josh malihabadi (1898-1982) is known as – shaa’er-e inqelaab – poet of revolution.  His nazm are fiery, passionate and full of energy.  His Ghazal and rubaaii are equally good.  He was a secular humanist writing sharply and irreverently against colonialism, abuse of power, injustice and orthodoxy.  This Ghazal is in the style of Ghalib’s ‘maiN huN apni shikast ki aavaaz’.  There are two Ghazal of josh in this style, both in a completely different theme.  Ghalib’s original as well as josh’s have no radeef.
1
mujhe Khabar¹ hai na ghabra² shariik³-e raah⁴-e daraaz⁵
keh zer⁶-e satah⁷ musattah⁸ hai kya nasheb-o-faraaz⁹

1.knowledge, awareness 2.worry, concern 3.partner, companion 4.path 5.long 6.under 7.surface 8.levelled 9.ups and downs

Do not worry, my companion in the long, hard path, I know that beneath the surface (without much fanfare) so many ups and downs (difficulties) have been levelled/smoothed.  It is implied that this companion has been a partner in smoothing the rough path.
2
barahmanoN ne baGhaawat¹ pe baandh lii hai kamar²
laraz³ rahe haiN butaan⁴-e daruun⁵-e parda-e raaz⁶

1.rebellion 2.kamar baandhna is an expression meaning girded loins, determined and ready 3.trembling 4.idols 5.inner, hidden 6.secret, mystery

The brahmins (hindus) are ready and determined for rebellion.  The idols behind the veil (orthodoxy) are trembling in fear.
3
hazaar shukr¹ keh taa’miir²-e nau³ meN hai sargarm⁴
vo aadmi keh jo tha kaa’ba-saaz⁵ o dair-navaaz⁶

1.thanks 2.building, progress 3.new 4.busy, enthusiastic 5.building/repairing the kaa’ba 6.temple favouring

I offer a thousand thanks that the hands that used to repair the kaa’ba or clean the temple are now busy in building a new order.
4
dhaRak raha hai dil-e taa’eraan¹-e sidra-nashiiN²
uTha rahi hai zamiiN diida³-e qadar-andaaz⁴

1.birds 2.dwellers of sidra – a tree in heaven 3.eyes 4.respectful

sidra is supposed to be a tree in heaven which bears fruit of all kinds for those in heaven.  Also, dil-dhaRakna is an expression used to mean tremble in fear.  ‘taa’eraan-e sidra-nashiiN’ birds living on the sidra are used to imply the orthodoxy.  Thus, the orthodoxy is fearful because earthlings are raising respectful eyes (towards the new world order).
5
uRi hui hai tab-o-taab¹-e chehra²-e Khurshiid³
hua hai zarra⁴ kuchh is tarah maa’el⁵-e parvaaz⁶

1.dignity and respect, brilliance and colour 2.face 3.sun 4.grain of dust 5.inclined towards 6.flight

Here the sun stands for the skies and heavens and grain of dust for eathlings/humans.  The face of heavens has gone pale.  It has lost its brilliance and colour seeing the way in which earthlings are inclined towards flight (high achievement).
6
zamiiN pe Khisht-o-Khazaf¹ ne dohal² uThaaya hai
fazaaoN³ par mah⁴ o anjum⁵ haiN gosh⁶ bar⁷ aavaaz

1.bricks and bats, rocks and pebbles 2.drumbeat, rebellious cry 3.atmosphere, skies 4.moon 5.stars 6.ear 7.on, towards

Here Khisht o Khazaf represent ordinary people and mah o anjum represent the orthodoxy/heavens.  Oppressed people on earth have raised their voice in rebellion and heavens have turned their ears towards them (in fear).
7
vo paa chuka¹ hai ruKh²-e inkesaar³-e ishq-faroz⁴
keh husn⁵ bhool gaya hai Ghuroor⁶ ke andaaz⁷

1.obtained, acquired 2.face of 3.humility, contrition 4.love enhancing/illuminating 5.beauty 6.pride, arrogance 7.ways, styles

Here ‘beauty’ can refer to the beloved or orthodoxy or even god.  Because of the cry of rebellion raised by earthlings, heavens have acquired a new love-enhancing face of humility and have forgotten/abandoned their arrogant ways.
8
lab¹-e niyaaz² pe raushan³ hua hai naaz⁴ ka harf⁵
dayaar⁶-e naaz⁷ meN lau⁸ de rahi hai shama’-e-niyaaz⁹

