For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
البیلی صبح – جوشؔ ملیح آبادی
۱
نظر جھکائے عروسِ فطرت، جبیں سے زلفیں ہٹا رہی ہے
سحر کا تارا ہے زلزلے میں، اُفق کی لؤ تھرتھرا رہی ہے
۲
روِش، روِش نغمہِ طرب ہے، چمن چمن جشنِ رنگ و بو ہے
طیور شاخوں پہ ہیں غزلخواں، کلی کلی گنگنا رہی ہے
۳
ستارۂ صبح کی رسیلی، جھپکتی آنکھوں میں ہیں فسانے
نگارِ مہتاب کی نشیلی، نگاہ جادو جگا رہی ہے
۴
طیور بزمِ سحر کے مطرب، لچکتی شاخوں پہ گا رہے ہیں
نسیمِ فردوس کی سہیلی، گُلوں کو جُھولا جُھلا رہی ہے
۵
کلی پہ بیلے کی کس ادا سے، پڑا ہے شبنم کا ایک موتی
نہیں! یہ ہیرے کی کیل پہنے کوئی پری مسکرا رہی ہے
۶
سحر کو مدّ نظر ہیں کتنی، رعائتیں چشمِ خوں فشاں کی
ہوا بیاباں سے آنے والی، لہو میں سُرخی بڑھا رہی ہے
۷
شلوکا پہنے ہوے گلابی، ہر اک سبک پنکھڑی چمن میں
رنگی ہوئی سُرخ اوڑھنی کا، ہوا میں پلُّو سُکھا رہی ہے
۸
فلک پہ اِس طرح چھپ رہے ہیں، ہلال کے گِرد و پیش تارے
کہ جیسے کوئی نئی نویلی جبیں سے افشاں چُھڑا رہی ہے
۹
کھٹک یہ کیوں دِل میں ہو چلی پھر؟ چٹکتی کلیو ذرا ٹھہرنا
ہوائے گلشن کی نرم رَو میں یہ کس کی آواز آ رہی ہے
अल्बेली सुबह – जोश मलीहाबादी
१
नज़र झुकाए उरूस-ए फ़ित्रत, जबीं से ज़ुल्फ़ें हटा रही है
सहर का तारा है ज़ल्ज़ले में, उफ़क़ की लौ थरथरा रही है
२
रविश रविश नग़मा-ए तरब है, चमन चमन जश्न-ए रंग ओ बू है
तुयूर शाख़ों पे हैं ग़ज़लख़्वां, कली कली गुनगुना रही है
३
सितारा-ए सुबह की रसीली, झपकती आँखों में हैं फ़साने
निगार-ए महताब की नशीली, निगाह जादू जगा रही है
४
तुयूर बज़्म-ए सहर के मुत्रिब, लचकती शाख़ों पे गा रहे हैं
नसीम-ए फ़िर्दौस की सहेली, गुलों को झूला झुला रही है
५
कली पे बेले की किस अदा से, पड़ा है शब्नम का एक मोती
नहीं! ये हीरे की कील पहने, कोई परी मुस्कुरा रही है
६
सहर को मद्द-ए नज़र हैं कितनी, रे’आएतें चश्म-ए ख़ूं-फ़शां की
हवा बियाबां से आने वाली, लहू में सुर्ख़ी बढ़ा रही है
७
शलोका पहने हुए गुलाबी, हर एक सुबुक पंखडी चमन में
रंगी हुई सुर्ख़ ओढ़नी का, हवा में पल्लू सुखा रही है
८
फ़लक पे इस तरह छुप रहे हैं, हिलाल के गिर्द ओ पेश तारे
के जैसे कोई नई नवेली जबीं से अफ़्शां छुड़ा रही है
९
खटक ये क्यूँ दिल में हो चली फिर? चिटक्ति कलियो ज़रा ठहरना
हवा-ए गुलशन की नर्म रौ में, ये किस की आवाज़ आ रही है
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. shabbir hasan KhaaN josh malihabadi (1898-1982) is known as – shaa’er-e inqelaab – poet of revolution. His nazm are fiery, passionate and full of energy. His Ghazal and rubaaii are equally good. He was a secular humanist writing sharply and irreverently against colonialism, abuse of power, injustice and orthodoxy. He was known to love early morning walks enjoying nature. There are numerous poems of his on the beauty of dawn posted on this site. In addition, his musaddas/marsia “tuloo-e fikr” has 32 beautiful stanzas describing dawn in the most sensuous terms.
1
nazar jhukaaye urus-e fitrat1, jabiN se zulfeN haTa rahi2 hai
sahr3 ka tara hai zalzale4 meN, ufaq5 ki lau6 tharthara7 rahi hai 1.nature personified as bride 2.moving tresses/curls aside from the brow (like sun peeping through clouds) 3.dawn, morning 4.earthquake (to mean flickering) 5.horizon 6.flame 7.shivering
Here josh is personifying nature as a bride. Sun is filtering through dark clouds, like a bride’s bright brow through her dark curls. Alternatively, the beauty of all natural features around the poet is beginning to take shape as dark streaks (long shadows, like hair) are parted. The morning star shimmers, the red flame of the horizon flickers.
