For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
تمیز گناہ و ثواب میں ۔ پنّا لال سریواستو نورؔ
۱
میں دیکھتا ہوں طرفہ تماشا جواب میں
آمادۂ فساد ہیں نظریں نقاب میں
۲
میکش کو جان بخش دی ساقی نے دے کے جام
اب کیجئے تمیز گناہ و ثواب میں
۳
میں اور چرخِ دُشمنِ دیرینہ سے دعا
شائد کہ ہاتھ اُٹھ گئے ہوں اِضطراب میں
۴
جو غم زمانے بھر میں کسی سے نہ اُٹھ سکیں
سب لا کے ڈال دیجئے میرے حساب میں
۵
طوفان تھا شباب کہ سر سے گذر گیا
اب اِک سکوت ہے دِلِ خانہ خراب میں
۶
میری نظر میں چرخِ کہن کی بساط کیا
گردوں کو دیکھتا ہوں میں چشمِ حباب میں
۷
آج التفات کیوں ہے یہ معمول کے خلاف
ساقی نے کچھ ملا نہ دیا ہو شراب میں
۸
جلوہ دِکھا کے حسن تو رُوپوش ہو گیا
اُلجھی ہوئی ہیں آج بھی نظریں نقاب میں
۹
رازِ سرورِ نغمہ کہیں اور ہی ہے نورؔ
مطرب کے ہاتھ میں ہے، نہ چنگ و رباب میں
तमीज़-ए गुनाह ओ सवाब में – पन्नालाल स्रीवास्तव नूर
१
मैं देखता हूं तुर्फ़ा तमाशा जवाब में
आमादा-ए फ़साद हैं नज़्रें नक़ाब में
२
मयकश को जान बख़्श दि साक़ी ने दे के जाम
अब कीजिये तमीज़ गुनाह ओ सवाब में
३
मैं और चर्ख़-ए दुश्मन-ए देरीना से दुआ
शायद के हाथ उठ गये हों इज़्तेराब में
४
जो ग़म ज़माने भर में किसी से न उठ सकें
सब ला के डाल दीजिये मेरे हिसाब में
५
तूफ़ान था शबाब के सर से गुज़र गया
अब एक सुकूत है दिल-ए ख़ाना-ख़राब में
६
मेरी नज़र में चर्ख़-ए कुहन की बिसात क्या
गर्दूं को देखता हुं मैं चश्म-ए हबाब में
७
आज इल्तेफ़ात क्यूं है ये मा’मूल के ख़िलाफ़
साक़ी ने कुछ मिला न दिया हो शराब में
८
जल्वा दिखा के हुस्न तो रूपोश हो गया
उल्झी हुई हैं आज भी नज़्रें नक़ाब में
९
राज़-ए सुरूर-ए नग़्मा कहीं और हि है नूर
मुत्रिब के हाथ में है न चंग ओ रबाब में
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. This Ghazal is taken from a small booklet published in 1969 by Ghalib shataabdi naagarik samiti, jabalpur. Ghalib Centennial Citizens Committee! pannalal srivastav noor BA LLB, ex-mayor of jabalpur, ex-chair of anjuman-e taraqqi-e urdu, jabalpur. The Ghazal is exquisite. It is representative of the wide following that urdu had even in 1969! How rapidly was the language murdered! This is one of several Ghazal modeled after “saaqi ne kuchh mila na diya ho sharaab meN”. The ‘samiti’ held several mushaa’era over a two year period using one Ghazal or the other of Ghalib’s as a model.
1
maiN dekhta huN turfa1 tamaasha javaab meN
aamaada2-e fasaad3 haiN nazreN4 naqaab5 meN 1.strange, unusual, fascinating 2.willing 3.used here to mean mischief 4.eyes 5.veil
The poet/lover has asked the beloved a question … perhaps asking for reciprocity in love. In answer he sees an unusual/unique scene. Behind the veil, her eyes appear to be willing to play mischievous games. She is teasing him.
