For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
آواز آدم ۔ ساحرؔ لدھیانوی
۱
دبے گی کب تلک آوازِ آدم ہم بھی دیکھیں گے
رکیں گے کب تلک جذباتِ برہم ہم بھی دیکھیں گے
چلو یوں ہی سہی یہ جورِ پیہم ہم بھی دیکھیں گے
۲
درِ زنداں سے دیکھیں یا عروجِ دار سے دیکھیں
تمہیں رُسوا سرِ بازارِ عالم ہم بھی دیکھیں گے
ذرا دم لو مآلِ شوکتِ جم ہم بھی دیکھیں گے
۳
یہ زعمِ قوّتِ فولاد و آہن دیکھ لو تم بھی
بہ فیض جذبۂ ایمانِ محکم ہم بھی دیکھیں گے
جبینِ کج کلاہی خاک پر خم ہم بھی دیکھیں گے
۴
مُکافاتِ عمل تاریخِ اِنساں کی رِوایت ہے
کرو گے کب تلک ناوک فراہم ہم بھی دیکھیں گے
کہاں تک ہے تمہارے ظلم میں دم ہم بھی دیکھیں گے
۵
یہ ہنگامِ وداعِ شب ہے اے ظلمت کے فرزندو
سحر کے دوش پر گل نار پرچم ہم بھی دیکھیں گے
تمہیں بھی دیکھنا ہوگا یہ عالم ہم بھی دیکھیں گے
आवाज़-ए आदम – साहर लुधियानवी
१
दबेगी कब तलक आवाज़-ए आदम हम भी देखेंगे
रुकेंगे कब तलक जज़्बात-ए बरहम हम भी देखेंगे
चलो यूँही सही ये जौर-ए पैहम हम भी देखेंगे
२
दर-ए ज़िंदाँ से देखें या उरूज-ए दार से देखें
तुम्हें रुस्वा सर-ए बाज़ार-ए आलम हम भी देखेंगे
ज़रा दम लो म’आल-ए शौकत-ए जम हम भी देखेंगे
३
ये ज़ो’म-ए क़ुव्वत-ए फ़ौलाद-ओ-आहन देख लो तुम भी
ब-फ़ैज़-ए जज़्बा-ए ईमान-ए मोहकम हम भी देखेंगे
जबीन-ए कज-कुलाही ख़ाक पर ख़म हम भी देखेंगे
४
मुकाफ़ात-ए अमल तारीख़-ए इंसाँ की रिवायत है
करोगे कब तलक नावक फ़राहम हम भी देखेंगे
कहाँ तक है तुम्हारे ज़ुल्म में दम हम भी देखेंगे
५
ये हंगाम-ए विदा-ए शब है अए ज़ुल्मत के फ़रज़ंदो
सहर के दोश पर गुलनार परचम हम भी देखेंगे
तुम्हें भी देखना होगा ये आलम हम भी देखेंगे
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. sahir ludhianavi (1921-1980) progressive poet writing in chaste yet relatively easily understood urdu. He brought the quality of urdu nazm to movie songs and raised the standards to a high level. Supported labour movements. Here with naïvette, he asserts with great confidence that the demand for justice cannot be suppressed for long and that the socialist revolution is around the corner.
1
dabegi1 kab talak aavaaz2-e aadam3 ham bhi dekheNge
rukeNge kab talak jazbaat4-e barham5 ham bhi dekheNge
chalo yuuNhi sahi ye jaur6-e paiham7 ham bhi dekheNge 1.suppressed 2.voice, cry (for justice) 3.human 4.emotions 5.angry 6.tyranny 7.repeated
How long the demand for justice can be suppressed, we shall see. How long these angry/rebellious emotions can be contained, we shall see. Keep doing this, if you must, but long this repeated tyranny, we shall see.
2
dar1-e zindaaN2 se dekheN yaa uruuj3-e daar4 se dekheN
tumheN rusvaa5 sar-e baazaar-e aalam6 ham bhi dekheNge
zaraa dam7 lo ma’aal8-e shaukat9-e jam10 ham bhi dekheNge 1.door 2.prison 3.height 4.hangman’s platform 5.shamed 6.world 7.breath 8.result, consequence 9.grandeur 10.jamshed – ancient emperor, symbol of absolute power
Whether we see it from the prison-door or from the top of the gallows, we shall surely see you defeated/shamed before the world. Hold your breath for a bit, the result of absolute/aribitrary power, we shall see.
3
ye zo’m1-e quvvat2-e faulaad-o-aahan3 dekh lo tum bhi
ba-faiz4-e jazba5-e iimaan6-e mohkam7 ham bhi dekheNge
jabin8-e kaj-kulaahi9 Khaak par Kham10 ham bhi dekheNge 1.hubris, show 2.power 3.iron and steel 4.by the generosity of 5.faith 7.steadfast 8.forehead, head 9.slanted cap 10.bent. bowed
Usuall kaj-kulaahi, defiantly slanted cap, a symbol of rebellion, is used for the underdog resisting oppression. In this case, it used for the powerful resisting the demand for justice. How long you can keep up this hubris of iron-clad power, we shall see. But the grace of our steadfast faith (in justice), we shall see. We shall see your defiant head bowed into the dust.
