through one’s own existence/effort. If you cannot achieve it through awareness/knowledge then it is just as well to achieve it through forgetfulness (of love)/sufi trance? If we interpret “forgetfulness” as a sufi denial of self or non-being, then the thing we are trying to ahieve is one-ness with god. This interpretation is further re-inforced by the contrast between ‘hasti-Ghaflat’ i.e. between being and non-being.
6
umr har-chand1 ke hai barq-Khiraam2
dil ke KhooN karne ki fursat3 hi sahi
1.even though 2.gait/speed of lightning 3.liesure, opportunity
Even though life passes quickly like a flash of lightning, I should have at least enough liesure opportunity to bleed my heart (to death, pining away for the beloved).
7
ham koii tark1-e vafaa2 karte haiN
na sahi ishq museebat hi sahi
1.give up, quit 2.fidelity, faith
Am I the one to give up faith with her (certainly not). Even if she does not return my love, even if she visits calamity after calamity on me, I will still stay faithful.
8
kuchh to de aye falak1-e naa-insaaf2
aah-o-faryaad3 ki ruKhsat4 hi sahi
1.sky, heaven 2.unjust 3.sigh/wail and appeal 4.permission
The poet/lover has been turned down many times and regards the sky/heavens to be unjust and is asking it to at least give him permission/time to cry out and appeal.
9
hum bhi tasleem1 ki Khoo2 DaaleNge
be-niyaazi3 teri aadat4 hi sahi
1.acceptance/resignation 2.nature/qualities 3.neglect 4.habit
Neglecting me has become a habit with you. I have to develop the nature/qualities of acceptance/resignation.
10
yaar se chheR1 chalii jaae asad2
gar nahiN vasl3 to hasrat4 hi sahi
1.playful teasing 2.sometimes Ghalib uses this as his taKhallus 3.union 4.desire
Playful teasing with the beloved should continue, O asad. Even if I don’t achieve union, at least I should keep up the desire. This reminds me of faiz’s she’r below. See ‘nahiN nigaah meN manzil’ on this site.
nahiN nigaah meN manzil to justaju hi sahi
nahiN visaal mai’assar to aarzu hi sahi
vahshat hi sahi – mirza Ghalib – Raina’s Rendition
1
Well might my unrequited love be but a make-believe
Yet why not let your reputation some enhancement receive
2
Suspend not relatedness to such cool extreme
If nothing else, let hostility some acquaintance seem
4
Should it be that a somebody pines upon your door
Then, O fickle Love, I am my own ill-wisher no more
5
If the self alone does validate everything create
Then ignorance is as pregnant, full, as the realized ultimate
6
Life affords but little time, being so speedily stilled
Much, indeed, may not be done, but desire may well be killed
7
To turn upon my avowal, I cannot countenance
If not the fulfilment of love, the promise of penance
8
Surely, O my tyrannous Love, somewhere you must relent
Grant at least the indulgence to plead and lament
9
Since you must always disregard, and I must always be bereft
I shall school my turbulence, and endeavour to accept
10
O Ghalib, if some passion must the two of us relate,
Then, if not consummation meet, the wish to consummate