2
maikash1 ko jaan baKhsh2 di saaqi ne de ke jaam3
ab kiijiye tameez4 gunaah o savaab5 meN 1.wine lover, imbiber 2.grant 3.cup (of wine) 4.differentiation 5.virtue
The wine lover has been deprived of a drink for so long that he is about to die. The wine-maker, cup-bearer has granted him a new lease on life by giving him a cup of wine. Normally, giving someone wine would be considered a sin. But saving a life is a virture. By this act, the cup-bearer has done both. How can you now distinguish between sin and virtue.
3
maiN aur charKh1-e dushman-e dereena2 se dua3
shaa’ed4 ke haath uTh gaye hoN izteraab5 meN 1.wheel, dome, sky 2.long-standing 3.prayer 4.perhaps 5.agitation
In poetic tradition the sky is considered to control fate and always visits ill-omen on poets/lovers. It is a long standing enemy. I, and raise my hands in prayer to it! Not a chance. Perhaps my hands were raised by mistake in extreme agitation.
4
jo Gham1 zamaane2 bhar meN kisi se na uTh sakeN
sub la ke Daal diijiye mere hisaab3 meN 1.sorrows, difficulties 2.everyone who lives during these times 3.count, list
This is addressed either to Fate or the beloved. All the sorrows/difficulties that no one else in the world can bear, assign them to me, list them in my name.
5
toofan tha shabaab, ke sar se guzar gaya
ab ek sukoot hai dil-e Khaana-Kharaab meN 1.storm 2.youth 3.passed over 4.tranquility 5.wretched
Youth was like a storm – a storm of emotios, transgressions. It was so strong that it nearly drowned the poet/lover and eventually passed over his head. Now that it gone and subsided (in his old age) there is tranquility in his wretched heart.
6
meri nazar1 meN charKh2-e kohan3 ki bisaat4 kya
garduN5 ko dekhta huN maiN chashm6-e habaab7 meN 1.eyes 2.wheel, sky 3.ancient 4.expanse, status 5.sky 6.eye 7.bubble
A bubble reflects the image of the whole sky – it is like the sky is captured in the eye of the bubble. The poet says, what is the expanse of this ancient sky for me. I can see the whole this within the eye of a bubble.
7
aaj iltefaat1 kyuN hai ye maa’mool2 ke Khilaaf3
saaqi ne kuchh mila na diya ho sharaab meN 1.favours 2.usual, routine, ordinary 3.against, opposite to
In this case, the saaqi and the beloved are two different people. The poet/lover and the beloved both are seated, being served wine. The beloved is showing unusual favours to him. He wonders, why these favours opposed to the usual routine of abuse. Maybe the wine-maker has stirred something more potent into the wine.
8
jalva1 dikha ke husn2 to ruuposh3 ho gaya
uljhi4 hui haiN aaj bhi nazreN5 naqaab6 meN 1.face, beauty, manifestation 2.beauty 3.disappeared 4.tangled up 5.eyes 6.veil
Having displayed her beauty for a moment, the beloved disappeared behind the veil. But the eyes of the poet/lover are still entangled in the lattice of the veil. This could also be interpreted as a sufiyaana/vedanta reference to the creator who manifested itself once and then disappeared. Human eyes are still tangled up in the signs of the creator, which like a veil hide reality.
9
raaz1-e suroor2-e naGhma3 kahiN aur hi hai noor4
mutrib5 ke haath meN hai na chaNg6 o rabaab7 meN 1.secret 2.ecstasy 3.song (of creation) 4.pen-name of poet 5.musician (god) 6.harp 7.sarod
The mutrib/god/creator has created the song of creation. The secret for this song is ‘somewhere else’ O, noor. It is not in the hands of the creator or in the instruments he used to create it. Where is it? The poet does not answer.
This Ghazal is taken from a small booklet published in 1969 by Ghalib shataabdi naagarik samiti, jabalpur. Ghalib Centennial Citizens Committee! pannalal srivastav noor BA LLB, ex-mayor of jabalpur, ex-chair of anjuman-e taraqqi-e urdu, jabalpur. The Ghazal is exquisite. It is representative of the wide following that urdu had even in 1969! How rapidly was the language murdered! This is one of several Ghazal modeled after “saaqi ne kuchh mila na diya ho sharaab meN”. The ‘samiti’ held several mushaa’era over a two year period using one Ghazal or the other of Ghalib’s as a model.
