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Recitation
مجھے سوچنے دے ۔ ساحر لدھیانوی
میری ناکام محبت کی کہانی مت چھیڑ
اپنی مایوس امنگوں کا فسانہ نہ سنا
زندگی تلخ سہی زہر سہی سم ہی سہی
درد و آزار سہی جبر سہی غم ہی سہی
لیکن اس درد و غم و جبر کی وسعت کو تو دیکھ
ظلم کی چھاؤں میں دم توڑتی خلقت کو تو دیکھ
اپنی مایوس امنگوں کا فسانہ نہ سنا
میری ناکام محبت کی کہانی مت چھیڑ
جلسہ گاہوں میں یہ دہشت زدہ سہمے انبوہ
رہ گزاروں پہ فلاکت زدہ لوگوں کے گروہ
بھوک اور پیاس سے پژمردہ سیہ فام زمیں
تیرہ و تار مکاں مفلس و بیمار مکیں
نوع انساں میں یہ سرمایہ و محنت کا تضاد
امن و تہذیب کے پرچم تلے قوموں کا فساد
ہر طرف آتش و آہن کا یہ سیلاب عظیم
نت نئے طرز پہ ہوتی ہوئی دنیا تقسیم
لہلہاتے ہوئے کھیتوں پہ جوانی کا سماں
اور دہقان کے چھپر میں نہ بتی نہ دھواں
یہ فلک بوس ملیں دل کش و سیمیں بازار
یہ غلاظت پہ جھپٹتے ہوئے بھوکے نادار
دور ساحل پہ وہ شفاف مکانوں کی قطار
سرسراتے ہوئے پردوں میں سمٹتے گل زار
در و دیوار پہ انوار کا سیلاب رواں
جیسے اک شاعر مدہوش کے خوابوں کا جہاں
یہ سبھی کیوں ہے یہ کیا ہے مجھے کچھ سوچنے دے
کون انساں کا خدا ہے مجھے کچھ سوچنے دے
اپنی مایوس امنگوں کا فسانہ نہ سنا
میری ناکام محبت کی کہانی مت چھیڑ
मुझे सोचने दे – साहेर लुधियानवी
मेरी नाकाम मोहब्बत की कहानी मत छेड़
अपनी मायूस उमंगों का फ़साना न सुना
ज़िंदगी तल्ख़ सही ज़हर सही सम ही सही
दर्द ओ आज़ार सही जब्र सही ग़म ही सही
लेकिन इस दर्द-ओ-ग़म ओ जब्र की वुसअत को तो देख
ज़ुल्म की छाँव में दम तोड़ती ख़िल्क़त को तो देख
अपनी मायूस उमंगों का फ़साना न सुना
मेरी नाकाम मोहब्बत की कहानी मत छेड़
जल्सा-गाहों में ये दहशत-ज़दा सहमे अम्बोह
रहगुज़ारों पे फ़लाकत-ज़दा लोगों के गिरोह
भूक और प्यास से पज़-मुर्दा सियह-फ़ाम ज़मीं
तीरा-ओ-तार मकाँ मुफ़लिस ओ बीमार मकीं
नौ-ए-इंसाँ में ये सरमाया ओ मेहनत का तज़ाद
अम्न ओ तहज़ीब के परचम तले क़ौमों का फ़साद
हर तरफ़ आतिश ओ आहन का ये सैलाब-ए-आज़ीम
नित-नए तर्ज़ पे होती हुई दुनिया तक़्सीम
लहलहाते हुए खेतों पे जवानी का समाँ
और दहक़ान के छप्पर में न बत्ती न धुआँ
ये फ़लक-बोस मिलें दिलकश ओ सीमीं बाज़ार
ये ग़लाज़त पे झपटते हुए भूके नादार
दूर साहिल पे वो शफ़्फ़ाफ़ मकानों की क़तार
सरसराते हुए पर्दों में सिमटते गुलज़ार
दर-ओ-दीवार पे अनवार का सैलाब-ए-रवाँ
जैसे इक शायर-ए-मदहोश के ख़्वाबों का जहाँ
ये सभी क्यूँ है ये क्या है मुझे कुछ सोचने दे
कौन इंसाँ का ख़ुदा है मुझे कुछ सोचने दे
अपनी मायूस उमंगों का फ़साना न सुना
मेरी नाकाम मोहब्बत की कहानी मत छेड़
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. The poet/lover/revolutionary is caught between commitments of romance and the call for social justice. This, of course, is a major turn that Progressive Writers’ Association asked its members to take. Thus the poet/lover is urging the beloved to look beyond their personal love story.
