For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the “Roman” or “Notes” tab.
Recitation
رباعیات۔تفکّر۔جوش ملیح آبادی
۱
اُس سَمت ہے معتوب و ذلیل و مردوُد
اِس سَمت ہے آدمی عزیز و محمود
یہ مذہب و اِرتقا کے مابین ہے فرق
اِنساں کا وہ ہبوط ہے اور یہ صعود
۲
تابِ زر و سیم، حُسنِ بستاں پہ نثار
رنگینیِ صبح روُئے خوباں پہ نثار
صد جامۂ زہد و صد قبائے سلطاں
آزاد کے اِک چاک گریباں پہ نثار
۳
میں مذہب و اِرتقا پہ گر بحث کروں
تو مختصر الفاظ میں بس اِتنا ہی کہوں
گردوں سے وہ اُفتاد ہے گیتی کی طرف
گیتی سے یہ پرواز ہے سوئے گردوں
۴
اب تک نایاب ہے حقائق کی بیاض
اغماض اور اے علم، اِتنا اغماض
قرنوں کے مجاہداتِ افکار کے بعد
اِنساں آیا ہے تا خواص و اعراض
۵
تعلیم سے بنتے نہیں عالِم اِنساں
جب تک سوئے آگہی نہ دِل ہو نِگراں
جب جہل ہو عینِ ذات و عینِ فطرت
دستارِ فضیلت ہے فقط بارِ گراں
۶
اللہ رے ایمانِ خدا داد کا جہل
ہر صید میں پرفشاں ہے صیّاد کا جہل
اخلاف کے علم پر ابھی تک صد حیف
لرزندہ ہے مثلِ دوُد اجداد کا جہل
۷
وہ گرد ہے سب اٹے ہوئے ہیں معبود
سب ایک سبق رٹے ہوئے ہیں معبود
ہاں دیکھ کہ اِس خمیرِ زنگاری میں
کتنے احمق ڈٹے ہوئے ہیں معبود
۸
پارینہ روایات کے پُھسلائے ہوئے
وہموں کے، گلے میں طوق ڈالے ہوئے
اُن سے اور اُمیدِ عقل، توبہ توبہ
جو لوگ ہیں احمقوں کے بہلائے ہوئے
۹
ناپختہ و بے سواد پا کر تجھ کو
قہار کے ہونے سے ڈرا کر تجھ کو
حکمت کا بنا دیا ہے جانی دشمن
پیرانِ سَبُک نے ورغلا کر تجھ کو
۱۰
دامن پہ دنائت کا اگر داغ نہیں
کیا فکر اگر چھوٹ گیا حبلِ متیں
واللہ کہ اِنساں کے عمل کی زشتی
بہتر ہے خیالات کی پستی سے کہیں
रुबाईयात-तफ़क्कुर-जोश मलीहाबादी
१
उस सम्त है मा’अतूब ओ ज़लील ओ मरदूद
इस सम्त है आदमी अज़ीज़ ओ महमूद
ये मज़हब ओ इरतेक़ा के माबैन है फ़र्क़
इन्सां का वो हुबूत है और ये सा’ऊद
२
ताब-ए ज़र ओ सीम, हुस्न-ए बुस्तां पे निसार
रंगीनी-ए सुबह रू-ए ख़ूबाँ पे निसार
सद जामा-ए ज़ुहाद ओ सद क़बा-ए सुल्तां
आज़ाद के एक चाक गरेबां पे निसार
३
मैं मज़हब ओ इरतेक़ा पे गर बहस करूं
तो मुख़्तसिर अल्फ़ाज़ में बस इतना ही कहूं
गर्दुं से वो उफ़ताद है गेती की तरफ़
गेती से ये परवाज़ है सू-ए गरदूं
४
अब तक नायाब है हक़ा’एक़ की बयाज़
अग़्माज़, आए इल्म और इतना अग़्माज़
क़र्नौं के मुजाहिदात-ए अफ़्कार के बाद
इन्सां आया है ता ख़वास ओ आ’राज़
५
ता’लीम से बनता नहीं आलिम इन्सां
जब तक सू-ए आगही ना दिल हो निगरां
जब जहल हो आईन-ए ज़ात ओ आईन-ए फ़ित्रत
दस्तार-ए फ़ज़ीलत है फ़क़त बार-ए गिरां
६
अल्लाह रे ईमान-ए ख़ुदा-दाद का जहल
हर सैद में परफ़शां है सय्याद का जहल
अख़्लाफ़ के इल्म पर अभी तक सद हैफ़
लरज़न्दा है मिस्ल-ए दूद अज्दाद का जहल
७
वो गर्द है सब अटे हुए हैं म’आबूद
सब एक सबक़ रटे हुए हैं म’आबूद
हाँ देख के इस ख़मीरा-ए ज़न्गीरी में
कितने अहमक़ डटे हुए हैं म’आबूद
८
पारीना रिवायात के फुसलाए हुए
वहमौं के गले में तौक़ डाले हुए
उन से और उम्मीद-ए अक़्ल, तौबा तौबा
जो लोग हैं अहमक़ौं के बहलाए हुए
९
नापोख़्ता ओ बे-सवाद पा कर तुझको
क़’हार के होने से डरा कर तुझको
हिक्मत का बना दिया है जानी दुश्मन
पीरान-ए सबुक ने वरग़ला कर तुझ को
१०
दामन पे दनायत का अगर दाग़ नहीं
क्या फ़िक्र अगर छूट गया हबल-ए मतीं
वल्लाह के इन्सां के अमल की ज़ुश्ती
बेहतर है ख़यालात की पस्ती से कहीं
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. josh malihabadi is well known for his fiery nazm. He also wrote many romantic as well as cerebral nazm and Ghazal. His marsia are a celebration of dignified death rather than bowing to injustice even at the cost of life. He also wrote numerous rubaaii. This series is a collection of nearly 300 rubaaiyaat from various books organized by subject. This selection is all about constant struggle to keep uncovering new knowledge. josh extends a powerful invitation to think and analyze not believe blindly.
