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Recitation
jagjit singh
آہستہ آہستہ ۔ امیرؔ مینائی
۱
سرکتی جائے ہے رُخ سے نقاب آہستہ آہستہ
نکلتا آ رہا ہے آفتاب آہستہ آہستہ
۲
جواں ہونے لگے جب وہ تو ہم سے کر لیا پردہ
حیا یک لخت آئی اور شباب آہستہ آہستہ
۳
شب فُرقت کا جاگا ہوں فرشتو اب تو سونے دو
کبھی فُرصت میں کر لینا حساب آہستہ آہستہ
۴
سوالِ وصل پر اُن کو عدو کا خوف ہے اتنا
دبے ہونٹوں سے دیتے ہیں جواب آہستہ آہستہ
۵
وہ بے دردی سے سر کاٹیں امیرؔ اور میں کہوں اُن سے
حضور آہستہ آہستہ جناب آہستہ آہستہ
आहस्ता आहस्ता – अमीर मीनाई
१
सरकती जाए है रुख़ से नक़ाब आहस्ता आहस्ता
निकलता आ रहा है आफ़्ताब आहस्ता आहस्ता
२
जवाँ होने लगे जब वो तो हम से कर लिया पर्दा
हया यक-लख़्त आई और शबाब आहस्ता आहस्ता
३
शब-ए-फ़ुर्क़त का जागा हूँ फ़रिश्तो अब तो सोने दो
कभी फ़ुर्सत में कर लेना हिसाब आहस्ता आहस्ता
४
सवाल-ए-वस्ल पर उन को अदू का ख़ौफ़ है इतना
दबे होंटों से देते हैं जवाब आहस्ता आहस्ता
५
वो बेदर्दी से सर काटें अमीर और मैं कहूँ उन से
हुज़ूर आहस्ता आहस्ता जनाब आहिस्ता आहिस्ता
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. amir minaaii (1829-1900) was contemporary of daaGh dehlavi and much like him received patronage in rampur and later in hyderabad, where he died and is buried. This is a sensuous and playful Ghazal.
1
sarakti1 jaaye hai ruKh2 se naqaab3 aahista aahista
nikaltaa aa rahaa hai aaftaab4 aahista aahista 1.slipping 2.face 3.veil 4.sun, brilliance/beauty
The beloved is playfully letting her veil slip off a bit. It is like the sun peeping out of clouds, half hidden, half brilliant.
2
javaaN hone lage jab vo to ham se kar liyaa parda
hayaa1 yak-laKht2 aaii aur shabaab3 aahista aahista 1.bashfulness 2.suddenly 3.youth
In adolescence she began to observe parda – self-consciously staying away from the poet/lover. Bashfulness came over her suddenly, while her youth blossomed gradually.
3
shab-e-furqat1 ka jaaga huuN farishto2 ab to sone do
kabhi fursat3 meN kar lenaa hisaab4 aahista aahista 1.night of separation 2.angels 3.liesure 4.reckoning, taking stock
When a person dies angels arrive for a full reckoning of their deeds, good and bad, to be presented on the day of reckoning. The poet characterizes his whole life as “shab-e furqat”, night of separation which he spent restless and awake. Now dead, he wants to catch up on his sleep and urges angels to come back at leisure for a reckoning of his deeds.
4
savaal-e-vasl1 par un ko adu2 ka Khauf3 hai itnaa
dabe hoNToN se dete haiN javaab aahista aahista 1.question/request for meeting 2.enemy/rival 3.fear
She is so fearful of the rival that when the poet/lover asks to meet her, she bites her lips and answers in slow/quite tones.
5
vo bedardi1 se sar kaaTeN amir aur maiN kahuN un se
huzoor aahista aahista janaab aahista aahista 1.cruelty
Poetic convention is that the beloved is cruel to the point she cuts the head of the poet/lover off and the lover enjoys it … it is the apex of his pleasure. The picture here is that she is cutting his head off and in order to prolong the pleasure he asks her to take her time doing it.
amir minaaii (1829-1900) was contemporary of daaGh dehlavi and much like him received patronage in rampur and later in hyderabad, where he died and is buried. This is a sensuous and playful Ghazal.
1
sarakti1 jaaye hai ruKh2 se naqaab3 aahista aahista
nikaltaa aa rahaa hai aaftaab4 aahista aahista
1.slipping 2.face 3.veil 4.sun, brilliance/beauty
The beloved is playfully letting her veil slip off a bit. It is like the sun peeping out of clouds, half hidden, half brilliant.
2
javaaN hone lage jab vo to ham se kar liyaa parda
hayaa1 yak-laKht2 aaii aur shabaab3 aahista aahista
1.bashfulness 2.suddenly 3.youth
In adolescence she began to observe parda – self-consciously staying away from the poet/lover. Bashfulness came over her suddenly, while her youth blossomed gradually.
3
shab-e-furqat1 ka jaaga huuN farishto2 ab to sone do
kabhi fursat3 meN kar lenaa hisaab4 aahista aahista
1.night of separation 2.angels 3.liesure 4.reckoning, taking stock
When a person dies angels arrive for a full reckoning of their deeds, good and bad, to be presented on the day of reckoning. The poet characterizes his whole life as “shab-e furqat”, night of separation which he spent restless and awake. Now dead, he wants to catch up on his sleep and urges angels to come back at leisure for a reckoning of his deeds.
4
savaal-e-vasl1 par un ko adu2 ka Khauf3 hai itnaa
dabe hoNToN se dete haiN javaab aahista aahista
1.question/request for meeting 2.enemy/rival 3.fear
She is so fearful of the rival that when the poet/lover asks to meet her, she bites her lips and answers in slow/quite tones.
5
vo bedardi1 se sar kaaTeN amir aur maiN kahuN un se
huzoor aahista aahista janaab aahista aahista
1.cruelty
Poetic convention is that the beloved is cruel to the point she cuts the head of the poet/lover off and the lover enjoys it … it is the apex of his pleasure. The picture here is that she is cutting his head off and in order to prolong the pleasure he asks her to take her time doing it.
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Nawab: fix the spelling of leisure above. Lovely poem. Well rendered, and explained.
Glad you caught it. I suppress the correction software that comes with the word processor, otherwise it is underlined red and ugly all over the place because of urdu words. These things escape the old eyes. YOU on urdushahkar! Good to see you getting some taste of fine culture. zindabad.