2
ravish-ravish8 naGhma-e tarab8 hai, chaman-chaman jashn-e raNg o buu10 hai
tuyuur11 shaaKhoN pe haiN Ghazal-KhwaaN12, kali-kali gunguna rahi hai 8.all pathways, all around 9.song of merriment – birds singing
Songs of merriment are heard all around. There is a celebration of colour and fragrance. Birds in trees sing Ghazals, buds and blooms are humming tunes.
3
sitaara-e subah ki raseeli, jhapakti aaNkhoN meN haiN fasaane13
nigaar14-e mahtab15 ki nashili, nigaah jaadu jaga rahi hai 13.stories 14.beautiful picture 15.bright moon
The looks of the morning star are likened to blinking eyes. Their ‘juicy eyes’ speak of intoxication from last nights drinking. Blinking eyes carry tales. The morning star, eyes mischievously twinkling, carrying pleasant memories of the night before. The titillating looks of the bright moon, arouse passions long dormant.
4
tuyuur16 bazm-e sahr17 ke mutrib18, lachakti shaaKhoN pe gaa rahe haiN
nasim-e firdaus19 ki saheli, guloN ko jhoola jhula rahi hai 16.birds 17.assembly of the morning 18.musicians, songsters 19.fragrant breeze from heaven
josh likens the morning breeze to the “saheli” (playmate) of heavenly breeze. Birds, singers of the assembly of dawn, twitter on swinging branches and fragrant breeze as if from heaven, rocks flowers in their cradles.
5
kali pe bele21 ki kis ada22 se, paRa hai shabnam23 ka ek moti
nahiN! ye heere ki keel24 pahne, koi pari muskura rahi hai 21.jasmine 22.style 23.dew 24.nose stud
Is it a dew drop shining in beautiful style on the jasmine bud? No! It is a fairy wearing a diamond stud with an enchanting smile!
6
sahr25 ko madd-e nazar26 haiN kitni, re’aayeteN27 chashm-e KhooN-fashaaN28 ki
hava biyabaaN29 se aane vaali, lahu30 meN surKhi31 baRha rahi hai 25.morning, dawn 26.keeping in view, being considerate 27.favor, privilege 28.bloodshot eye, red, sleepless eye 29.wilderness 30.blood 31.redness, vigour
Dawn, mindful of the blood shot (sleepless) eye brings invigorating cool breeze from the wilderness. To increase the redness of blood means to invigorate.
7
shaloka32 pahne hue gulaabi, har ek subuk33 paNkhaRi34 chaman meN
raNgi hui surKh35 oRhni ka, hava meN pallu36 sukha rahi hai 32.waistcoat 33.delicate 34.petal 35.red 36.hem
Delicate petals at the base are pink, like wearing a pink waistcoat/jacket. The rest of the petal red, spread out, open, as if it is drying its hem. Perhaps it is wet with dew.
8
falak37 pe is tarah chhup rahe haiN, hilaal38 ke gird-o-pesh39 taare
keh jaise koi naii-naveli40 jabiN41 se afshaaN42 chhuRa rahi hai 37.sky 38.crescent moon 39.around, here and there 40.new (bride) 41.forehead 42.glitter
Stars disappear one by one from around the crescent moon as if a new bride is picking off glitter from her brow. Traditionally glitter is applied to the bride’s forehead. It sticks. When she removes glitter the morning after, josh compares stars to glitter- emergence of dawn makes stars disappear (like the bride picking off glitter). Also the juxtaposition of the forehead/brow with the crescent moon is noteworthy.
9
khaTak43 ye kyuN dil meN ho chali phir? chiTakti44 kaliyo45 zara Thahrna
hava-e-gulshan46 ki narm rau47 meN, ye kis ki avaaz aa rahi hai 43.beating sound, throbbing 44.crackling sound 45.blooming buds 46.garden breeze 47.soft/gentle flow
Blooming buds are supposed to make a gentle clicking/crackling sound as the petals unfold. Why then is my heart all aflutter? O blooms be quiet for a moment, what sound is this mingled with the gentle flow of garden breeze. josh hears the gentle gait of the beloved in the background of the gentle breeze and wants the buds to stop making noise, so he can hear it i.e., the beloved’s gait is even more gentle than the sound of unfolding petals.
shabbir hasan KhaaN josh malihabadi (1898-1982) is known as – shaa’er-e inqelaab – poet of revolution. His nazm are fiery, passionate and full of energy. His Ghazal and rubaaii are equally good. He was a secular humanist writing sharply and irreverently against colonialism, abuse of power, injustice and orthodoxy. He was known to love early morning walks enjoying nature. There are numerous poems of his on the beauty of dawn posted on this site. In addition, his musaddas/marsia “tuloo-e fikr” has 32 beautiful stanzas describing dawn in the most sensuous terms.