meri nakaam1 mohabbat ki kahaani mat chheR
apni maayoos2 umaNgoN3 ka fasaana4 na suna 1.failed, useless 2.disappointed 3.desires 4.story
(O, my beloved) let us not dwell on the story of my failed love, the story of our disappointed/unfulfilled desires.
zindagi talKh1 sahi zahr2 sahi sam3 hi sahi
dard o aazaar4 sahi jabr5 sahi Gham hi sahi
laikin is dard-o-Gham o jabr ki vus’at6 ko to dekh
zulm ki chhaauNw meN dam toRti Khilqat7 ko to dekh 1.hard, bitter 2.poison 3.venom 4.torment 5.oppression 6.expanse, reach 7.creation, humanity
Our life may be bitter, poisonous and full of venom. It may be painful and tormented. We may be oppressed and sad. But look at how widespread this pain, sorrow and oppression is. Look at this humanity gasping for breath, in the last throes of its life, under the shadow of oppression.
apni maayoos umaNgoN ka fasaana na suna
meri nakaam mohabbat ki kahaani mat chheR (O, my beloved) let us not dwell on the story of my failed love, the story of our disappointed/unfulfilled desires.
jalsa-gaahoN1 meN ye dahshat-zada2 sahme3 amboh4
rahguzaaroN5 pe falaakat-zada6 logoN ke giroh7
bhook aur pyaas se pazshmurda8 siyah-faam9 zamiN
teera-o-taar10 makaaN muflis11 o beemaar makiN12 1.public gatherings 2.stricken with anxiety 3.fearful 4.crowds 5.pathways 6.stricken with misery 7.groups 8.wilted, dejected 9.black faced, cursed 10.unlit and dark 11.paupered 12.dwellers
Wherever you turn, anxious and fearful crowds. Miserable groups milling about on the street. The cursed earth, wilted, hungry and thirsty. Dark and unlit dwellings, sick and paupered dwellers.
nau-e-insaN1 meN ye sarmaaya2 o mehnat ka tazaad3
amn4 o tahzeeb5 ke parcham taley qaumoN6 ka fasaad7
har taraf aatish8 o aahan9 ka ye sailaab10-e-azeem11
nit-naye tarz12 pe hoti hui duniya taqseem13 1.human species, humankind 2.wealth, capital 3.conflict, opposition 4.peace 5.culture 6.communities 7.feud, conflict 8.fire 9.steel 10.flood 11.vast 12.style 13.divided
Why is there a conflict between capital and labour among humans? Why do communities feud under the banner of culture and peace? Everywhere a vast flood of fire and (weapons of) steel. The world being divided up in ever new ways.
lahlahaate1 hue khetoN pe javaani ka samaaN2
aur dahqaan3 ke chhappar meN na batti na dhuaaN
ye falak-bos4 mileN dilkash5 o simiN6 bazaar
ye Ghalaazat7 pe jhapaTte hue bhooke naadaar8 1.swaying, waving 2.scene 3.farmer 4.sky kissing 5.beautiful 6.silvery, bright, dazzling 7.dirt, garbage 8.paupers, indigent
This beautiful scene of fresh green fields swaying with ripe harvest and in the farmer’s hut neither a lamp nor a cooking stove. These tall factories and this dazzling bazaar and these hungry paupers rushing to retrieve something from the garbage.
duur saahil1 pe vo shaffaaf2 makaanoN ki qataar3
sarsaraate4 hue pardoN meN simaTte5 gulzaar6
dar-o-diwar7 pe anvaar8 ka sailaab9-e ravaaN10
jaise ek shaa’er-e madhosh ke KhwaaboN ka jahaaN 1.shore 2.clean, whitewashed 3.line 4.rustling 5.gathering 6.garden 7.doors and walls, mansions 8.rays of light 9.flood 10.flowing
Far away, on the shore a line of whitewashed houses. Behind rustling curtains young maidens, shrinking and scared. Mansions flooded in flowing brilliance, like the world of dreams of an intoxicated poet.
ye sabhi kyuN hai ye kya hai mujhe kuchh sochne de
kaun insaaN ka Khuda hai mujhe kuchh sochne de
apni maayoos umaNgoN ka fasaana na suna
meri nakaam mohabbat ki kahaani mat chheR What is all this, why is it so, let me think. What kind of a god is this, let me think. (O, my beloved) let us not dwell on the story of my failed love, the story of our disappointed/unfulfilled desires.
mujhe sochne de – sahir ludhianavi
The poet/lover/revolutionary is caught between commitments of romance and the call for social justice. This, of course, is a major turn that Progressive Writers’ Association asked its members to take. Thus the poet/lover is urging the beloved to look beyond their personal love story.
