For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
کل کی خبر آج کی رات ۔ مُنشی نوبت رائے نظرؔ لکھنوی
۱
صبح کو حشر بھی ہے کٹ گئی گر آج کی رات
دے رہا ہے مرا دل کل کی خبر آج کی رات
۲
میرے نالوں میں غضب کا ہے اثر آج کی رات
لوگ تھامے ہوئے بیٹھے ہیں جگر آج کی رات
۳
ضبط مانع ہے کہ وہ شوخ شکایت نہ کرے
بے صدا آہ بھی ہے مثل اثر آج کی رات
۴
ٹوٹے پڑتے ہیں فلک سے بھی ستارے پیہم
چُننے بیٹھا ہے جو افشاں وہ قمر آج کی رات
۵
ضبطِ نالہ نے یہ اندھیر کیا سینے میں
بن گیا گُھٹ کے دھواں سوزِ جگر آج کی رات
कल की ख़बर आज की रात – मुंशी नौबत राए नज़र लखनवी
१
सुब्ह को हश्र भी है कट गई गर आज की रात
दे रहा है मेरा दिल कल की ख़बर आज की रात
२
मेरे नालौं में ग़ज़ब का है असर आज की रात
लोग थामे हुए बैठे हैं जिगर आज की रात
३
ज़ब्त मान’ए है के वो शोख़ शिका’एत न करे
बे-सदा आह भी है मिस्ल-ए असर आज की रात
४
टूटे पड़ते हैं फ़लक से भी सितारे पैहम
चुनने बैठा है जो अफ़्शाँ वो क़मर आज की रात
५
ज़ब्त-ए नाला ने ये अंधेर किया सीने में
बन गया घुट के धुआँ सोज़-ए जिगर आज की रात
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. munshi naubat rai nazar lakhnavi (1864-1923), lukhnow. Well recognized poet with a published diivaan and the editor of several literary magazines including adeeb. He has several Ghazal modeled after Ghalib. This Ghazal is linked to a series of Ghazal with the theme and radeef ‘aaj ki raat’. It is very pleasurable to see the many variations that different shu’ara present.
1
sub’h ko hashr1 bhi hai kaT2 gaii gar3 aaj ki raat
de raha hai mera dil kal ki Khabar4 aaj ki raat 1.tumult, doomsday 2.pass, go by 3.if 4.news, premonition
We still have to face the tumult of tomorrow even if this night passes by. Tonight, my heart gives me a premonition of what is to come tomorrow. The night of separation is difficult for the poet/lover to pass. Even if he gets through the night, he has to face the next day and the night and so on. He knows that he will forever be in a state of separation from the beloved.
2
mere naaloN1 meN Ghazab2 ka hai asar3 aaj ki raat
log thaame4 hue baiThe haiN jigar5 aaj ki raat 1.wails, cries 2.calamitous, woeful 3.effect 4.hold 5.liver/heart
This probably refers to the Ghazal that the shaa’er is reciting on this night of the mushaa’era. His Ghazal evokes such pain that it sounds like intense wailing. Upon hearing this the audience sits there holding their heart.
3
zabt1 maan’e2 hai keh vo shoKh3 shikaa’et4 na kare
be-sada5 aah6 bhi hai misl7-e asar8 aaj ki raat 1.forbearance, self-control 2.forbidding 3.playful, beloved 4.complain 5.soundless 7.example 8.effect
It is customary for the beloved to be playful and tease the poet/lover, but he is not supposed to show that this playfulness causes him to long/yearn for her. Even a soundless sigh is an example of showing such an effect and is forbidden by the traditions of self-control. Otherwise, the beloved will have reason to complain.
