For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
ثبوت بے ہنری رہی ۔ اِلیاس عشقیؔ جئےپوری
۱
یہ بہار وہ ہے جہاں رہی اثرِ خزاں سے بری رہی
جو صلیب و دار میں ڈھل گئی وہی چوبِ خشک ہری رہی
۲
ملی جب کبھی خبرِ جہاں تو جہاں سے بے خبری رہی
کسی اور سے نہیں کچھ گلہ خجِل اپنی دیدہ وری رہی
۳
وہی اک خرابیٔ بے کراں جو ترے جہاں کا نصیب ہے
اسی رست و خیز سے آج تک مرے دل میں بے خطری رہی
۴
مری زندگی کی عروسِ نو تجھے اس کی کوئی خبر بھی ہے
وہ تھی کس کی سرخیٔ خونِ دل تری مانگ میں جو بھری رہی
۵
کوئی قریہ کوئی دیار ہو کہیں ہم اکیلے نہیں رہے
تری جستجو میں جہاں گئے وہیں ساتھ در بدری رہی
۶
وہی آگ اپنا نصیب تھی کہ تمام عمر جلا کیے
جو لگائی تھی کبھی عشق نے وہی آگ دل میں بھری رہی
۷
وہی اک صداقتِ حرف تھی کھلی پھول بن کے جو آگ میں
وہی اک دلیلِ حیات تھی جو گواہِ باخبری رہی
۸
نہ اثر فسوں کوئی کر سکا نہ وہ میرے دل میں اُتر سکا
کوئی عکس ہی نہ اُبھر سکا رہا شیشہ اور نہ پری رہی
۹
میں ہلاکِ لذّتِ گفتگو ہی سہی مگر اسے کیا کروں
جو فرازِ دار سے کی گئی وہی ایک بات کھری رہی
۱۰
ہنر آج عشقیؔ بے نوا کا خجل ہے روح سراجؔ سے
وہی اک خلش جو متاع فن تھی ثبوتِ بے ہُنری رہی
सुबूत-ए बे-हुनरी रही – इल्यास इश्क़ी जयपूरी
१
ये बहार वो है जहाँ रही असर-ए ख़िज़ाँ से बरी रही
जो सलीब-ओ-दार में ढल गई वही चोब-ए ख़ुश्क हरी रही
२
मिली जब कभी ख़बर-ए जहाँ तो जहाँ से बे-ख़बरी रही
किसी और से नहीं कुछ गिला ख़जिल अपनी दीदा-वरी रही
३
वही एक ख़राबी-ए बे-कराँ जो तिरे जहाँ का नसीब है
इसी रुस्त-ओ-ख़ेज़ से आज तक मिरे दिल में बे-ख़तरी रही
४
मेरी ज़िंदगी की उरूस-ए नौ तुझे इस की कोई ख़बर भी है
वो थी किस की सुर्ख़ी-ए ख़ून-ए दिल तिरी माँग में जो भरी रही
५
कोई क़र्या कोई दयार हो कहीं हम अकेले नहीं रहे
तेरी जुस्तुजू में जहाँ गए वहीं साथ दर-बदरी रही
६
वही आग अपना नसीब थी के तमाम उम्र जला किए
जो लगाई थी कभी इश्क़ ने वही आग दिल में भरी रही
७
वही एक सदाक़त-ए हर्फ़ थी खिली फूल बन के जो आग में
वही एक दलील-ए हयात थी जो गवाह-ए बा-ख़बरी रही
८
न असर फ़ुसूँ कोई कर सका न वो मेरे दिल में उतर सका
कोई अक्स ही न उभर सका रहा शीशा और न परी रही
९
मैं हलाक-ए लज़्ज़त-ए गुफ़्तुगू ही सही मगर इसे क्या करूँ
जो फ़राज़-ए दार से की गई वही एक बात खरी रही
१०
हुनर आज इशक़ी-ए बे-नवा का ख़जिल है रूह-ए सिराज से
वही एक ख़लिश जो मता-ए फ़न थी सुबूत-ए बे-हुनरी रही
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. ilyaas ishqi jaipuri (1922-2007), pakistan. I could not find much more about the poet. He did a versified translation of sindhi nazm into urdu. This is one of a series of Ghazal composed in the style of siraaj auraNgabadi’s very famous and popular sufiyaana Ghazal ‘na to tu raha, na to maiN raha, jo rahi so be-Khabari rahi’.
1
ye bahaar1 vo hai jahaaN2 rahii, asar3-e KhizaaN4 se barii5 rahii
jo saliib6-o-daar7 meN Dhal8 gaii, vahii chob9-e Khushk10 harii rahii 1.spring, joy, celebration 2.wherever 3.effect 4.autumn, dry season 5.excused, exempt 6.cross 7.noose 8.mould, cast 9.log 10.dry
‘This’ is the kind of spring that wherever it goes, it is exempt from the effects of drought i.e., it remains forever green and fresh. The log that gets used to make a cross or a hangman’s platform remains green/fresh forever. Thus, the second misra gives us a clue to what kind of spring the poet is thinking of – the kind of love of humanity that protests injustice and oppression regardless of being hanged.
2
milii jab kabhii Khabar1-e jahaaN2, to jahaaN2 se be-Khabarii3 rahii
kisii aur se nahiiN kuchh gila4, Khajil5 apnii diida-varii6 rahii 1.news, awareness 2.world 3.uncaring, aloof 4.complaint 5.shamed, embarrassed 6.discriminating eye, clear sightedness
Whenever we received news of the (suffering of the) world, we remained aloof. How can I complain about anyone else; I am ashamed of my own lack of clear-sightedness.
3
vahii ek Kharaabii1-e be-karaaN2, jo tere jahaaN3 kaa nasiib4 hai
isii rust-o-Khez5 se aaj tak, mere dil meN be-Khatarii6 rahii 1.misery 2.limitless, infinite, vast 3.world, life 4.fate 5.rising up, emerging of calamities 6.fearlessness
The vast misery/injustice that is the fate of this world, and such calamities that arise every day, makes me immune to this misery and makes me fearless. Alternatively, the “rust-o-Khez – rising up” may refer to his own getting up to face the “Kharaabi-e be-karaaN” with fearlessness in his heart. This is the same fearlessness in facing oppression that he talks about in the matla – the opening she’r!
4
merii zindagii kii uroos1-e nau2, tujhe is kii koii Khabar3 bhii hai
vo thii kis kii surKhii4-e Khoon-e dil, terii maaNg5 meN jo bharii rahii 1.bride 2.new 3.knowledge 4.redness 5.partness of the hair
An important, customarily necessary part of the adornment of a bride is rouge powder in the parting of the hair. The poet asks a rhetorical question. Are you even aware whose heart’s blood it was that provided redness to the parting of your hair? Of course, it was the poet’s blood. But who is the bride? Surely not a conventional bride. But he leaves it to us to guess. In the light of previous ash’aar, the ‘bride’ is resistance to injustice.
5
koii qarya1 koii dayaar2 ho kahiiN ham akele3 nahiiN rahe
teri justujoo4 meN jahaaN5 gaye vahiiN saath dar-badarii6 rahii 1.village 2.region 3.alone 4.search 5.wherever 6.vagrancy, wandering
majnuN’s passion was so intense that he wandered everywhere searching his laila. Here the shaa’er has personified this vagrancy and made it his companion. Whichever village, whichever region he went to looking for his beloved, his vagrancy was his companion. He was never alone. The laila he is looking for could be social justice and the vagrancy, his companion could be his own poverty.
6
vahii aag apnaa nasiib1 thii keh tamaam2 umr jalaa kiye
jo lagaaii thii kabhii ishq ne vahii aag dil meN bharii rahii 1.fate 2.all, total
There was a fire lit under the poet so much so that it became a part of his fate. He has been burning in that fire all life long. The fire was lit by love/passion and still fills his heart. This ‘fire’ is resistance to injustice.
7
vahii ek sadaaqat1-e harf2 thii, khilii phuul ban ke jo aag meN
vahii ek daliil3-e hayaat4 thii jo gavaah5-e baa-Khabarii6 rahii 1.truth, credibility 2.word, statement 3.proof, justification, argument justifying life 4.life 5.witness 6.knowledge, awareness
The “harf-statement” here may be the demand for justice. The credibility of this demand blossomed like a flower even in the fire of injustice. The same argument/reasoning that justifies life is witness to awareness (of the injustice all around).
