For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
غزل خواں ہوئے تو ہیں ۔ فیض احمد فیضؔ
۱
روشن کہیں بہار کے اِمکاں ہوئے تو ہیں
گلشن میں چاک چند گریباں ہوئے تو ہیں
۲
اب بھی خزاں کا راج لیکن کہیں کہیں
گوشے رہِ چمن میں غزل خواں ہوئے تو ہیں
۳
ٹھہری ہوئی ہے شب کی سیاہی وہیں مگر
کچھ کچھ سحر کے رنگ پر اَفشاں ہوئے تو ہیں
۴
اِن میں لہو جلا ہو ہمارا کہ جان و مال
محفل میں کچھ چراغ فروزاں ہوئے تو ہیں
۵
ہاں کج کرو کلاہ کہ سب کچھ لٹا کے ہم
اب بے نیازِ گردِشِ دوراں ہوئے تو ہیں
۶
اہلِ قفس کی صبح چمن میں کھلے گی آنکھ
بادِ صبا سے وعدہ و پیماں ہوئے تو ہیں
۷
ہے دشت اب بھی دشت مگر خونِ پا سے فیضؔ
سیراب چند خارِ مغیلاں ہوئے تو ہیں
ग़ज़ल-ख़्वां हुए तो हैं – फ़ैज़ अहमद फ़ैज़
१
रौशन कहीं बहार के इमकां हुए तो हैं
गुलशन में चाक चंद गरेबां हुए तो हैं
२
अब भी ख़िज़ां का राज है लैकिन कहीं कहीं
गोशे रह-ए चमन में ग़ज़ल-ख़्वां हुए तो हैं
३
ठहरी हुई है शब की सियाही वहीं मगर
कुच्छ कुच्छ सहर के रंग पर अफ़्शां हुए तो हैं
४
इन में लहू जला हो हमारा के जान ओ माल
महफ़िल में कुच्छ चिराग़ फ़रोज़ाँ हुए तो हैं
५
हां कज करो कुलाह के सब कुच्छ लुटा के हम
अब बे नियाज़-ए गरदिश ए दौरां हुए तो हैं
६
अहल ए क़फ़स की सुबह चमन में खुले की आंख
बाद-ए सबा से वादा ओ पैमाँ हुए तो हैं
७
है दश्त अब भी दश्त मगर ख़ून ए पा से फ़ैज़
सैराब चंद ख़ार-ए मुग़ैलां हुए तो हैं
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. faiz ahmed faiz (1911-1984) a poet of romance, resistance, labour leader, journalist, political activist, Lenin Peace Prize awardee writes with great finesse and delicacy using the beloved as a metaphor for the homeland and/or the socialist revolution. This Ghazal, along with several others of the same radeef-refrain is linked to the icon for ‘hue to haiN’ on the radeef-refrain page. It is also similar in theme to maKhdoom’s “aa to raha hai” – both see signs of change and some hope, perhaps for different developments and at different times, but the same sentiments. So, it is also linked to ‘faiz-maKhdoom parallels’ on the Theme Index page.
1
raushan1 kahiN bahaar ke imkaaN2 hue to haiN
gulshan meN chaak3 chand4 garebaaN5 hue to haiN 1.lit up, emerged 2.possibilities 3.torn, rent assunder 4.a few 5.collars
At last a break, a few chances emerge, of springtime. Some have even dared, to rent their collars in defiance. ‘garebaaN chaak karna’ implies collars rent in sorrow or anger. With the spring, flowers tear open their covering to bloom, like renting collars. faiz celebrates that some people seem ready to protest openly, and sees this as a sign of spring.
2
ab bhi KhizaaN6 ka raaj hai laikin kahiN kahiN
goshe7 rah8 e chaman meN Ghazal KhwaaN hue to hai 6.fall, winter 7.corners 8.pathways
Cold and wintry order still holds sway, yet here and there now, rustling leaves in corners break out into song. It is autumn. Dry leaves are blown hither and thither and collected in corners. Rustling leaves make music. Thus “goshe” (corners – where dry leaves are piled up) become “Ghazal KhwaaN”, burst into music. Of course, there is the other reading … that there are some corner gatherings of protestors that are breaking out into song in protest.
3
Thahri hui hai shab ki siyaahi9 vahiN magar
kuchh kuchh sahr10 ke raNg par-afshaaN11 hue to haiN 9.darkness of the night 10.dawn 11.thrown up, spreading
Stubborn darkness still hangs, but here and there signs of dawn scatter brightness in the garden.
4
in meN lahu12 jala ho hamaara ke jaan o maal13
mahfil meN kuchh chiraaGh farozaaN14 hue to haiN 12.blood 13.life and possessions/work sweat and tears 14.lit up
It may be our blood, or sweat or tears that fuels them, but at least a few lamps spread light in this darkness.