1
us samt1 hai ma’atoob2 o zalil3 o mardood4
is samt hai aadmi aziz5 o mahmood6
ye mazhab7 o irteqa8 ke maabain9 hai farq10
insaaN ka vo huboot11 hai aur ye saud12 1.direction, side 2.object of anger, hated 3.scorned 4.banished 5.loved 6.praised 7.religion/faith 8.progress/change/learning 9.between 10.difference 11.descent, denigration 12.ascent, elevation
On this side man is hated, scorned and pushed away and on the other side loved and praised. This is the difference between faith and progress. One is the descent/fall of man the other is his elevation.
2
taab1-e zar2 o seem3, husn4-e bustaaN5 pe nisaar6
raNgini-e-subah7 roo-e-KhoobaaN8 pe nisaar
sad-jaama9-e zuhad10 o sad-qabaa11-e sultaaN12
aazad13 ke ek chaak-garebaaN14 pe nisaar 1.splendour 2.gold 3.silver 4.beauty 5.garden 6.sacrificial offering 7.colour/beauty of dawn 8.face of the beloved 9.hundred cloaks 10.piety 11.hundred robes 12.king 13.free 14.torn collar, rags
The splendour of gold and silver is but a sacrificial offering to the beauty of a garden. The colour of dawn is far superior to the good looks of the beloved. Cloaks of the pious, robes of royalty are nothing compared with even the rags of a free person.
3
maiN mazhab1 o irteqa2 pe gar3 bahas4 karuN
to muKhtasir5 alfaaz6 meN bas itna hi kahuN
garduN7 se vo uftaad8 hai geti9 ki taraf
geti se ye parvaaz10 hai soo11-e garduN 1.faith 2.progress, improvement, evolution, modernity 3.if 4.debate, discuss 5.few, brief 6.words 7.skies, heavens 8.curse, calamity 9.earth, world 10.flight 11.towards
If I were to discuss faith and modernity, I would say this in a few words. Religion is a curse descended upon the earth from heavens. Modernity is a flight of the earth towards heavens.
4
ab tak nayaab1 hai haqaa’eq2 ki bayaaz3
aGhmaaz4, aye ilm aur itna aGhmaaz
qarnauN5 ke mujahidaat-e-afkaar6 ke baad
insaaN aaya hai ta7 Khavaas8 o a’araaz9 1.rare, not available 2.truth, knowledge 3.book 4.hiding 5.millenia 6.struggle of reason/thought 7.up to 8.special 9.qualities
The book of knowledge is still unavailable. Hiding from us, O Knowledge, and hiding so much! We struggled for reason/knowledge for millenia and only then did humans reach as far as these special qualities.
5
taa’leem1 se banta nahiN aalim2 insaaN
jab tak soo-e-aagahi3 na dil ho nigaraaN4
jab jahl5 ho ain-e-zaat6 o ain-e-fitrat7
dastaar-e-fazeelat8 hai faqat9 baar-e-giraaN10 1.education, learning (implied – religious/traditional) 2.scholar (implied – religious) 3.direction of knowledge 4.look towards 5.ignorance 6.basis on personhood/being 7.basis of nature 8.cap of distinction/status/office 9.only 10.heavy burden
Traditional learning does not make the religious scholar wise/human, not until he turns his sight towards knowledge/reason. When ignorance forms the basis of being and foundation of nature, then the cap of (religious) office is merely a heavy burden on the head.