4
mukaafaat1-e amal2 taariKh3-e insaaN ki rivaayat4 hai
karoge kab talak naavak5 faraaham6 ham bhi dekheNge
kahaaN tak hai tumhaare zulm meN dam ham bhi dekheNge 1.compensation, punishment 2.actions 3.history 4.narration 5.arrows 6.supply
History tells us that (unjust) actions receive due punishment. How long you can keep up the supply of arrows to shoot us down, we shall see. How long your oppression can maintain its power, we shall see.
5
ye haNgaam1-e vidaa2-e shab3 hai aye zulmat4 ke farzando5
sahar6 ke dosh7 par gulnaar8 parcham9 ham bhi dekheNge
tumheN bhi dekhnaa hogaa ye aalam10 ham bhi dekheNge 1.time 2.departure 3.night (of injustice) 4.darkness, oppression 5.sons 6.dawn 7.shoulder 8.red 9.flag 10.condition, state of affairs
The time has come for this dark night to depart, O, children of darkness. Dawn arrives carrying a red flag on its shoulders. You will have to see this scene, we too, shall see.
sahir ludhianavi (1921-1980) progressive poet writing in chaste yet relatively easily understood urdu. He brought the quality of urdu nazm to movie songs and raised the standards to a high level. Supported labour movements. Here with naïvette, he asserts with great confidence that the demand for justice cannot be suppressed for long and that the socialist revolution is around the corner.
1
dabegi1 kab talak aavaaz2-e aadam3 ham bhi dekheNge
rukeNge kab talak jazbaat4-e barham5 ham bhi dekheNge
chalo yuuNhi sahi ye jaur6-e paiham7 ham bhi dekheNge
1.suppressed 2.voice, cry (for justice) 3.human 4.emotions 5.angry 6.tyranny 7.repeated
How long the demand for justice can be suppressed, we shall see. How long these angry/rebellious emotions can be contained, we shall see. Keep doing this, if you must, but long this repeated tyranny, we shall see.
2
dar1-e zindaaN2 se dekheN yaa uruuj3-e daar4 se dekheN
tumheN rusvaa5 sar-e baazaar-e aalam6 ham bhi dekheNge
zaraa dam7 lo ma’aal8-e shaukat9-e jam10 ham bhi dekheNge
1.door 2.prison 3.height 4.hangman’s platform 5.shamed 6.world 7.breath 8.result, consequence 9.grandeur 10.jamshed – ancient emperor, symbol of absolute power
Whether we see it from the prison-door or from the top of the gallows, we shall surely see you defeated/shamed before the world. Hold your breath for a bit, the result of absolute/aribitrary power, we shall see.
3
ye zo’m1-e quvvat2-e faulaad-o-aahan3 dekh lo tum bhi
ba-faiz4-e jazba5-e iimaan6-e mohkam7 ham bhi dekheNge
jabin8-e kaj-kulaahi9 Khaak par Kham10 ham bhi dekheNge
1.hubris, show 2.power 3.iron and steel 4.by the generosity of 5.faith 7.steadfast 8.forehead, head 9.slanted cap 10.bent. bowed
Usuall kaj-kulaahi, defiantly slanted cap, a symbol of rebellion, is used for the underdog resisting oppression. In this case, it used for the powerful resisting the demand for justice. How long you can keep up this hubris of iron-clad power, we shall see. But the grace of our steadfast faith (in justice), we shall see. We shall see your defiant head bowed into the dust.
4
mukaafaat1-e amal2 taariKh3-e insaaN ki rivaayat4 hai
karoge kab talak naavak5 faraaham6 ham bhi dekheNge
kahaaN tak hai tumhaare zulm meN dam ham bhi dekheNge
1.compensation, punishment 2.actions 3.history 4.narration 5.arrows 6.supply
History tells us that (unjust) actions receive due punishment. How long you can keep up the supply of arrows to shoot us down, we shall see. How long your oppression can maintain its power, we shall see.
5
ye haNgaam1-e vidaa2-e shab3 hai aye zulmat4 ke farzando5
sahar6 ke dosh7 par gulnaar8 parcham9 ham bhi dekheNge
tumheN bhi dekhnaa hogaa ye aalam10 ham bhi dekheNge
1.time 2.departure 3.night (of injustice) 4.darkness, oppression 5.sons 6.dawn 7.shoulder 8.red 9.flag 10.condition, state of affairs
The time has come for this dark night to depart, O, children of darkness. Dawn arrives carrying a red flag on its shoulders. You will have to see this scene, we too, shall see.
