For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
تخت نشیں تھا – حبیب جالب
۱
تم سے پہلے وہ جو اک شخص یہاں تخت نشیں تھا
اُس کو بھی اپنے خدا ہونے پہ اتنا ہی یقیں تھا
۲
کوئی ٹھہرا ہو جو لوگوں كے مقابل تو بتاؤ
وہ کہاں ہیں كہ جنہیں ناز بہت اپنے تئیں تھا
۳
آج سوۓ ہیں تہ خاک نہ جانے یہاں کتنے
کوئی شعلہ ، کوئی شبنم، کوئی مہتاب جبیں تھا
۴
اب وہ پھرتے ہیں اسی شہر میں تنہا لیے دِل کو
اک زمانے میں مزاج اُنکا سر عرش بر یں تھا
۵
چھوڑنا گھر کا ہمیں یاد ہے جالب نہیں بھولے
تھا وطن ذہن میں اپنے کوئی زنداں تو نہیں تھا
तख़्त नशीं था – हबीब जालीब
१
तुम से पहले वो जो एक शख़्स यहां तख़्त नशीं था
उस को भी अपने ख़ुदा होने पे इतना ही यक़ीं था
२
कोई ठहरा हो जो लोगौं के मुक़ाबिल तो बताओ
वो कहां हैं के जिन्हें नाज़ बहुत अपने ता’ईं था
३
आज सोए हैं तह-ए ख़ाक ना जाने यहां कितने
कोई शोला कोई शबनम कोई महताब जबीं था
४
अब वो फिरते हैं इसी शाहर में तन्हा लिए दिल को
एक ज़माने में मिज़ाज उनका सर-ए अर्श-ए बरीं था
५
छोड़ना घर का हमें याद है जालीब नहीं भूले
था वतन ज़ह्न में अपने कोई ज़िन्दां तो नहीं था
Click here for overall comments and on any passage for meanings and discussion. habib jalib (1929-1993), people’s poet. Wrote and spoke/recited fearlessly against dictatorship, inequality and injustice in simple straightforward language. arun shourie was interviewed recently about narendra modi’s performance. He quoted the first she’r from this Ghazal with credits to habib jalib. jalib of course, had written it originally to address zia-ul haq’s dictatorship.
1
tum se pahle vo jo ek shaKhs1 yahaaN taKht-nashiN2 tha
us ko bhi apne Khuda hone pe itna hi yaqiN tha1.person, man 2.sitting on the throne
Before you too, there was another man on the throne just like you. He too thought that he had divine powers, just like you.
2
koi Thahra ho jo logauN ke muqaabil1 to bataao
vo kahaaN haiN ke jinheN naaz2 bahut apne ta’iiN3 tha1.confronting, against 2.pride, hubris 3.towards, for, on
Tell me, was there anyone ever who could stand against the will of the people. Where are they who were full of hubris about their egos.
3
aaj so’ey haiN tah-e Khaak1 na jaane yahaaN kitne
koi shola2, koi shabnam3, koi mahtab4 jabiN5 tha1.under the dust 2.flame 3.dew 4.moon 5.brow
Today they all sleep under the dust. They were once fiery like a flame, gentle like dew or with a shining brow like the moon.
4
ab vo phirte haiN isi shahr meN tanha1 liye dil ko
ek zamaane2 meN mizaaj3 unka sar4-e arsh-e bariN5 tha1.alone 2.time 3.temperament, disposition 4.top of 5.seventh heaven
Now they roam around all alone, with only their own heart for company. There was a time when their temperament floated high on seventh heaven.
5
chhoRna ghar ka hameN yaad hai jalib nahiN bhule
tha vatan1 zahn2 meN apne koi zindaN3 to nahiN tha1.home, freedom 2.mind 3.prison, oppression
I remember leaving home O Jalib, I have not forgotten the struggle. When we left home, we had freedom in mind, not a prison.
habib jalib (1929-1993), people’s poet. Wrote and spoke/recited fearlessly against dictatorship, inequality and injustice in simple straightforward language. arun shourie was interviewed recently about narendra modi’s performance. He quoted the first she’r from this Ghazal with credits to habib jalib. jalib of course, had written it originally to address zia-ul haq’s dictatorship.
1
tum se pahle vo jo ek shaKhs1 yahaaN taKht-nashiN2 tha
us ko bhi apne Khuda hone pe itna hi yaqiN tha
1.person, man 2.sitting on the throne
Before you too, there was another man on the throne just like you. He too thought that he had divine powers, just like you.
2
koi Thahra ho jo logauN ke muqaabil1 to bataao
vo kahaaN haiN ke jinheN naaz2 bahut apne ta’iiN3 tha
1.confronting, against 2.pride, hubris 3.towards, for, on
Tell me, was there anyone ever who could stand against the will of the people. Where are they who were full of hubris about their egos.
3
aaj so’ey haiN tah-e Khaak1 na jaane yahaaN kitne
koi shola2, koi shabnam3, koi mahtab4 jabiN5 tha
1.under the dust 2.flame 3.dew 4.moon 5.brow
Today they all sleep under the dust. They were once fiery like a flame, gentle like dew or with a shining brow like the moon.
4
ab vo phirte haiN isi shahr meN tanha1 liye dil ko
ek zamaane2 meN mizaaj3 unka sar4-e arsh-e bariN5 tha
1.alone 2.time 3.temperament, disposition 4.top of 5.seventh heaven
Now they roam around all alone, with only their own heart for company. There was a time when their temperament floated high on seventh heaven.
5
chhoRna ghar ka hameN yaad hai jalib nahiN bhule
tha vatan1 zahn2 meN apne koi zindaN3 to nahiN tha
1.home, freedom 2.mind 3.prison, oppression
I remember leaving home O Jalib, I have not forgotten the struggle. When we left home, we had freedom in mind, not a prison.