6
allah re eemaan1-e Khuda-daad2 ka jahl3
har sayd4 meN parfashaaN5 hai sayyaad6 ka jahl
aKhlaaf7 ke ilm par abhi tak sad-haif8
larzanda9 hai misl-e-dood10 ajdaad11 ka jahl 1.faith 2.god given 3.ignorance 4.prey, victim 5.fluttering/flapping wings 6.hunter, trapper 7.progeny 8.hundred sorrows 9.waving 10.like/similar to smoke 11.ancestors
By god, the ignorance/power of god-given faith. Man is like a bird of prey flapping its wings, caught in the net of ignorance. How sad that the (defective, false) knowledge of the ancestors waves like smoke over the ignorance of their progeny.
7
vo gard1 hai sub aTey2 hue haiN m’aabood3
sub ek sabaq4 raTey hue haiN m’aabood
haaN dekh ke is Khameer-e-zaNgaari5 meN
kitne ahmaq6 DaTey7 hue haiN m’aabood 1.dust 2.covered, caked 3.lord, god 4.lesson 5.rusty arrangement 6.fools 7.pre-occupied with
There is so much dust that everyone is caked with it, O lord. Everyone repeats the same (non-sensical) words. See, in this rusty old arrangement, how many fools are pre-occupied/engaged.
8
paareena1 rivayaat2 ke phuslaaye hue
vahmauN3 ke galey meN tauq4 Daale hue
un se aur ummeed-e-aql5, tauba tauba
jo log haiN ahmaqauN6 ke bahlaaye7 hue 1.old 2.rituals, traditions 3.superstitions 4.shackles, yoke 5.hope of reason 6.fools 7.comforted, deceived
Tempted by old traditions and with a yoke of traditions around their necks, how can we hope for reason from them who have been deceived by fools (preachers).
9
na-poKhta1 o be-savaad2 paa kar tujhko
qah-haar3 ke hone se Daraa kar tujhko
hikmat4 ka banaa diya hai jaani dushman
peeraan-e-sabk5 ne varGhala6 kar tujh ko 1.immature 2.unread 3.calamities, curses 4.wisdom 5.keepers of traditions 6.tempt, deceive
Knowing that you are immature and unschooled, making your fearful of unknown curses, the keepers of traditions have deceived and tempted you and made you a sworn enemy of reason.
10
daaman1 pe danaayat2 ka agar daaGh3 nahiN
kya fikr4 agar chhooT gaya habl-e-matiN5
vallah6 ke insaaN ke amal7 ki zushti8
behtar9 hai Khyaalaat ki pasti10 se kahiN 1.hem of the robe 2.ingorance 3.stain 4.worry 5.strong rope 6.by god 7.action 8.ugliness, frailty 9.better 10.backwardness
josh seems to excuse frailty of action as long as thought/intent is good. As long as the hem of the robe is not stained with ignorance, what worry if lose the grip of the strong rope (of correct action). By god, the frail actions of man are much better than the backwardness of thought.
josh malihabadi is well known for his fiery nazm. He also wrote many romantic as well as cerebral nazm and Ghazal. His marsia are a celebration of dignified death rather than bowing to injustice even at the cost of life. He also wrote numerous rubaaii. This series is a collection of nearly 300 rubaaiyaat from various books organized by subject. This selection is all about constant struggle to keep uncovering new knowledge. josh extends a powerful invitation to think and analyze not believe blindly.
1
us samt1 hai ma’atoob2 o zalil3 o mardood4
is samt hai aadmi aziz5 o mahmood6
ye mazhab7 o irteqa8 ke maabain9 hai farq10
insaaN ka vo huboot11 hai aur ye saud12
1.direction, side 2.object of anger, hated 3.scorned 4.banished 5.loved 6.praised 7.religion/faith 8.progress/change/learning 9.between 10.difference 11.descent, denigration 12.ascent, elevation
On this side man is hated, scorned and pushed away and on the other side loved and praised. This is the difference between faith and progress. One is the descent/fall of man the other is his elevation.
2
taab1-e zar2 o seem3, husn4-e bustaaN5 pe nisaar6
raNgini-e-subah7 roo-e-KhoobaaN8 pe nisaar
sad-jaama9-e zuhad10 o sad-qabaa11-e sultaaN12
aazad13 ke ek chaak-garebaaN14 pe nisaar
1.splendour 2.gold 3.silver 4.beauty 5.garden 6.sacrificial offering 7.colour/beauty of dawn 8.face of the beloved 9.hundred cloaks 10.piety 11.hundred robes 12.king 13.free 14.torn collar, rags
The splendour of gold and silver is but a sacrificial offering to the beauty of a garden. The colour of dawn is far superior to the good looks of the beloved. Cloaks of the pious, robes of royalty are nothing compared with even the rags of a free person.
