For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
سحر نہیں آتی ۔ شنکر لال شنکرؔ
۱
اُن کی صورت نظر نہیں آتی
شبِ غم کی سحر نہیں آتی
۲
یوں تو گردش میں ہے نظر ان کی
ہم جدھر ہیں ادھر نہیں آتی
۳
قتل بیمار کو کرو آ کر
چارہ سازی اگر نہیں آتی
۴
آنے والی تو تھی مگر کب تک
موت کی کچھ خبر نہیں آتی
۵
جمع ہیں میکدے میں متوالے
کیوں گھٹا جھوم کر نہیں آتی
۶
کون سی وہ بلا ہے ہجر کی شب
جو مری جان پر نہیں آتی
۷
جس گھڑی ہو بشر کو غم سے نجات
وہ گھڑی عمر بھر نہیں آتی
۸
آج وہ یوں لڑے ہیں شنکرؔ سے
صلح ہوتی نظر نہیں آتی
सहर नहीं आती – शंकर लाल शंकर
१
उन की सूरत नज़र नहीं आती
शब-ए ग़म की सहर नहीं आती
२
यूँ तो गर्दिश में है नज़र उन की
हम जिधर हैं उधर नहीं आती
३
क़त्ल बीमार को करो आ कर
चारा-साज़ी अगर नहीं आती
४
आने वाली तो थी मगर कब तक
मौत की कुछ ख़बर नहीं आती
५
जम’अ हैं मय-कदे में मतवाले
क्यूँ घटा झूम कर नहीं आती
६
कौन सी वो बला है हिज्र की शब
जो मेरी जान पर नहीं आती
७
जिस घड़ी हो बशर को ग़म से नजात
वो घड़ी उम्र भर नहीं आती
८
आज वो यूँ लड़े हैं शंकर से
सुल्ह होती नज़र नहीं आती
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. shaNkar lal shaNkar (~1880-1954). Industrialist and an eminent shaa’er whose collection ‘dair o haram’ was published posthumously. His nephew murlidhar shaad was also a poet and died very young. shaNkar published his collection posthumously. His family had textile mills in lyalpur. Later, his brother, sri raam, of DCM created a foundation to run the ‘shanKar-shaad’ mushaa’era as a hind-pak gathering of shu’ara which has run since 1953 with a few interruptions. This is a Ghazal in the style of Ghalib’s ‘koii ummeed bar nahiN aati’.
1
un ki soorat1 nazar2 nahiN aati
shab3-e Gham ki sahar4 nahiN aati 1.alternative 2.see 3.night 4.dawn
I do not see any alternative. There is no dawn to the night of sorrow (separation from the beloved).
2
yuN to gardish1 meN hai nazar2 un ki
ham jidhar haiN udhar nahiN aati 1.movement 2.eyes, glance
She is looking all around (in the gathering of admirers). Her glance goes everywhere except where the poet/lover is.
3
qatl1 bimaar2 ko karo aa kar
chaara-saazi3 agar4 nahiN aati 1.kill, slaughter 2.sick (in love) 3.healing 4.if
If you don’t know how to heal, then at least come and finish off this lover.
4
aane vaali to thi magar1 kab tak
maut ki kuchh Khabar2 nahiN aati 1.but 2.news
The poet/lover had heard that Death was on its way, but did not know when. He has received no further news of it.
5
jam’a1 haiN mai-kade2 meN matvaale3
kyuN ghaTaa jhoom kar nahiN aati 1.gathered 2.tavern 3.revelers
In urdu poetic celebration spring rains are associated with celebration and with drinking. All revelers are gathered in the tavern to celebrate. Everything is ready, why do rain clouds not gather overhead to complete their joy.
6
kaun si vo balaa1 hai hijr2 ki shab3
jo meri jaan par nahiN aati 1.curse, calamity 2.separation from the beloved 3.night
During the night of separation every possible calamity/curse comes upon the poet/lover.
7
jis ghaRi ho bashar1 ko Gham se najaat2
vo ghaRi umr3 bhar nahiN aati 1.human 2.deliverance 3.life
This the conventional thought that there can never be complete deliverance from pain/sorrow in this life. That will have to wait for the next life.
8
aaj vo yuN laRe haiN shaNkar1 se
sulh2 hoti nazar nahiN aati 1.pen-name of the poet 2.peace, reconciliation
The beloved has quarreled with the poet/lover with such intensity that reconciliation does not seem possible.
shaNkar lal shaNkar (~1880-1954). Industrialist and an eminent shaa’er whose collection ‘dair o haram’ was published posthumously. His nephew murlidhar shaad was also a poet and died very young. shaNkar published his collection posthumously. His family had textile mills in lyalpur. Later, his brother, sri raam, of DCM created a foundation to run the ‘shanKar-shaad’ mushaa’era as a hind-pak gathering of shu’ara which has run since 1953 with a few interruptions. This is a Ghazal in the style of Ghalib’s ‘koii ummeed bar nahiN aati’.
1
un ki soorat1 nazar2 nahiN aati
shab3-e Gham ki sahar4 nahiN aati
1.alternative 2.see 3.night 4.dawn
I do not see any alternative. There is no dawn to the night of sorrow (separation from the beloved).
2
yuN to gardish1 meN hai nazar2 un ki
ham jidhar haiN udhar nahiN aati
1.movement 2.eyes, glance
She is looking all around (in the gathering of admirers). Her glance goes everywhere except where the poet/lover is.
3
qatl1 bimaar2 ko karo aa kar
chaara-saazi3 agar4 nahiN aati
1.kill, slaughter 2.sick (in love) 3.healing 4.if
If you don’t know how to heal, then at least come and finish off this lover.
4
aane vaali to thi magar1 kab tak
maut ki kuchh Khabar2 nahiN aati
1.but 2.news
The poet/lover had heard that Death was on its way, but did not know when. He has received no further news of it.
5
jam’a1 haiN mai-kade2 meN matvaale3
kyuN ghaTaa jhoom kar nahiN aati
1.gathered 2.tavern 3.revelers
In urdu poetic celebration spring rains are associated with celebration and with drinking. All revelers are gathered in the tavern to celebrate. Everything is ready, why do rain clouds not gather overhead to complete their joy.
6
kaun si vo balaa1 hai hijr2 ki shab3
jo meri jaan par nahiN aati
1.curse, calamity 2.separation from the beloved 3.night
During the night of separation every possible calamity/curse comes upon the poet/lover.
7
jis ghaRi ho bashar1 ko Gham se najaat2
vo ghaRi umr3 bhar nahiN aati
1.human 2.deliverance 3.life
This the conventional thought that there can never be complete deliverance from pain/sorrow in this life. That will have to wait for the next life.
8
aaj vo yuN laRe haiN shaNkar1 se
sulh2 hoti nazar nahiN aati
1.pen-name of the poet 2.peace, reconciliation
The beloved has quarreled with the poet/lover with such intensity that reconciliation does not seem possible.
