For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
عنایت ہی سہی ۔ کشن کمار وقارؔ
۱
گر نہیں وصل تو فرقت ہی سہی
دل لگی کی کوئی صورت ہی سہی
۲
گو نہیں آپ کسی سے ملتے
خیر بندہ پہ عنایت ہی سہی
۳
منع ہے یار جو ہنسنا میرا
پھر تو رونے کی اِجازت ہی سہی
۴
وعدۂ وصل کرو قید کے ساتھ
جھوٹ سچ کے لئے مدّت ہی سہی
۵
وصل محروم ہے خندہ سے اگر
طالعِ ہجر میں رِقّت ہی سہی
۶
جوہرِ فرد دہن یار کا ہے
میری منطق کی یہ حجُّت ہ سہی
۷
چھوڑ دوں دوست کو دشمن ہو کر
ترکِ عادت میں عداوت ہی سہی
۸
قِصّہِ ہجر سُن او حسن فروز
عشق کی ایک حکایت ہی سہی
۹
حُسن کی خیر ذرا دیکھ لیں آپ
آئینہ دیدۂ حیرت ہی سہی
۱۰
نقشِ پائے صنمِ شوخ وقارؔ
عینکِ چشمِ بصارت ہی سہی
इना’एत हि सही – किशन कुमार वेक़ार
१
गर नहीं वस्ल तो फ़ुर्क़त हि सही
दिल लगी की कोई सूरत हि सही
२
गो नहीं आप किसी से मिलते
ख़ैर बन्दे पे इना’एत हि सही
३
मन’अ है यार जो हंसना मेरा
फिर तो रोने की इजाज़त हि सही
४
वादा-ए वस्ल करो क़ैद के साथ
झूट सच के लिये मुद्दत हि सही
५
वस्ल महरूम है ख़न्दे से अगर
ताला-ए हिज्र में रिक़्क़त हि सही
६
जौहर-ए फ़र्द दहन-ए यार का है
मेरी मंतक़ कि ये हुज्जत हि सही
७
छोढ दूं दोस्त को दुश्मन हो कर
तर्क-ए आदत में अदावत हि सही
८
क़िस्सा-ए हिज्र सुन ओ हुस्न-फ़रोज़
इश्क़ की एक हिकायत हि सही
९
हुस्न की ख़ैर ज़रा देख लें आप
आईना दीदा-ए हैरत हि सही
१०
नक़्श-ए पा-ए सनम-ए शूख़ वेक़ार
ऐनक-ए चश्म-ए बसारत हि सही
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. kishan kumaar vaqaar (~1840-xxxx) was a local lord of muradabad and badayuun. In 1877 his title was elevated from rai to rajah. His first collection of Ghazal was published in 1873 by avadh aKhbaar press. I put his date of birth as a rough guess, at 1840. He has several Ghazal composed in the zamin of Ghalib. This one in the style of ‘ishq mujh ko nahiN vahshat hi sahi’.
1
gar1 nahiN vasl2 to furqat3 hi sahi
dil-lagi4 ki koii suurat5 his sahi 1.if 2.union (with the beloved) 3.separation, banishment 4.entertainment, pleasure, consolation of the heart 5.means, method
If I cannot have union with beloved, it is enough that I am banished/separated from her. This implies that he is content to have had some association, even if one of rejection with the beloved – “it is better to have loved and lost, than never to have loved at all”. I should have some way of keeping me heart consoled.
2
go1 nahiN aap kisi se milte
Khair2 bande3 pe inaa’et4 hi sahi 1.even though 2.used in the sense of ‘perhaps’ 3.servant 4.gift, benevolence
The poet/lover has been told that the beloved does not see anyone. He pleads – even though you do not see anyone, perhaps some kindness towards this servant of yours. He does not specifiy what kind of kindness. It could well be the “kindness” of rejection.
3
man’a1 hai yaar2 jo haNsna mera
phir to rone ki ijaazat3 hi sahi 1.prohibited, forbidden 2.friend, beloved 3.permission
The poet/lover is forbidden from smiling/being happy. How? This does not have to be an explicit order issued. It could simply be that she refuses to meet him. That is enough to deprive him from any smiles. He pleads – than at least I should have the permission to cry/wail.
4
vaada1-e vasl2 karo qaid3 ke saath
jhooT such ke liye muddat4 hi sahi 1.promise 2.union 3.limits, bounds (of time) 4.duration
It is a well established poetic convention that the beloved promises to meet the poet/lover but never does. He asks that such a promise be time-bound. Let there be some duration within which I can determine if this promise is true or false.
5
vasl1 mahroom2 hai Khande3 se agar4
taala5-e hijr6 meN riqqat7 hi sahi 1.union 2.deprived 3.smiles, happiness 4.if 5.emergence, beginning 6.banishment, separation 7.mourning
If our union is deprived of any happiness/kindness on your part, then it is better that I be allowed to wail/mourn as separation begins.
6
jauhar1-e fard2 dahn3-e yaar4 ka hai
meri mantaq5 ki ye hujjat6 hi sahi 1.brilliance 2.unique, without equal 3.mouth 4.beloved 5.logic, reasoning 6.proof, winning/settling an argument
The poet/lover declares that the brilliance/beauty of the beloved’s mouth/smile is without equal. That will settle all argument about his reasoning.
7
chhoR duN dost1 ko dushman ho kar
tark2-e aadat3 meN adaavat4 his sahi 1.friend, beloved 2.give up 3.habit 4.enmity, conflict
The poet/lover has not been getting anywhere with the beloved. He is on the point of giving up his habit of loving her. He contemplates, if I have to give up, why not become antagonistic, why not there be conflict between us.