meri nakaam1 mohabbat ki kahaani mat chheR
apni maayoos2 umaNgoN3 ka fasaana4 na suna
1.failed, useless 2.disappointed 3.desires 4.story
(O, my beloved) let us not dwell on the story of my failed love, the story of our disappointed/unfulfilled desires.
zindagi talKh1 sahi zahr2 sahi sam3 hi sahi
dard o aazaar4 sahi jabr5 sahi Gham hi sahi
laikin is dard-o-Gham o jabr ki vus’at6 ko to dekh
zulm ki chhaauNw meN dam toRti Khilqat7 ko to dekh
1.hard, bitter 2.poison 3.venom 4.torment 5.oppression 6.expanse, reach 7.creation, humanity
Our life may be bitter, poisonous and full of venom. It may be painful and tormented. We may be oppressed and sad. But look at how widespread this pain, sorrow and oppression is. Look at this humanity gasping for breath, in the last throes of its life, under the shadow of oppression.
apni maayoos umaNgoN ka fasaana na suna
meri nakaam mohabbat ki kahaani mat chheR
(O, my beloved) let us not dwell on the story of my failed love, the story of our disappointed/unfulfilled desires.
jalsa-gaahoN1 meN ye dahshat-zada2 sahme3 amboh4
rahguzaaroN5 pe falaakat-zada6 logoN ke giroh7
bhook aur pyaas se pazshmurda8 siyah-faam9 zamiN
teera-o-taar10 makaaN muflis11 o beemaar makiN12
1.public gatherings 2.stricken with anxiety 3.fearful 4.crowds 5.pathways 6.stricken with misery 7.groups 8.wilted, dejected 9.black faced, cursed 10.unlit and dark 11.paupered 12.dwellers
Wherever you turn, anxious and fearful crowds. Miserable groups milling about on the street. The cursed earth, wilted, hungry and thirsty. Dark and unlit dwellings, sick and paupered dwellers.
nau-e-insaN1 meN ye sarmaaya2 o mehnat ka tazaad3
amn4 o tahzeeb5 ke parcham taley qaumoN6 ka fasaad7
har taraf aatish8 o aahan9 ka ye sailaab10-e-azeem11
nit-naye tarz12 pe hoti hui duniya taqseem13
1.human species, humankind 2.wealth, capital 3.conflict, opposition 4.peace 5.culture 6.communities 7.feud, conflict 8.fire 9.steel 10.flood 11.vast 12.style 13.divided
Why is there a conflict between capital and labour among humans? Why do communities feud under the banner of culture and peace? Everywhere a vast flood of fire and (weapons of) steel. The world being divided up in ever new ways.
lahlahaate1 hue khetoN pe javaani ka samaaN2
aur dahqaan3 ke chhappar meN na batti na dhuaaN
ye falak-bos4 mileN dilkash5 o simiN6 bazaar
ye Ghalaazat7 pe jhapaTte hue bhooke naadaar8
1.swaying, waving 2.scene 3.farmer 4.sky kissing 5.beautiful 6.silvery, bright, dazzling 7.dirt, garbage 8.paupers, indigent
This beautiful scene of fresh green fields swaying with ripe harvest and in the farmer’s hut neither a lamp nor a cooking stove. These tall factories and this dazzling bazaar and these hungry paupers rushing to retrieve something from the garbage.
duur saahil1 pe vo shaffaaf2 makaanoN ki qataar3
sarsaraate4 hue pardoN meN simaTte5 gulzaar6
dar-o-diwar7 pe anvaar8 ka sailaab9-e ravaaN10
jaise ek shaa’er-e madhosh ke KhwaaboN ka jahaaN
1.shore 2.clean, whitewashed 3.line 4.rustling 5.gathering, shrinking, recoiling 6.garden, beautiful damsels 7.doors and walls, mansions 8.rays of light 9.flood 10.flowing
Far away, on the shore a line of whitewashed houses. Behind rustling curtains young maidens, shrinking and scared. Mansions flooded in flowing brilliance, like the world of dreams of an intoxicated poet.
ye sabhi kyuN hai ye kya hai mujhe kuchh sochne de
kaun insaaN ka Khuda hai mujhe kuchh sochne de
apni maayoos umaNgoN ka fasaana na suna
meri nakaam mohabbat ki kahaani mat chheR
What is all this, why is it so, let me think. What kind of a god is this, let me think. (O, my beloved) let us not dwell on the story of my failed love, the story of our disappointed/unfulfilled desires.
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