3
maiN mazhab1 o irteqa2 pe gar3 bahas4 karuN
to muKhtasir5 alfaaz6 meN bas itna hi kahuN
garduN7 se vo uftaad8 hai geti9 ki taraf
geti se ye parvaaz10 hai soo11-e garduN
1.faith 2.progress, improvement, evolution, modernity 3.if 4.debate, discuss 5.few, brief 6.words 7.skies, heavens 8.curse, calamity 9.earth, world 10.flight 11.towards
If I were to discuss faith and modernity, I would say this in a few words. Religion is a curse descended upon the earth from heavens. Modernity is a flight of the earth towards heavens.
4
ab tak nayaab1 hai haqaa’eq2 ki bayaaz3
aGhmaaz4, aye ilm aur itna aGhmaaz
qarnauN5 ke mujahidaat-e-afkaar6 ke baad
insaaN aaya hai ta7 Khavaas8 o a’araaz9
1.rare, not available 2.truth, knowledge 3.book 4.hiding 5.millenia 6.struggle of reason/thought 7.up to 8.special 9.qualities
The book of knowledge is still unavailable. Hiding from us, O Knowledge, and hiding so much! We struggled for reason/knowledge for millenia and only then did humans reach as far as these special qualities.
5
taa’leem1 se banta nahiN aalim2 insaaN
jab tak soo-e-aagahi3 na dil ho nigaraaN4
jab jahl5 ho ain-e-zaat6 o ain-e-fitrat7
dastaar-e-fazeelat8 hai faqat9 baar-e-giraaN10
1.education, learning (implied – religious/traditional) 2.scholar (implied – religious) 3.direction of knowledge 4.look towards 5.ignorance 6.basis on personhood/being 7.basis of nature 8.cap of distinction/status/office 9.only 10.heavy burden
Traditional learning does not make the religious scholar wise/human, not until he turns his sight towards knowledge/reason. When ignorance forms the basis of being and foundation of nature, then the cap of (religious) office is merely a heavy burden on the head.
6
allah re eemaan1-e Khuda-daad2 ka jahl3
har sayd4 meN parfashaaN5 hai sayyaad6 ka jahl
aKhlaaf7 ke ilm par abhi tak sad-haif8
larzanda9 hai misl-e-dood10 ajdaad11 ka jahl
1.faith 2.god given 3.ignorance 4.prey, victim 5.fluttering/flapping wings 6.hunter, trapper 7.progeny 8.hundred sorrows 9.waving 10.like/similar to smoke 11.ancestors
By god, the ignorance/power of god-given faith. Man is like a bird of prey flapping its wings, caught in the net of ignorance. How sad that the (defective, false) knowledge of the ancestors waves like smoke over the ignorance of their progeny.
7
vo gard1 hai sub aTey2 hue haiN m’aabood3
sub ek sabaq4 raTey hue haiN m’aabood
haaN dekh ke is Khameer-e-zaNgaari5 meN
kitne ahmaq6 DaTey7 hue haiN m’aabood
1.dust 2.covered, caked 3.lord, god 4.lesson 5.rusty arrangement 6.fools 7.pre-occupied with
There is so much dust that everyone is caked with it, O lord. Everyone repeats the same (non-sensical) words. See, in this rusty old arrangement, how many fools are pre-occupied/engaged.
8
paareena1 rivayaat2 ke phuslaaye hue
vahmauN3 ke galey meN tauq4 Daale hue
un se aur ummeed-e-aql5, tauba tauba
jo log haiN ahmaqauN6 ke bahlaaye7 hue
1.old 2.rituals, traditions 3.superstitions 4.shackles, yoke 5.hope of reason 6.fools 7.comforted, deceived
Tempted by old traditions and with a yoke of traditions around their necks, how can we hope for reason from them who have been deceived by fools (preachers).
9
na-poKhta1 o be-savaad2 paa kar tujhko
qah-haar3 ke hone se Daraa kar tujhko
hikmat4 ka banaa diya hai jaani dushman
peeraan-e-sabk5 ne varGhala6 kar tujh ko
1.immature 2.unread 3.calamities, curses 4.wisdom 5.keepers of traditions 6.tempt, deceive
Knowing that you are immature and unschooled, making your fearful of unknown curses, the keepers of traditions have deceived and tempted you and made you a sworn enemy of reason.
10
daaman1 pe danaayat2 ka agar daaGh3 nahiN
kya fikr4 agar chhooT gaya habl-e-matiN5
vallah6 ke insaaN ke amal7 ki zushti8
behtar9 hai Khyaalaat ki pasti10 se kahiN
1.hem of the robe 2.ingorance 3.stain 4.worry 5.strong rope 6.by god 7.action 8.ugliness, frailty 9.better 10.backwardness
josh seems to excuse frailty of action as long as thought/intent is good. As long as the hem of the robe is not stained with ignorance, what worry if lose the grip of the strong rope (of correct action). By god, the frail actions of man are much better than the backwardness of thought.
Key Search Words:
