For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
نہ صبا کی نامہ بری رہی ۔ عزیز قیسی
۱
پسِ ترک عشق بھی عمر بھر طرفِ مژہ پہ تری رہی
مری کشتِ جاں بھی عجیب ہے کہ خزاں کے ساتھ ہری رہی
۲
کئی بار دورِ کساد میں گرے مہر و ماہ کے دام بھی
مگر ایک قیمتِ جنسِ دل جو کھری رہی تو کھری رہی
۳
نہ وہ رسم پردگیٔ وفا نہ چھپا چھپا سا پیام ہے
نہ شمیم و گل سے کلام ہے نہ صبا کی نامہ بری رہی
۴
میں تہی نصیب سہی مگر مری چشمِ نم کو دعا تو دے
تری مانگ اے شبِ زندگی سدا موتیوں سے بھری رہی
۵
سرِ دشتِ تار گزار لیں کسی طور رات یہ عمر کی
نہ لگے گی آنکھ اگر یوں ہی ہمیں فکرِ شب بسری رہی
न सबा की नामा-बरी रही – अज़ीज़ क़ैसी
१
पस-ए तर्क-ए इश्क़ भी उम्र-भर तरफ़-ए मिज़्शा पे तरी रही
मेरी किश्त-ए जाँ भी अजीब है के ख़िज़ाँ के साथ हरी रही
२
कई बार दौर-ए कसाद में गिरे महर-ओ-माह के दाम भी
मगर एक क़ीमत-ए जिंस-ए दिल जो खरी रही तो खरी रही
३
न वो रस्म-ए पर्दगी-ए वफ़ा न छुपा छुपा सा पयाम है
न शमीम-ओ-गुल से कलाम है न सबा की नामा-बरी रही
४
मैं तही-नसीब सही मगर मेरी चश्म-ए नम को दुआ तो दे
तेरी माँग अए शब-ए ज़िंदगी सदा मोतियों से भरी रही
५
सर-ए दश्त-ए तार गुज़ार लें किसी तौर रात ये उम्र की
न लगेगी आँख अगर यूँ ही हमें फ़िक्र-ए शब-बसरी रही
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. aziz muhammad KhaaN qaisi (1931-1992) hyderabad, moved to mumbaii in 1957 and established himself as a poet of repute. Worked for magazines, wrote stories, dialogue and composed lyrics for the film industry.
1
pas1-e tark2-e ishq bhi umr-bhar taraf3-e mizsha4 pe tari5 rahi
meri kisht6-e jaaN bhi ajiib7 hai keh KhizaaN8 ke saath hari rahi 1.behind, hidden 2.quitting, giving up 3.towards, on the side of 4.eyelashes 5.wetness 6.cultivated field 7.strange, unusual 8.dry season, fall, autumn
Hidden behind the declaration of giving up love, all life long, there were tears on the side of my eyelashes. The cultivated field of my life was strange that even in the dry season it remained green. This implies that even in the dry season (no love) he was crying and that was enough irrigation to keep his field green. Sorrow and tears are considered of high value and they helped keep his life meaningful.
2
kaii baar daur1-e kasaad2 meN gire mahr3-o-maah4 ke daam5 bhi
magar ek qiimat6-e jins7-e dil jo khari8 rahi to khari rahi 1.times, period 2.low demand 3.sun 4.moon 5.prices 6.price 7.ingredients 8.pure
Many times, during periods of low demand, the prices of even valuable commodities like the sun and moon, fall. But the price of the ingredients of the heart (love) remain pure i.e., unaffected by the market (affairs of the world).
3
na vo rasm1-e pardagi2-e vafaa3 na chhupaa chhupaa saa payaam4 hai
na shamiim5-o-gul6 se kalaam7 hai na sabaa8 ki naama-bari9 rahi 1.tradition, ritual 2.veiling, hiding 3.declaration of love 4.message 5.breeze 6.rose 7.conversation 8.breeze 9.message carrying
The art/tradition of hiding love is no more. The ritual of subtle/hidden messaging is no longer observed. There is no conversation between the breeze and the rose. The tradition of sending messages with the breeze is lost.
