For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
نازِ ستم اُٹھائے کیوں ۔ مرلی دھر شادؔ
۱
غیر کو کیا غرض پڑی، گالیاں تیری کھائے کیوں
جِس سے ستم نہ اُٹھ سکے، نازِ ستم اُٹھائے کیوں
۲
دُور سے اُس کے تیرِ ناز، سینے میں جب ہوئے دوسار
بزم میں وہ ستم شعار، پاس مجھے بُلائے کیوں
۳
غیر کا شکوہ اب کیا، سوچئے اپنے دل میں آپ
جس کا نہ اعتبار ہو، راز بشر بتائے کیوں
۴
کوئی تو بات تھی ضرور، کوئی تو وجہ خاص تھی
کل نہ مجھے بلا سکے، آج یہاں نہ آئے کیوں
۵
میری یہ نامرادیاں، میرے نصیب سے نہیں
جِس کو غرورِ حسن ہو، آنکھ میں وہ سہائے کیوں
۶
دوست کا یہ تو کام ہے، سوچنے کا مقام ہے
شادؔ کی داستانِ غم، غیر اُسے سُنائے کیوں
नाज़-ए सितम उठाए क्यूं – मुर्ली धर शाद
१
ग़ैर को क्या ग़रज़ पड़ी, गालियां तेरी खाए क्यूं
जिस से सितम न उठ सके, नाज़-ए सितम उठाए क्यूं
२
दूर से उस के तीर-ए नाज़, सीने में जब हुए दोसार
बज़्म में वो सितम शे’आर, पास मुझे बुलाए क्यूं
३
ग़ैर का शिक्वा अब किया, सोचिये अपने दिल में आप
जिस का न ए’तेबार हो, राज़ बशर बताए क्यूं
४
काई तो बात थी ज़रूर, कोई तो वजह ख़ास थी
कल न मुझे बुला सके, आज यहां न आए क्यूं
५
मेरी ये नामुरादियां, मेरे नसीब से नहीं
जिस को ग़ुरूर-ए हुस्न हो, आंख में वो सहाए क्यूं
६
दोस्त का ये तो काम है, सोचने का मक़ाम है
शाद कि दास्तान-ए ग़म, ग़ैर उसे सुनाए क्यूं
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. murli dhar shaad (~1910?-1950). His diivaan was published posthumously by his uncle, shaNkar lal shaNkar, who was himself a shaa’er and died soon afterwards (~1952). shaad’s father, founder of lyallpur mills and later DCM, established the ‘shaNkar-shaad Memorial Trust’ which organizes annual hind-pak mushaa’era (with political interruptions in 1965 and covid in 2020), aimed at promoting urdu and communal harmony. shaad also organized annual mushaa’era in lyallpur in the 1940s inviting shu’ara from all over India, for the employees of the textile mills. This Ghazal is in the zamin of Ghalib’s ‘koii hameN sataae kyuN’. Also see one by beKhud dehlavi who was shaad’s ustaad and one of falak dehlavi another shaagird of beKhud.
1
Ghair1 ko kya Gharaz2 paRi, gaaliyaaN teri khaae kyuN
jis se sitam3 na uTh sake, naaz4-e sitam uThaae kyN 1.other, rival 2.concern, interest 3.cruelty, abuse 4.playfulness, coquetry
The poet/lover is badmouthing the rival and addressing the beloved. Why would the rival bear your taunts. He who cannot stand any pain, why would he entertain your abusive coquetry.
2
duur se us ke tiir-e naaz1, seene meN jab hue do-saar2
bazm3 meN vo sitam-she’aar4, paas mujhe bulaae kyuN 1.coquetry, flirtation 2.pierce through 3.gathering 4.cruel natured (beloved)
Even from afar, her flirtatious glances/arrows pierce through my bosom. Why is there any need for her to call me closer, when she can do what she wants from afar.
3
Ghair ka shikva ab kiya, sochiye apne dil meN aap
jis ka na e’tebaar3 ho, raaz4 bashar5 bataae kyuN 1.rival 2.complaint 3.trust-worthiness 4.secret 5.person
The poet/lover is addressing the beloved to remind her how untrustworthy the rival is. Now you complain about the rival. Just think, if a person is not trustworthy, why would he tell you the truth (the secret-hidden truth that his love for you is not really sincere).
4
koii to baat thi zaroor1, koii to vajah2 Khaas3 thi
kal na mujhe bula sake, aaj yahaaN na aaye kyuN 1.surely 2.reason 3.special
There surely was something, there must have been a special reason. She could not call me yesterday, she could not come here today. The poet/lover suffers pangs of jealousy imagining that the beloved is entertaining the rival.