1.lips 2.tribute offering, prayer 3.revealed 4.(self) respect 5.word 6.realm, domain 7.coquetry 8.flame, light 9.lamp of tribute

‘niyaaz’ is associated with the lover offering prayerful tribute to ‘naaz’ – the coquetry/indifference of the beloved.  But now even the lover has discovered the word/meaning of ‘naaz’ and is no longer willing to submit meekly to the cruelties of the beloved.  Here, lover and beloved signify common people and orthodoxy, or the proletariat and capitalists.  Thus, common people have become aware and their lamp lights what used to the domain of the oppressor.
9
har ek lai¹ meN par-afshaaN² haiN saikRoN³ jibriil⁴
bajaa raha hai taKhayyul⁵ hariim⁶-e dil meN vo saaz⁷

1.melody 2.flying, floating 3.millions 4.Gabriels 5.imagination 6.sanctuary 7.music, musical instrument, harp

In every melody a million jibriil float.  jibriil-Gabriel is supposed to bring divine messages.  Thus, in every melody a million divine messages arrive, such is the music playing in the sanctuary of the heart of imagination.  Thus, human imagination/creativity is given is a high divine status.
10
zahe¹ jalaalat²-e Khuddaam³-e aarifaan⁴-e jadiid⁵
ba-har⁶ nigaah⁷ karaamat⁸, ba-har⁶ nafas⁹ ejaaz¹⁰

1.owing to, by the blessing of 2.glory 3.servants, followers 4.enlightened, wise 5.new 6.with every 7.glance 8.magnanimity 9.breath, word 10.miracle

By the blessing of the followers of new knowledge/wisdom we receive blessings with every glance and see miracles in every word.
11
nahiN ye manzil¹-e tamkiiN², baRhe chalo yaaro
abhi to haiN faqat³ aflaak⁴ farsh⁵-e paa-andaaz⁶

1.destination 2.glory, dignity, status 3.only 4.skies 5.floor 6.fit for feet

We have not yet arrived at the destination of glory, keep moving forward, my friends.  So far only the skies are like the floor beneath our feet.  The implication is that we have to go beyond the skies …
iqbal … sitaaroN se aage jahaaN aur bhi haiN
Ghalib …
manzar ek balandi par aur ham banaa sakte
arsh se udhar hota kaash keh makaaN apna
12
an’aan¹-e qaafila² moRo su³-e hariim⁴-e damaaGh
keh dil nahiN hai rafiiqo⁵ mahall⁶-e soz-o-gudaaz⁷

1.reins 2.caravan 3.towards 4.sanctuary 5.friends 6.place of 7.pain and ardour

Turn the reins of the caravan towards the sanctuary of the brain/intellect because the heart, O friends, is no place for pain and ardour.  In poetic tradition the heart is considered the seat of love and is to be believed rather the intellect (which is limited).  Here josh suggests otherwise.
13
bahut Ghuroor¹ na farmaayeN² saabit-o-sayyaar³
keh Khaak⁴ par harakat⁵ ka hua hai ab aaGhaaz⁶

1.conceit, arrogance 2.observe, show 3.stationary and moving, stars and planets – heavens 4.dust, clay – earth 5.movement 6.beginning

Let the heavens not show too much arrogance because there is movement (towards progress) on earth.
14
ba-sad¹ shikoh² chalega jo aab³-e haivaaN⁴ meN
bana rahi hai tamanna⁵-e zindagi vo jahaaz

1.with a hundred 2.grandeur 3.water 4.life 5.desire

That which will sail in great grandeur on the waters of life, the desire to live (a better life) is making that kind of boat.
15
meri rah¹-e abadiyyat² pe chal na paayega
masiih³ o Khizr⁴ ka ye eKhtesaar⁵-e umr-e-daraaz⁶

1.path 2.immortality, eternity 3.healer, Jesus 4.legendarly old man who found the nectar of immortality 5.summary, synopsis, formula 6.long life

Faith based legends suggest that Jesus brought the dead back to life and Khizr drank the nectar of life and attained immortality.  This formula is not going to work on my path towards immortality (because mine is a different kind of immortality based on human progress rather that individual life).
16
nadiim¹, josh² ko le chal kisi bayaabaaN³ meN
keh taa⁴ sukoot⁵ ke Khirman⁶ se chun sake aavaaz

1.friend 2.pen-name of poet 3.wilderness 4.so that 5.silence, stillness 6.harvest

O friend, take josh to some desolate wilderness so that from that total silence he may pick a voice/words to speak.