For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
جاں باز کم نکلے ۔ مرزا ہادی رسواؔ
۱
بہت سے مدعی نکلے مگر جاں باز کم نکلے
پسِ مجنوں ہزاروں عاشقوں میں ایک ہم نکلے
۲
نہیں مُمکن کسی سے حُسن کی باریکیاں حل ہوں
ترے ہر تارِ گیسو میں ہمارے پیچ و خم نکلے
۳
یہ صورت ہو تو اپنا خاتمہ بالخیر ہو جائے
اِدھر ہم سر جھکائیں اور اُدھر تیغ دو دم نکلے
۴
ہمیں ارمان ہے اُس آستاں پر زندگی گزرے
اِسی حسرت میں جیتے ہیں کہ ان قدموں پہ دم نکلے
जाँ-बाज़ कम निकले – मिर्ज़ा हादी रुस्वा
१
बहुत से मुद्द’ई निकले मगर जाँ-बाज़ कम निकले
पस-ए मजनूँ हज़ारों आशक़ों में एक हम निकले
२
नहीं मुम्किन किसी से हुस्न की बारीकियाँ हल हों
तेरे हर तार-ए गेसू में हमारे पेच-ओ-ख़म निकले
३
ये सूरत हो तो अपना ख़ातमा बिल-ख़ैर हो जाए
इधर हम सर झुकाएँ और उधर तेग़-ए दो-दम निकले
४
हमें अर्मान है उस आस्ताँ पर ज़िंदगी गुज़रे
इसी हसरत में जीते हैं कि उन क़दमों पे दम निकले
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. mirza haadi rusva (1858-1931). He was an accomplished poet but is better known as a novelist, writer and critic. Among his novels, ‘umrao jaan ada’, an entirely fictional character, became so popular that it is now commonly (but mistakenly) believed that this was a real person. He learnt faarsi, arabi, Greek and sankrit, astronomy and mathematics. He taught in a school and later as a professor in Christian College, lukhnau. He also worked in the Department of Translations, Osmania University, hyderabad under josh malihabadi.
1
bahut se muddaii1 nikle magar jaaN-baaz2 kam nikle
pas3-e majnuN hazaaroN aashiqoN4 meN ek ham nikle 1.petitioners, admirers/lovers 2.life-risking, willing to die 3.behind, after 4.lovers
There have been admirers/lovers, but there have been few willing to offer their lives at the altar of love. If there have been any true lovers after majnuN, it has been me.
2
nahiN mumkin1 kisi se husn2 ki baarikiyaaN3 hal4 hoN
tere har taar5-e gesu6 meN hamaare pech-o-Kham7 nikle 1.possible 2.beauty, beloved 3.fine points, subtleties, secrets 4.solve, understand 5.string 6.hair 7.twists and turns, curls
It is not possible to understand the secrets of love (as manifested in the shape of the beloved). In the curls of every string of your hair are our own twists and turns of life.
3
ye surat1 ho to apnaa Khaatma2 bil-Khair3 ho jaa’e
idhar ham sar jhukaa’eN aur udhar teGh4-e do-dam5 nikle 1.used here to mean – possibility 2.end 3.with safety/assurance/comfort 4.sword 5.double edged
If it comes to pass, if it becomes possible that I bow my head and you (the beloved) draw your double-edged sword, then my end will be happily assured.
4
hameN armaan1 hai us aastaaN2 par zindagi guzre3
isi hasrat4 meN jiite haiN ki un qadmoN5 pe dam nikle 1.longing, yearning 2.threshold, door 3.pass 4.desire 5.feet
The poet/lover has an intense yearning that he pass his life at the threshold of the beloved (the beloved can be a metaphor for god). He lives in the desire/hope that he is able to give up his life at the feet of the beloved. This could well be interpreted as a desire to lead a life of service/usefulness followed by a quick and painless end.
mirza haadi rusva (1858-1931). He was an accomplished poet but is better known as a novelist, writer and critic. Among his novels, ‘umrao jaan ada’, an entirely fictional character, became so popular that it is now commonly (but mistakenly) believed that this was a real person. He learnt faarsi, arabi, Greek and sankrit, astronomy and mathematics. He taught in a school and later as a professor in Christian College, lukhnau. He also worked in the Department of Translations, Osmania University, hyderabad under josh malihabadi.
1
bahut se muddaii1 nikle magar jaaN-baaz2 kam nikle
pas3-e majnuN hazaaroN aashiqoN4 meN ek ham nikle
1.petitioners, admirers/lovers 2.life-risking, willing to die 3.behind, after 4.lovers
There have been admirers/lovers, but there have been few willing to offer their lives at the altar of love. If there have been any true lovers after majnuN, it has been me.
2
nahiN mumkin1 kisi se husn2 ki baarikiyaaN3 hal4 hoN
tere har taar5-e gesu6 meN hamaare pech-o-Kham7 nikle
1.possible 2.beauty, beloved 3.fine points, subtleties, secrets 4.solve, understand 5.string 6.hair 7.twists and turns, curls
It is not possible to understand the secrets of love (as manifested in the shape of the beloved). In the curls of every string of your hair are our own twists and turns of life.
3
ye surat1 ho to apnaa Khaatma2 bil-Khair3 ho jaa’e
idhar ham sar jhukaa’eN aur udhar teGh4-e do-dam5 nikle
1.used here to mean – possibility 2.end 3.with safety/assurance/comfort 4.sword 5.double edged
If it comes to pass, if it becomes possible that I bow my head and you (the beloved) draw your double-edged sword, then my end will be happily assured.
4
hameN armaan1 hai us aastaaN2 par zindagi guzre3
isi hasrat4 meN jiite haiN ke un qadmoN5 pe dam nikle
1.longing, yearning 2.threshold, door 3.pass 4.desire 5.feet
The poet/lover has an intense yearning that he pass his life at the threshold of the beloved (the beloved can be a metaphor for god). He lives in the desire/hope that he is able to give up his life at the feet of the beloved. This could well be interpreted as a desire to lead a life of service/usefulness followed by a quick and painless end.
