Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. ra’ees ahmed KhaaN aKhtar (1935-????), hyderabad. He grew up in biidar and came to hyderabad for college, BA Osmania. Started composing verse in 1956 and a collection of his verse was published in 1979. Served as civil staff of the Hyderabad Housing Board for his daytime job/livelihood.
1
saaz-e-furqat¹ pe Ghazal gaao ke kuchh raat kaTe
pyaar ki rasm² ko chamkaao ke kuchh raat kaTe   1.lute/music of separation (from the beloved) 2.tradition
Compose/recite a Ghazal to the music of (the emotion of) separation that this night may pass. Rejuvenate the tradition of love that this night may pass.
2
jab ye tai¹ hai ke Gham-e-ishq² bahut kaafi³ hai
Gham ka mafhoom⁴ hi samjhaao ke kuchh raat kaTe   1.decided, settled 2.sorrow of love 3.enough 4.meaning, explanation
In urdu poetic tradition all that the poet/lover needs is the sorrow of love. That is enough for him. Now that that is decided, explain to me the meaning of love that this night may pass i.e. that story/explanation will be so long that it will last longer than the night.
3
sub’h ke saath hi ham Khud bhi bikhar jaayeNge
do-ghaRi aur Thahar jaao ke kuchh raat kaT With the arrival of dawn, we too will get scattered. Wait a few moments that this night may pass.
4
daaman¹-e dard² pe bikhre hue aaNsoo ki tarah
meri palkoN pe bhi lahraao ke kuchh raat kaTe   1.hem of the robe 2.sorrow/pain
The poet lover is shedding tears of pain/sorrow of separation. He wipes his tears with his ‘daaman’ and can see his tears ‘spread’ – a faint and blurry sight. He wishes that the image of the beloved similarly shimmer on his eyelashes (in his tears) that the night may pass.
5
zikr-e-gulzaar¹ sahi qissa-e-dil-daar² sahi
zaKhm³ ke phuul hi mahkaao ke kuchh raat kaTe   1.narration of the garden/home 2.story of the beloved
The poet/lover is wandering in the wilderness separated from the beloved. Any narrative of the homeland/garden or any story of the beloved will be like a wound. That is fine, go ahead and talk of this. That pain will be like the fragrance of a blooming rose and the night will be easier to pass.
6
ek ek dard ke siine meN utar kar dekho
ek ek saaNs meN lahraao ke kuchh raat kaTe   The poet/lover is calling upon the beloved to get to the heart (root cause) of his pain. His breathes/lives because of the beloved. He wants her shimmering image in each breath so that the night may pass.
7
dil ki vaadi¹ meN hai taarik² ghaTaaoN ka hujoom³
chaaNdni ban ke nikhar jaao ke kuchh raat kaTe   1.valley 2.dark 3.crowd
The poet/lover’s heart is like a valley with dark overcast clouds. There is no light, no joy. He wishes that the beloved would emerge like the moon so that the night may pass.
8
qaatil¹-e shahr² se bach kar maiN abhi aayaa huuN
maiN akelaa huuN chale aao ke kuchh raat kaTe   1.killer, oppressor 2.city, homeland
The oppressor keeps the poet/lover away from the beloved and chases him out of the homeland. He has just run away from him to save his life and is alone/lonely. He wishes that the beloved would come so that the night may pass.
9
farsh¹ kirnoN² ka bichhaa degi sahar³ aa ke ra’ees
dil ke zaKhmoN⁴ ko bhi chamkaao ke kuchh raat kaTe   1.floor, ground 2.rays of light 3.dawn 4.wound
The wounds of love in the heart are a badge of honour. They can shine. Just like the dawn spreads rays of light on the ground, O, ra’ees, polish up your wounds so that they may spread light and the night may pass.