4
maiN tahi-nasib1 sahi2 magar meri chashm3-e nam4 ko duaa to de
teri maaNg aye shab5-e zindagi sadaa6 motiyoN se bhari rahi 1.paucity of luck 2.may be 3.eyes 4.moist 5.night 6.always
It may be true that I am devoid of good fortune, but acknowledge my moist/teary eyes. It is these pearly tear drops that deck the parting of your hair with pearls. The “dark night of life” is personified here as the beloved, that parting of her hair is decked with pearls.
5
sar1-e dasht2-e taar3 guzaar4 leN kisi taur5 raat ye umr ki
na lagegi aaNkh agar yuN hi hameN fikr6-e shab-basari7 rahi 1.head, beginning, prominent 2.wilderness 3.dark 4.pass through 5.way, method, means 6.worry 7.spending the night
Let us go through this dark wilderness one way or another, by any means. We will not be able to sleep if we are always worried about how this night will pass. Here the dark night could well be life itself, with the poet waiting for the next life or it could be about the prevailing unjust order.
aziz muhammad KhaaN qaisi (1931-1992) hyderabad, moved to mumbaii in 1957 and established himself as a poet of repute. Worked for magazines, wrote stories, dialogue and composed lyrics for the film industry.
1
pas1-e tark2-e ishq bhi umr-bhar taraf3-e mizsha4 pe tari5 rahi
meri kisht6-e jaaN bhi ajiib7 hai keh KhizaaN8 ke saath hari rahi
1.behind, hidden 2.quitting, giving up 3.towards, on the side of 4.eyelashes 5.wetness 6.cultivated field 7.strange, unusual 8.dry season, fall, autumn
Hidden behind the declaration of giving up love, all life long, there were tears on the side of my eyelashes. The cultivated field of my life was strange that even in the dry season it remained green. This implies that even in the dry season (no love) he was crying and that was enough irrigation to keep his field green. Sorrow and tears are considered of high value and they helped keep his life meaningful.
2
kaii baar daur1-e kasaad2 meN gire mahr3-o-maah4 ke daam5 bhi
magar ek qiimat6-e jins7-e dil jo khari8 rahi to khari rahi
1.times, period 2.low demand 3.sun 4.moon 5.prices 6.price 7.ingredients 8.pure
Many times, during periods of low demand, the prices of even valuable commodities like the sun and moon, fall. But the price of the ingredients of the heart (love) remain pure i.e., unaffected by the market (affairs of the world).
3
na vo rasm1-e pardagi2-e vafaa3 na chhupaa chhupaa saa payaam4 hai
na shamiim5-o-gul6 se kalaam7 hai na sabaa8 ki naama-bari9 rahi
1.tradition, ritual 2.veiling, hiding 3.declaration of love 4.message 5.breeze 6.rose 7.conversation 8.breeze 9.message carrying
The art/tradition of hiding love is no more. The ritual of subtle/hidden messaging is no longer observed. There is no conversation between the breeze and the rose. The tradition of sending messages with the breeze is lost.
4
maiN tahi-nasib1 sahi2 magar meri chashm3-e nam4 ko duaa to de
teri maaNg aye shab5-e zindagi sadaa6 motiyoN se bhari rahi
1.paucity of luck 2.may be 3.eyes 4.moist 5.night 6.always
It may be true that I am devoid of good fortune, but acknowledge my moist/teary eyes. It is these pearly tear drops that deck the parting of your hair with pearls. The “dark night of life” is personified here as the beloved, that parting of her hair is decked with pearls.
5
sar1-e dasht2-e taar3 guzaar4 leN kisi taur5 raat ye umr ki
na lagegi aaNkh agar yuN hi hameN fikr6-e shab-basari7 rahi
1.head, beginning, prominent 2.wilderness 3.dark 4.pass through 5.way, method, means 6.worry 7.spending the night
Let us go through this dark wilderness one way or another, by any means. We will not be able to sleep if we are always worried about how this night will pass. Here the dark night could well be life itself, with the poet waiting for the next life or it could be about the prevailing unjust order.