4
TuuTe1 paRte haiN falak2 se bhi sitaare paiham3
chun’ne4 baiTha hai jo afshaaN5 vo qamar6 aaj ki raat 1.breaking-used here to mean falling 2.sky 3.again and again 4.picking off 5.glitter 6.moon, beloved
The beloved is beautiful like the moon. She is taking off the adornment of glitter from her forehead. It is like the stars falling from the sky. Consider this she’r from qamar jalaalavi …
qamar afshaaN chuni hai us ne ruKh pe is saleeqe se
sitaare aasmaaN se dekhne ko aaye jaate haiN
5
zabt1-e naala2 ne ye andher kiya siine meN
ban gaya ghuT ke dhuaN soz3-e jigar4 aaj ki raat 1.control, suppress 2.wail, cry 3.fire, passion 4.liver, heart
In urdu poetic tradition jigar/liver is considered the seat of resolve, determination, courage while dil/heart is considered the seat of love and emotions. But many times they are used interchangeably. Here, the poet is suppressing his sorrowful wail so much so that his passion has set fire to his ‘jigar’ and smoke fills his chest cavity causing suffocation.
munshi naubat rai nazar lakhnavi (1864-1923), lukhnow. Well recognized poet with a published diivaan and the editor of several literary magazines including adeeb. He has several Ghazal modeled after Ghalib. This Ghazal is linked to a series of Ghazal with the theme and radeef ‘aaj ki raat’. It is very pleasurable to see the many variations that different shu’ara present.
1
sub’h ko hashr1 bhi hai kaT2 gaii gar3 aaj ki raat
de raha hai mera dil kal ki Khabar4 aaj ki raat
1.tumult, doomsday 2.pass, go by 3.if 4.news, premonition
We still have to face the tumult of tomorrow even if this night passes by. Tonight, my heart gives me a premonition of what is to come tomorrow. The night of separation is difficult for the poet/lover to pass. Even if he gets through the night, he has to face the next day and the night and so on. He knows that he will forever be in a state of separation from the beloved.
2
mere naaloN1 meN Ghazab2 ka hai asar3 aaj ki raat
log thaame4 hue baiThe haiN jigar5 aaj ki raat
1.wails, cries 2.calamitous, woeful 3.effect 4.hold 5.liver/heart
This probably refers to the Ghazal that the shaa’er is reciting on this night of the mushaa’era. His Ghazal evokes such pain that it sounds like intense wailing. Upon hearing this the audience sits there holding their heart.
3
zabt1 maan’e2 hai keh vo shoKh3 shikaa’et4 na kare
be-sada5 aah6 bhi hai misl7-e asar8 aaj ki raat
1.forbearance, self-control 2.forbidding 3.playful, beloved 4.complain 5.soundless 7.example 8.effect
It is customary for the beloved to be playful and tease the poet/lover, but he is not supposed to show that this playfulness causes him to long/yearn for her. Even a soundless sigh is an example of showing such an effect and is forbidden by the traditions of self-control. Otherwise, the beloved will have reason to complain.
4
TuuTe1 paRte haiN falak2 se bhi sitaare paiham3
chun’ne4 baiTha hai jo afshaaN5 vo qamar6 aaj ki raat
1.breaking-used here to mean falling 2.sky 3.again and again 4.picking off 5.glitter 6.moon, beloved
The beloved is beautiful like the moon. She is taking off the adornment of glitter from her forehead. It is like the stars falling from the sky. Consider this she’r from qamar jalaalavi …
qamar afshaaN chuni hai us ne ruKh pe is saleeqe se
sitaare aasmaaN se dekhne ko aaye jaate haiN
5
zabt1-e naala2 ne ye andher kiya siine meN
ban gaya ghuT ke dhuaN soz3-e jigar4 aaj ki raat
1.control, suppress 2.wail, cry 3.fire, passion 4.liver, heart
In urdu poetic tradition jigar/liver is considered the seat of resolve, determination, courage while dil/heart is considered the seat of love and emotions. But many times they are used interchangeably. Here, the poet is suppressing his sorrowful wail so much so that his passion has set fire to his ‘jigar’ and smoke fills his chest cavity causing suffocation.