8
qissa1-e hijr2 sun O husn-faroz3
ishq4 ki ek hikaayet5 his sahi 1.story 2.separation, exile 3.brilliant beauty, beloved 4.love 5.story
Perhaps the beloved is tired of hearing from the poet/lover or perhaps the poet/lover is nowhere in the picture and the beloved is listening to bed-time stories from someone else. The poet/lover is simply imagining this situation and urging the beloved (in his imagination) to listen to the story of his exile. Why not at least one story of love.
9
husn1 ki Khair2 zara dekh leN aap
aaiina diida3-e hairat4 hi sahi 1.beauty 2.well-being, survival 3.eyes 4.amazement
The beloved is looking at herself in the mirror. The eyes of the mirror are wide open in amazement at her beauty. The poet/lover reminds her – consider the well-being, survival (how long can it last) of your beauty.
10
naqsh1-e paa2-e sanam3-e shooKh4 vaqaar5
ainak6-e chashm-e-basaarat7 hi sahi 1.prints, image 2.feet 3.beloved 4.mischievous, playful 5.pen-name of poet 6.eyeglasses 7.discerning eye
The footprints of the mischievous beloved are like an aid to the discerning eye. Just from the footprints he is able to imagine her beauty.
kishan kumaar vaqaar (~1840-xxxx) was a local lord of muradabad and badayuun. In 1877 his title was elevated from rai to rajah. His first collection of Ghazal was published in 1873 by avadh aKhbaar press. I put his date of birth as a rough guess, at 1840. He has several Ghazal composed in the zamin of Ghalib. This one in the style of ‘ishq mujh ko nahiN vahshat hi sahi’.
1
gar1 nahiN vasl2 to furqat3 hi sahi
dil-lagi4 ki koii suurat5 his sahi
1.if 2.union (with the beloved) 3.separation, banishment 4.entertainment, pleasure, consolation of the heart 5.means, method
If I cannot have union with beloved, it is enough that I am banished/separated from her. This implies that he is content to have had some association, even if one of rejection with the beloved – “it is better to have loved and lost, than never to have loved at all”. I should have some way of keeping me heart consoled.
2
go1 nahiN aap kisi se milte
Khair2 bande3 pe inaa’et4 hi sahi
1.even though 2.used in the sense of ‘perhaps’ 3.servant 4.gift, benevolence
The poet/lover has been told that the beloved does not see anyone. He pleads – even though you do not see anyone, perhaps some kindness towards this servant of yours. He does not specifiy what kind of kindness. It could well be the “kindness” of rejection.
3
man’a1 hai yaar2 jo haNsna mera
phir to rone ki ijaazat3 hi sahi
1.prohibited, forbidden 2.friend, beloved 3.permission
The poet/lover is forbidden from smiling/being happy. How? This does not have to be an explicit order issued. It could simply be that she refuses to meet him. That is enough to deprive him from any smiles. He pleads – than at least I should have the permission to cry/wail.
4
vaada1-e vasl2 karo qaid3 ke saath
jhooT such ke liye muddat4 hi sahi
1.promise 2.union 3.limits, bounds (of time) 4.duration
It is a well established poetic convention that the beloved promises to meet the poet/lover but never does. He asks that such a promise be time-bound. Let there be some duration within which I can determine if this promise is true or false.
5
vasl1 mahroom2 hai Khande3 se agar4
taala5-e hijr6 meN riqqat7 hi sahi
1.union 2.deprived 3.smiles, happiness 4.if 5.emergence, beginning 6.banishment, separation 7.mourning
If our union is deprived of any happiness/kindness on your part, then it is better that I be allowed to wail/mourn as separation begins.
6
jauhar1-e fard2 dahn3-e yaar4 ka hai
meri mantaq5 ki ye hujjat6 hi sahi
1.brilliance 2.unique, without equal 3.mouth 4.beloved 5.logic, reasoning 6.proof, winning/settling an argument
The poet/lover declares that the brilliance/beauty of the beloved’s mouth/smile is without equal. That will settle all argument about his reasoning.
7
chhoR duN dost1 ko dushman ho kar
tark2-e aadat3 meN adaavat4 his sahi
1.friend, beloved 2.give up 3.habit 4.enmity, conflict
The poet/lover has not been getting anywhere with the beloved. He is on the point of giving up his habit of loving her. He contemplates, if I have to give up, why not become antagonistic, why not there be conflict between us.
8
qissa1-e hijr2 sun O husn-faroz3
ishq4 ki ek hikaayet5 his sahi
1.story 2.separation, exile 3.brilliant beauty, beloved 4.love 5.story
Perhaps the beloved is tired of hearing from the poet/lover or perhaps the poet/lover is nowhere in the picture and the beloved is listening to bed-time stories from someone else. The poet/lover is simply imagining this situation and urging the beloved (in his imagination) to listen to the story of his exile. Why not at least one story of love.
9
husn1 ki Khair2 zara dekh leN aap
aaiina diida3-e hairat4 hi sahi
1.beauty 2.well-being, survival 3.eyes 4.amazement
The beloved is looking at herself in the mirror. The eyes of the mirror are wide open in amazement at her beauty. The poet/lover reminds her – consider the well-being, survival (how long can it last) of your beauty.
10
naqsh1-e paa2-e sanam3-e shooKh4 vaqaar5
ainak6-e chashm-e-basaarat7 hi sahi
1.prints, image 2.feet 3.beloved 4.mischievous, playful 5.pen-name of poet 6.eyeglasses 7.discerning eye
The footprints of the mischievous beloved are like an aid to the discerning eye. Just from the footprints he is able to imagine her beauty.