1
maiN dekhta huN turfa1 tamaasha javaab meN
aamaada2-e fasaad3 haiN nazreN4 naqaab5 meN
1.strange, unusual, fascinating 2.willing 3.used here to mean mischief 4.eyes 5.veil
The poet/lover has asked the beloved a question … perhaps asking for reciprocity in love. In answer he sees an unusual/unique scene. Behind the veil, her eyes appear to be willing to play mischievous games. She is teasing him.
2
maikash1 ko jaan baKhsh2 di saaqi ne de ke jaam3
ab kiijiye tameez4 gunaah o savaab5 meN
1.wine lover, imbiber 2.grant 3.cup (of wine) 4.differentiation 5.virtue
The wine lover has been deprived of a drink for so long that he is about to die. The wine-maker, cup-bearer has granted him a new lease on life by giving him a cup of wine. Normally, giving someone wine would be considered a sin. But saving a life is a virture. By this act, the cup-bearer has done both. How can you now distinguish between sin and virtue.
3
maiN aur charKh1-e dushman-e dereena2 se dua3
shaa’ed4 ke haath uTh gaye hoN izteraab5 meN
1.wheel, dome, sky 2.long-standing 3.prayer 4.perhaps 5.agitation
In poetic tradition the sky is considered to control fate and always visits ill-omen on poets/lovers. It is a long standing enemy. I, and raise my hands in prayer to it! Not a chance. Perhaps my hands were raised by mistake in extreme agitation.
4
jo Gham1 zamaane2 bhar meN kisi se na uTh sakeN
sub la ke Daal diijiye mere hisaab3 meN
1.sorrows, difficulties 2.everyone who lives during these times 3.count, list
This is addressed either to Fate or the beloved. All the sorrows/difficulties that no one else in the world can bear, assign them to me, list them in my name.
5
toofan tha shabaab, ke sar se guzar gaya
ab ek sukoot hai dil-e Khaana-Kharaab meN
1.storm 2.youth 3.passed over 4.tranquility 5.wretched
Youth was like a storm – a storm of emotios, transgressions. It was so strong that it nearly drowned the poet/lover and eventually passed over his head. Now that it gone and subsided (in his old age) there is tranquility in his wretched heart.
6
meri nazar1 meN charKh2-e kohan3 ki bisaat4 kya
garduN5 ko dekhta huN maiN chashm6-e habaab7 meN
1.eyes 2.wheel, sky 3.ancient 4.expanse, status 5.sky 6.eye 7.bubble
A bubble reflects the image of the whole sky – it is like the sky is captured in the eye of the bubble. The poet says, what is the expanse of this ancient sky for me. I can see the whole this within the eye of a bubble.
7
aaj iltefaat1 kyuN hai ye maa’mool2 ke Khilaaf3
saaqi ne kuchh mila na diya ho sharaab meN
1.favours 2.usual, routine, ordinary 3.against, opposite to
In this case, the saaqi and the beloved are two different people. The poet/lover and the beloved both are seated, being served wine. The beloved is showing unusual favours to him. He wonders, why these favours opposed to the usual routine of abuse. Maybe the wine-maker has stirred something more potent into the wine.
8
jalva1 dikha ke husn2 to ruuposh3 ho gaya
uljhi4 hui haiN aaj bhi nazreN5 naqaab6 meN
1.face, beauty, manifestation 2.beauty 3.disappeared 4.tangled up 5.eyes 6.veil
Having displayed her beauty for a moment, the beloved disappeared behind the veil. But the eyes of the poet/lover are still entangled in the lattice of the veil. This could also be interpreted as a sufiyaana/vedanta reference to the creator who manifested itself once and then disappeared. Human eyes are still tangled up in the signs of the creator, which like a veil hide reality.
9
raaz1-e suroor2-e naGhma3 kahiN aur hi hai noor4
mutrib5 ke haath meN hai na chaNg6 o rabaab7 meN
1.secret 2.ecstasy 3.song (of creation) 4.pen-name of poet 5.musician (god) 6.harp 7.sarod
The mutrib/god/creator has created the song of creation. The secret for this song is ‘somewhere else’ O, noor. It is not in the hands of the creator or in the instruments he used to create it. Where is it? The poet does not answer.
Wonderful poetry