8
na asar1 fusooN2 koii kar sakaa na vo mere dil meN utar sakaa
koii aks3 hii na ubhar4 sakaa rahaa shiisha5 aur na parii6 rahii 1.effect, impact 2.enchantment, deception 3.image, reflection 4.emerge 5.mirror 6.angel, beloved
Someone has been making false promises and creating a deceptive enchantment. But he does not get taken in. There has been no effect of this enchantment and the promises don’t convince him. No image emerged in the mirror. In fact, the mirror shattered and there wasn’t any real beloved whose reflection might have emerged. This again could be a political reflection on how the leaders are trying to deceive the public.
9
maiN halaak1-e lazzat2-e guftugu3 hii sahii magar ise kyaa karuN
jo faraaz4-e daar5 se kii gaii vahii ek baat kharii6 rahii 1.killed 2.pleasure 3.speaking 4.height 5.hanging scaffold 6.genuine
I may be killed because I like speaking out, but what can I do about it. Only the word spoken from the height of the hangman’s scoffold is genuine.
10
hunar1 aaj ishqii2-e be-navaa3 kaa Khajil4 hai rooh5-e siraaj6 se
vahii ek Khalish7 jo mataa8-e fun9 thii suboot10-e be-hunarii11 rahii 1.skill 2.pen-name of the poet 3.voiceless 4.ashamed, embarrassed 5.spirit, soul 6.siraaj auraNgabai 7.pain, prick, restlessness 8.valuables, wealth 9.talent 10.proof 11.lack of skill
This Ghazal is composed in the style of siraaj auraNgabadi’s ‘be-Khabari rahi’. Here he is expressing his emabarrassment that he could not do justice. Thus, the skill of ishqi is ashamed today, to face the spirit of siraj auraNgabadi. The same restlessness that was his wealth of talent, has become proof of his lack of skill.
ilyaas ishqi jaipuri (1922-2007), pakistan. I could not find much more about the poet. He did a versified translation of sindhi nazm into urdu. This is one of a series of Ghazal composed in the style of siraaj auraNgabadi’s very famous and popular sufiyaana Ghazal ‘na to tu raha, na to maiN raha, jo rahi so be-Khabari rahi’.
1
ye bahaar1 vo hai jahaaN2 rahii, asar3-e KhizaaN4 se barii5 rahii
jo saliib6-o-daar7 meN Dhal8 gaii, vahii chob9-e Khushk10 harii rahii
1.spring, joy, celebration 2.wherever 3.effect 4.autumn, dry season 5.excused, exempt 6.cross 7.noose 8.mould, cast 9.log 10.dry
‘This’ is the kind of spring that wherever it goes, it is exempt from the effects of drought i.e., it remains forever green and fresh. The log that gets used to make a cross or a hangman’s platform remains green/fresh forever. Thus, the second misra gives us a clue to what kind of spring the poet is thinking of – the kind of love of humanity that protests injustice and oppression regardless of being hanged.
2
milii jab kabhii Khabar1-e jahaaN2, to jahaaN2 se be-Khabarii3 rahii
kisii aur se nahiiN kuchh gila4, Khajil5 apnii diida-varii6 rahii
1.news, awareness 2.world 3.uncaring, aloof 4.complaint 5.shamed, embarrassed 6.discriminating eye, clear sightedness
Whenever we received news of the (suffering of the) world, we remained aloof. How can I complain about anyone else; I am ashamed of my own lack of clear-sightedness.
3
vahii ek Kharaabii1-e be-karaaN2, jo tere jahaaN3 kaa nasiib4 hai
isii rust-o-Khez5 se aaj tak, mere dil meN be-Khatarii6 rahii
1.misery 2.limitless, infinite, vast 3.world, life 4.fate 5.rising up, emerging of calamities 6.fearlessness
The vast misery/injustice that is the fate of this world, and such calamities that arise every day, makes me immune to this misery and makes me fearless. Alternatively, the “rust-o-Khez – rising up” may refer to his own getting up to face the “Kharaabi-e be-karaaN” with fearlessness in his heart. This is the same fearlessness in facing oppression that he talks about in the matla – the opening she’r!