5
meri ye na-muraadiyaaN1, mere naseeb2 se nahiN
jis Ghuroor3-e husn4 ho, aaNkh meN vo sahaae5 kyuN 1.disappointments, shattered hopes 2.fate 3.pride, hubris 4.beauty 5.tolerate, accept
The poet/lover is blaming himself. My shattered hopes were not written in my faith. It is that I fell in love with, accepted in my eyes/heart one was confident/proud of her beauty (and ready to inflict pain on me).
6
dost ka ye to kaam hai, sochne ka maqaam1 hai
shaad2 ki daastaan3-e Gham4, Ghair5 use sunaaye kyuN 1.place, occasion 2.pen-name of poet 3.story 4.pain/love 5.rival
The poet/lover has trusted the rival (who has access to the beloved) to convey to her the tale of his own suffering from unrequited love. The rival of course, has not done this. The poet/lover reflects. This is a job for a trusted friend. Think about it. Why would a rival tell her about your pain of love.
murli dhar shaad (~1910?-1950). His diivaan was published posthumously by his uncle, shaNkar lal shaNkar, who was himself a shaa’er and died soon afterwards (~1952). shaad’s father, founder of lyallpur mills and later DCM, established the ‘shaNkar-shaad Memorial Trust’ which organizes annual hind-pak mushaa’era (with political interruptions in 1965 and covid in 2020), aimed at promoting urdu and communal harmony. shaad also organized annual mushaa’era in lyallpur in the 1940s inviting shu’ara from all over India, for the employees of the textile mills. This Ghazal is in the zamin of Ghalib’s ‘koii hameN sataae kyuN’. Also see one by beKhud dehlavi who was shaad’s ustaad and one of falak dehlavi another shaagird of beKhud.
1
Ghair1 ko kya Gharaz2 paRi, gaaliyaaN teri khaae kyuN
jis se sitam3 na uTh sake, naaz4-e sitam uThaae kyN
1.other, rival 2.concern, interest 3.cruelty, abuse 4.playfulness, coquetry
The poet/lover is badmouthing the rival and addressing the beloved. Why would the rival bear your taunts. He who cannot stand any pain, why would he entertain your abusive coquetry.
2
duur se us ke tiir-e naaz1, seene meN jab hue do-saar2
bazm3 meN vo sitam-she’aar4, paas mujhe bulaae kyuN
1.coquetry, flirtation 2.pierce through 3.gathering 4.cruel natured (beloved)
Even from afar, her flirtatious glances/arrows pierce through my bosom. Why is there any need for her to call me closer, when she can do what she wants from afar.
3
Ghair ka shikva ab kiya, sochiye apne dil meN aap
jis ka na e’tebaar3 ho, raaz4 bashar5 bataae kyuN
1.rival 2.complaint 3.trust-worthiness 4.secret 5.person
The poet/lover is addressing the beloved to remind her how untrustworthy the rival is. Now you complain about the rival. Just think, if a person is not trustworthy, why would he tell you the truth (the secret-hidden truth that his love for you is not really sincere).
4
koii to baat thi zaroor1, koii to vajah2 Khaas3 thi
kal na mujhe bula sake, aaj yahaaN na aaye kyuN
1.surely 2.reason 3.special
There surely was something, there must have been a special reason. She could not call me yesterday, she could not come here today. The poet/lover suffers pangs of jealousy imagining that the beloved is entertaining the rival.
5
meri ye na-muraadiyaaN1, mere naseeb2 se nahiN
jis Ghuroor3-e husn4 ho, aaNkh meN vo sahaae5 kyuN
1.disappointments, shattered hopes 2.fate 3.pride, hubris 4.beauty 5.tolerate, accept
The poet/lover is blaming himself. My shattered hopes were not written in my faith. It is that I fell in love with, accepted in my eyes/heart one was confident/proud of her beauty (and ready to inflict pain on me).
6
dost ka ye to kaam hai, sochne ka maqaam1 hai
shaad2 ki daastaan3-e Gham4, Ghair5 use sunaaye kyuN
1.place, occasion 2.pen-name of poet 3.story 4.pain/love 5.rival
The poet/lover has trusted the rival (who has access to the beloved) to convey to her the tale of his own suffering from unrequited love. The rival of course, has not done this. The poet/lover reflects. This is a job for a trusted friend. Think about it. Why would a rival tell her about your pain of love.
