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Recitation
تو جانوں ۔ جان رابرٹ پال نادر شاہجاں پوری
۱
جو دردِ جگر میں کمی ہو تو جانوں
قیامت اگر مُلتوی ہو تو جانوں
۲
مُقدّر نہ میرا بگڑ کر بنے گا
کسی کی بھی بِگڑی بنی ہو تو جانوں
۳
مجھے تیری فرقت میں جو بے کلی ہے
تجھے بھی وہی بے کلی ہو تو جانوں
۴
شبِ غم میں کل میں نے تارے گنے ہیں
ذرا آنکھ میری لگی ہو تو جانوں
۵
رقیبوں کی ہر بات کرتے ہو پوری
میرے ساتھ بھی مُنصفی ہو تو جانوں
۶
پسِ مرگ نادر وہ آئے بھی تو کیا
عنایت اگر جیتے جی ہو تو جانوں
तो जानूं – जॉन रॉबर्ट पॉल नादेर शाह्जहांपूरी
१
जो दर्द-ए-जिगर में कमी हो तो जानूँ
क़यामत अगर मुल्तवी हो तो जानूँ
२
मुक़द्दर न मेरा बिगड़ कर बनेगा
किसी की भी बिगड़ी बनी हो तो जानूँ
३
मुझे तेरी फ़ुर्क़त में जो बे-कली है
तुझे भी वही बे-कली हो तो जानूँ
४
शब-ए-ग़म में कल मैं ने तारे गिने हैं
ज़रा आँख मेरी लगी हो तो जानूँ
५
रक़ीबों की हर बात करते हो पूरी
मेरे साथ में मुंसिफ़ी हो तो जानूँ
६
पस-ए-मर्ग नादेर वो आए भी तो क्या
इनायत अगर जीते जी हो तो जानूँ
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. John Robert Paul nadir shahjahaaNpuri was born in a Christian missionary family. He chose to live in India and composed extensively in urdu with a full-fledged divan of nearly 400 Ghazal to his name. I would rank him among second tier poets, but still very good. Also see his hamd and n’aat-e maseehi also posted on this site.
1
jo dard-e jigar1 meN kami ho to jaanuN
qayaamat2 agar multavi3 ho to jaanuN 1.liver/heart 2.doomsday 3.postpone
Doomsday is certain. It cannot be postponed. Just as certain is tha the poet/lover will continue to have pain (of love) in his heart.
2
muqaddar1 na mera bigaR2 kar banegaa
kisi ki bhi bigRi3 bani4 ho to jaanuN 1.fate 2.spoiled 3.usually used to mean ill fate 4.repaired
The poet is despondent and sure that his fate is doomed (because he has fallen in love with the cruel beloved) and cannot be fixed. See, no one’s ill fate is ever changed. Why would mine.
3
mujhe teri furqat1 meN jo be-kali2 hai
tujhe bhi vahi be-kali ho to jaanuN 1.separation 2.restlessness
The poet/lover is constantly restless in separation from the beloved, while she does not seem to be affected. He is sure that she will never suffer from the same restlessness.
4
shab-e-Gham1 meN kal maiN ne taare gine2 haiN
zaraa aaNkh meri lagi3 ho to jaanuN 1.night of sorrow (of separation) 2.count 3.aaNkh lagna, get to sleep
The poet/lover spent a sleepless night counting stars. He swears that he did not sleep a blink. See the delightful collection of ash’aar on counting stars … aKhtar shumaari under muntaKhab ashaar – taKhallus qamar jalalavi – aKhtar shumaari.
5
raqiboN1 ki har baat karte ho puuri
mere saath meN munsifi2 ho to jaanuN 1.rivals 2.justice
You (O, beloved) you cater to the wishes of rivals. I swear, you have never done me any justice.
6
pas-e-marg1 naadir vo aaye bhi to kya
inaayat2 agar jiite ji ho to jaanuN 1.after death 2.grant, kindness, gift
It is customary to make a call of condolence after death. It is considered a cultural requirement. So it is likely that the beloved will come after the poet/lover dies. O, nadir, what use is it, if she comes after death. If she comes when I am still alive, then I will know.
John Robert Paul nadir shahjahaaNpuri was born in a Christian missionary family. He chose to live in India and composed extensively in urdu with a full-fledged divan of nearly 400 Ghazal to his name. I would rank him among second tier poets, but still very good. Also see his hamd and n’aat-e maseehi also posted on this site.
1
jo dard-e jigar1 meN kami ho to jaanuN
qayaamat2 agar multavi3 ho to jaanuN
1.liver/heart 2.doomsday 3.postpone
Doomsday is certain. It cannot be postponed. Just as certain is tha the poet/lover will continue to have pain (of love) in his heart.
2
muqaddar1 na mera bigaR2 kar banegaa
kisi ki bhi bigRi3 bani4 ho to jaanuN
1.fate 2.spoiled 3.usually used to mean ill fate 4.repaired
The poet is despondent and sure that his fate is doomed (because he has fallen in love with the cruel beloved) and cannot be fixed. See, no one’s ill fate is ever changed. Why would mine.
3
mujhe teri furqat1 meN jo be-kali2 hai
tujhe bhi vahi be-kali ho to jaanuN
1.separation 2.restlessness
The poet/lover is constantly restless in separation from the beloved, while she does not seem to be affected. He is sure that she will never suffer from the same restlessness.
4
shab-e-Gham1 meN kal maiN ne taare gine2 haiN
zaraa aaNkh meri lagi3 ho to jaanuN
1.night of sorrow (of separation) 2.count 3.aaNkh lagna, get to sleep
The poet/lover spent a sleepless night counting stars. He swears that he did not sleep a blink. See the delightful collection of ash’aar on counting stars … aKhtar shumaari under muntaKhab ashaar – taKhallus qamar jalalavi – aKhtar shumaari.
5
raqiboN1 ki har baat karte ho puuri
mere saath meN munsifi2 ho to jaanuN
1.rivals 2.justice
You (O, beloved) you cater to the wishes of rivals. I swear, you have never done me any justice.
6
pas-e-marg1 naadir vo aaye bhi to kya
inaayat2 agar jiite ji ho to jaanuN
1.after death 2.grant, kindness, gift
It is customary to make a call of condolence after death. It is considered a cultural requirement. So it is likely that the beloved will come after the poet/lover dies. O, nadir, what use is it, if she comes after death. If she comes when I am still alive, then I will know.
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