4
merii zindagii kii uroos1-e nau2, tujhe is kii koii Khabar3 bhii hai
vo thii kis kii surKhii4-e Khoon-e dil, terii maaNg5 meN jo bharii rahii
1.bride 2.new 3.knowledge 4.redness 5.partness of the hair
An important, customarily necessary part of the adornment of a bride is rouge powder in the parting of the hair. The poet asks a rhetorical question. Are you even aware whose heart’s blood it was that provided redness to the parting of your hair? Of course, it was the poet’s blood. But who is the bride? Surely not a conventional bride. But he leaves it to us to guess. In the light of previous ash’aar, the ‘bride’ is resistance to injustice.
5
koii qarya1 koii dayaar2 ho kahiiN ham akele3 nahiiN rahe
teri justujoo4 meN jahaaN5 gaye vahiiN saath dar-badarii6 rahii
1.village 2.region 3.alone 4.search 5.wherever 6.vagrancy, wandering
majnuN’s passion was so intense that he wandered everywhere searching his laila. Here the shaa’er has personified this vagrancy and made it his companion. Whichever village, whichever region he went to looking for his beloved, his vagrancy was his companion. He was never alone. The laila he is looking for could be social justice and the vagrancy, his companion could be his own poverty.
6
vahii aag apnaa nasiib1 thii keh tamaam2 umr jalaa kiye
jo lagaaii thii kabhii ishq ne vahii aag dil meN bharii rahii
1.fate 2.all, total
There was a fire lit under the poet so much so that it became a part of his fate. He has been burning in that fire all life long. The fire was lit by love/passion and still fills his heart. This ‘fire’ is resistance to injustice.
7
vahii ek sadaaqat1-e harf2 thii, khilii phuul ban ke jo aag meN
vahii ek daliil3-e hayaat4 thii jo gavaah5-e baa-Khabarii6 rahii
1.truth, credibility 2.word, statement 3.proof, justification, argument justifying life 4.life 5.witness 6.knowledge, awareness
The “harf-statement” here may be the demand for justice. The credibility of this demand blossomed like a flower even in the fire of injustice. The same argument/reasoning that justifies life is witness to awareness (of the injustice all around).
8
na asar1 fusooN2 koii kar sakaa na vo mere dil meN utar sakaa
koii aks3 hii na ubhar4 sakaa rahaa shiisha5 aur na parii6 rahii
1.effect, impact 2.enchantment, deception 3.image, reflection 4.emerge 5.mirror 6.angel, beloved
Someone has been making false promises and creating a deceptive enchantment. But he does not get taken in. There has been no effect of this enchantment and the promises don’t convince him. No image emerged in the mirror. In fact, the mirror shattered and there wasn’t any real beloved whose reflection might have emerged. This again could be a political reflection on how the leaders are trying to deceive the public.
9
maiN halaak1-e lazzat2-e guftugu3 hii sahii magar ise kyaa karuN
jo faraaz4-e daar5 se kii gaii vahii ek baat kharii6 rahii
1.killed 2.pleasure 3.speaking 4.height 5.hanging scaffold 6.genuine
I may be killed because I like speaking out, but what can I do about it. Only the word spoken from the height of the hangman’s scoffold is genuine.
10
hunar1 aaj ishqii2-e be-navaa3 kaa Khajil4 hai rooh5-e siraaj6 se
vahii ek Khalish7 jo mataa8-e fun9 thii suboot10-e be-hunarii11 rahii
1.skill 2.pen-name of the poet 3.voiceless 4.ashamed, embarrassed 5.spirit, soul 6.siraaj auraNgabai 7.pain, prick, restlessness 8.valuables, wealth 9.talent 10.proof 11.lack of skill
This Ghazal is composed in the style of siraaj auraNgabadi’s ‘be-Khabari rahi’. Here he is expressing his emabarrassment that he could not do justice. Thus, the skill of ishqi is ashamed today, to face the spirit of siraj auraNgabadi. The same restlessness that was his wealth of talent, has become proof of his lack of skill.