5
haaN kaj karo kulaah15 ke sub kuchh luTa ke hum
ab be-niyaaz16 e gardish-e-dauraaN17 hue to hai 15.tilt your cap, be defiant, stand up 16.unmindful, not fearful 17.workings of the times (present order)
Tilt your cap, declare defiance, with nothing more to lose there need be no fear of the workings of Time. “kaj karo kulah” is an invitation to wear caps at slanted angle, a sign of defiance. Having lost everything, people are no longer afraid of powers that be and will show defiance.
6
ahl-e-qafas18 ki subah chaman meN khule ki aaNkh
baad-e-saba19 se va’ada20 o paimaaN21 hue to hai 18.prisoners 19.morning breeze 20.promises 21.agreement
Prisoners will awake to freedom, at break of dawn, so has the morning breeze promised.
7
hai dasht22 ab bhi dasht magar Khun e paa23 se faiz
sairaab24 chand25 Khaar-e-muGhailaaN26 hue to hai 22.wilderness 23.bleeding feet 24.slaked, irrigated 25.a few 26.dry/thorny brush
The wilderness remains arid but O faiz, your bleeding feet, have quenched the thirst of at least a few thorny bushes. The wilderness is still a wilderness (injustice), but at least some dry brush has been watered by the blood of their feet (from walking over thorns)!
faiz ahmed faiz (1911-1984) a poet of romance, resistance, labour leader, journalist, political activist, Lenin Peace Prize awardee writes with great finesse and delicacy using the beloved as a metaphor for the homeland and/or the socialist revolution. This Ghazal, along with several others of the same radeef-refrain is linked to the icon for ‘hue to haiN’ on the radeef-refrain page. It is also similar in theme to maKhdoom’s “aa to raha hai” – both see signs of change and some hope, perhaps for different developments and at different times, but the same sentiments. So, it is also linked to ‘faiz-maKhdoom parallels’ on the Theme Index page.
1
raushan1 kahiN bahaar ke imkaaN2 hue to haiN
gulshan meN chaak3 chand4 garebaaN5 hue to haiN
1.lit up, emerged 2.possibilities 3.torn, rent assunder 4.a few 5.collars
At last a break, a few chances emerge, of springtime. Some have even dared, to rent their collars in defiance. ‘garebaaN chaak karna’ implies collars rent in sorrow or anger. With the spring, flowers tear open their covering to bloom, like renting collars. faiz celebrates that some people seem ready to protest openly, and sees this as a sign of spring.
2
ab bhi KhizaaN6 ka raaj hai laikin kahiN kahiN
goshe7 rah8 e chaman meN Ghazal KhwaaN hue to haiN
6.fall, winter 7.corners 8.pathways
Cold and wintry order still holds sway, yet here and there now, rustling leaves in corners break out into song. It is autumn. Dry leaves are blown hither and thither and collected in corners. Rustling leaves make music. Thus “goshe” (corners – where dry leaves are piled up) become “Ghazal KhwaaN”, burst into music. Of course, there is the other reading … that there are some corner gatherings of protestors that are breaking out into song in protest.
3
Thahri hui hai shab ki siyaahi9 vahiN magar
kuchh kuchh sahr10 ke raNg par-afshaaN11 hue to haiN
9.darkness of the night 10.dawn 11.thrown up, spreading
Stubborn darkness still hangs, but here and there signs of dawn scatter brightness in the garden.
4
in meN lahu12 jala ho hamaara ke jaan o maal13
mahfil meN kuchh chiraaGh farozaaN14 hue to haiN
12.blood 13.life and possessions/work sweat and tears 14.lit up
It may be our blood, or sweat or tears that fuels them, but at least a few lamps spread light in this darkness.
5
haaN kaj karo kulaah15 ke sub kuchh luTa ke hum
ab be-niyaaz16 e gardish-e-dauraaN17 hue to haiN
15.tilt your cap, be defiant, stand up 16.unmindful, not fearful 17.workings of the times (present order)
Tilt your cap, declare defiance, with nothing more to lose there need be no fear of the workings of Time. “kaj karo kulah” is an invitation to wear caps at slanted angle, a sign of defiance. Having lost everything, people are no longer afraid of powers that be and will show defiance.
6
ahl-e-qafas18 ki subah chaman meN khule ki aaNkh
baad-e-saba19 se va’ada20 o paimaaN21 hue to haiN
18.prisoners 19.morning breeze 20.promises 21.agreement
Prisoners will awake to freedom, at break of dawn, so has the morning breeze promised.
7
hai dasht22 ab bhi dasht magar Khun e paa23 se faiz
sairaab24 chand25 Khaar-e-muGhailaaN26 hue to haiN
22.wilderness 23.bleeding feet 24.slaked, irrigated 25.a few 26.dry/thorny brush
The wilderness remains arid but O faiz, your bleeding feet, have quenched the thirst of at least a few thorny bushes. The wilderness is still a wilderness (injustice), but at least some dry brush has been watered by the blood of their feet (from walking over thorns)!