1
nazar jhukaaye urus-e fitrat1, jabiN se zulfeN haTa rahi2 hai
sahr3 ka tara hai zalzale4 meN, ufaq5 ki lau6 tharthara7 rahi hai
1.nature personified as bride 2.moving tresses/curls aside from the brow (like sun peeping through clouds) 3.dawn, morning 4.earthquake (to mean flickering) 5.horizon 6.flame 7.shivering
Here josh is personifying nature as a bride. Sun is filtering through dark clouds, like a bride’s bright brow through her dark curls. Alternatively, the beauty of all natural features around the poet is beginning to take shape as dark streaks (long shadows, like hair) are parted. The morning star shimmers, the red flame of the horizon flickers.
2
ravish-ravish8 naGhma-e tarab8 hai, chaman-chaman jashn-e raNg o buu10 hai
tuyuur11 shaaKhoN pe haiN Ghazal-KhwaaN12, kali-kali gunguna rahi hai
8.all pathways, all around 9.song of merriment – birds singing
Songs of merriment are heard all around. There is a celebration of colour and fragrance. Birds in trees sing Ghazals, buds and blooms are humming tunes.
3
sitaara-e subah ki raseeli, jhapakti aaNkhoN meN haiN fasaane13
nigaar14-e mahtab15 ki nashili, nigaah jaadu jaga rahi hai
13.stories 14.beautiful picture 15.bright moon
The looks of the morning star are likened to blinking eyes. Their ‘juicy eyes’ speak of intoxication from last nights drinking. Blinking eyes carry tales. The morning star, eyes mischievously twinkling, carrying pleasant memories of the night before. The titillating looks of the bright moon, arouse passions long dormant.
4
tuyuur16 bazm-e sahr17 ke mutrib18, lachakti shaaKhoN pe gaa rahe haiN
nasim-e firdaus19 ki saheli, guloN ko jhoola jhula rahi hai
16.birds 17.assembly of the morning 18.musicians, songsters 19.fragrant breeze from heaven
josh likens the morning breeze to the “saheli” (playmate) of heavenly breeze. Birds, singers of the assembly of dawn, twitter on swinging branches and fragrant breeze as if from heaven, rocks flowers in their cradles.
5
kali pe bele21 ki kis ada22 se, paRa hai shabnam23 ka ek moti
nahiN! ye heere ki keel24 pahne, koi pari muskura rahi hai
21.jasmine 22.style 23.dew 24.nose stud
Is it a dew drop shining in beautiful style on the jasmine bud? No! It is a fairy wearing a diamond stud with an enchanting smile!
6
sahr25 ko madd-e nazar26 haiN kitni, re’aayeteN27 chashm-e KhooN-fashaaN28 ki
hava biyabaaN29 se aane vaali, lahu30 meN surKhi31 baRha rahi hai
25.morning, dawn 26.keeping in view, being considerate 27.favor, privilege 28.bloodshot eye, red, sleepless eye 29.wilderness 30.blood 31.redness, vigour
Dawn, mindful of the blood shot (sleepless) eye brings invigorating cool breeze from the wilderness. To increase the redness of blood means to invigorate.
7
shaloka32 pahne hue gulaabi, har ek subuk33 paNkhaRi34 chaman meN
raNgi hui surKh35 oRhni ka, hava meN pallu36 sukha rahi hai
32.waistcoat 33.delicate 34.petal 35.red 36.hem
Delicate petals at the base are pink, like wearing a pink waistcoat/jacket. The rest of the petal red, spread out, open, as if it is drying its hem. Perhaps it is wet with dew.
8
falak37 pe is tarah chhup rahe haiN, hilaal38 ke gird-o-pesh39 taare
keh jaise koi naii-naveli40 jabiN41 se afshaaN42 chhuRa rahi hai
37.sky 38.crescent moon 39.around, here and there 40.new (bride) 41.forehead 42.glitter
Stars disappear one by one from around the crescent moon as if a new bride is picking off glitter from her brow. Traditionally glitter is applied to the bride’s forehead. It sticks. When she removes glitter the morning after, josh compares stars to glitter- emergence of dawn makes stars disappear (like the bride picking off glitter). Also the juxtaposition of the forehead/brow with the crescent moon is noteworthy.
9
khaTak43 ye kyuN dil meN ho chali phir? chiTakti44 kaliyo45 zara Thahrna
hava-e-gulshan46 ki narm rau47 meN, ye kis ki avaaz aa rahi hai
43.beating sound, throbbing 44.crackling sound 45.blooming buds 46.garden breeze 47.soft/gentle flow
Blooming buds are supposed to make a gentle clicking/crackling sound as the petals unfold. Why then is my heart all aflutter? O blooms be quiet for a moment, what sound is this mingled with the gentle flow of garden breeze. josh hears the gentle gait of the beloved in the background of the gentle breeze and wants the buds to stop making noise, so he can hear it i.e., the beloved’s gait is even more gentle than the sound of unfolding petals.
