For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
آرزو ہے وفا کرے کوئی ۔ داغؔ دہلوی
۱
آرزو ہے وفا کرے کوئی
جی نہ چاہے تو کیا کرے کوئی
۲
گر مرض ہو دوا کرے کوئی
مرنے والے کا کیا کرے کوئی
۳
کوستے ہیں جلے ہوئے کیا کیا
اپنے حق میں دعا کرے کوئی
۴
اُن سے سب اپنی اپنی کہتے ہیں
میرا مطلب ادا کرے کوئی
۵
چاہ سے آپ کو تو نفرت ہے
مجھ کو چاہے خدا کرے کوئی
۶
اس گِلے کو گِلہ نہیں کہتے
گر مزے کا گِلا کرے کوئی
۷
یہ ملی داد رنجِ فرقت کی
اور دل کا کہا کرے کوئی
۸
تم سراپا ہو صورت تصویر
تم سے پھر بات کیا کرے کوئی
۹
کہتے ہیں ہم نہیں خدائے کریم
کیوں ہماری خطا کرے کوئی
۱۰
جس میں لاکھوں برس کی حوریں ہوں
ایسی جنت کو کیا کرے کوئی
۱۱
اس جفا پر تمہیں تمنّا ہے
کہ مری التجا کرے کوئی
۱۲
منہ لگاتے ہی داغؔ اترایا
لطف ہے پھر جفا کرے کوئی
आर्ज़ू है वफ़ा करे कोई – दाग़ देहलवी
१
आर्ज़ू है वफ़ा करे कोई
जी न चाहे तो क्या करे कोई
२
गर मरज़ हो दवा करे कोई
मरने वाले का क्या करे कोई
३
कोसते हैं जले हुए क्या क्या
अपने हक़ में दुआ करे कोई
४
उन से सब अपनी अपनी कहते हैं
मेरा मतलब अदा करे कोई
५
चाह से आप को तो नफ़्रत है
मुझ को चाहे ख़ुदा करे कोई
६
उस गिले को गिला नहीं कहते
गर मज़े का गिला करे कोई
७
ये मिली दाद रंज-ए फ़ुर्क़त की
और दिल का कहा करे कोई
८
तुम सरापा हो सूरत-ए तस्वीर
तुम से फिर बात क्या करे कोई
९
कहते हैं हम नहीं ख़ुदा-ए करीम
क्यूँ हमारी ख़ता करे कोई
१०
जिस में लाखों बरस की हूरें हों
ऐसी जन्नत को क्या करे कोई
११
इस जफ़ा पर तुम्हें तमन्ना है
के मेरी इल्तेजा करे कोई
१२
मुँह लगाते ही ‘दाग़’ इत्राया
लुत्फ़ है फिर जफ़ा करे कोई
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. daaGh dehlavi (1831-1905), grandson of bahadur shah zafar. After 1857, he had to move to rampur and later to hyderabad, where he died. His Ghazal are more earthy and romantic than sufiyaana or philosophical. He was a disciple of zauq, whose rivalry with/jealousy of Ghalib is well known. But daaGh had good relations with Ghalib and composed several Ghazal in the bahr of Ghalib, using many of the same phrases. This is one of them.
1
aarzu1 hai vafaa2 kare koii
jii na chaahe to kya kare koii 1.desire 2.fidelity
The beloved is notorious for switching favours among her many lovers. The poet/lover has an intense desire that she be true to him. But at the same time, he recognizes, what can one do, if her fancy changes and she gets bored and switches her favours.
2
gar maraz1 ho davaa kare koii
marne vaale ka kya kare koii 1.sickness
The poet/lover considers himself beyond the stage of sickness (of love). So, he is beyond cure, about to die. Thus, if one is sick, someone may try a remedy/cure. But if a person is dying, what can you do. This may be the beloved talking sarcastically and cruelly to the poet/lover, exclaiming that he is beyond hope.
3
koste1 haiN jale2 hue kya kya
apne haq3 meN dua kare koii 1.curse 2.jealous 3.used here to mean ‘in favour of’, ‘for the sake of’
All rivals are jealous of the poet/lover and they curse him. He wishes that someone would pray on his behalf.
4
un se sab apni apni kahte haiN
mera matlab1 adaa2 kare koii 1.desire, interests 2.deliver
It appears that the poet/lover is banned from the beloved’s society. There are other lovers gathered around her and each is speaking for themselves, of their own interests. He wishes that someone would speak of his desire, on his behalf.
5
chaah1 se aap ko to nafrat2 hai
mujh ko chaahe Khudaa kare koii 1.love, expressing love 2.hatred
The beloved hates expressing love. May god that someone love me. The someone here could mean the beloved herself rather than someone else.
6
us gile1 ko gila nahiiN kahte
gar maze2 kaa gilaa kare koii 1.complaint, gripe 2.tasty, enjoyable
Perhaps the poet/lover has been griping that the beloved has not kept her promise and she is annoyed with him, saying that griping is not good. He responds that the complaint, which is made in refined manner, is not a gripe but is enjoyable/pleasurable i.e., he complains in a refined manner.
7
ye milii daad1 raNj-e furqat2 kii
aur dil kaa kahaa kare koii 1.reward, appreciation 2.separation
This could all be sarcastic. This is the appreciation I get for expressing my sorrow of missing you, when I am separated (forced to stay away). How can one speak of the matters of the heart any more.
8
tum saraapa1 ho surat2-e tasviir
tum se phir baat kya kare koii 1.head to toe, embodiment 2.likeness of, similar of
You (beloved) are the embodiment, likeness of a picture (beautiful, silent – meaning ignoring my entreaties). How then, can anyone talk to you.
9
kahte haiN ham nahiiN Khuda-e kariim1
kyuN hamaarii Khataa2 kare koii 1.kind, forgiving 2.transgression, offence
This is probably about the beloved taking offence at something that the poet/lover has done. He begs forgiveness. She responds, I am not a forgiving god, why should anyone offend me. If they do, they deserve to be punished.
10
jis meN laakhoN baras1 kii hooreN2 hoN
aisii jannat ko kya kare koii 1.years 2.angels, hoor, apsara
This is poking fun at the concept of heaven where each man is supposed to get 72 hoor for his pleasure. But they have been around since eternity and are therefore old. What am I going to do with a heaven like this!
11
is jafaa1 par tumheN tamanna2 hai
ke meri iltejaa3 kare koii 1.cruelty, harshness 2.desire 3.plead, beg
The beloved has been harsh/cruel and now expects that someone will plead the poet/lover’s case before her. The implication is that everyone will be afraid to do so, because she might get angry at them.
12
muNh lagaate hii daaGh1 itraaya2
lutf3 hai phir jafaa4 kare koii 1.pen-name of poet 2.preen, show off 3.pleasure, joy 4.cruelty
Poetic tradition demands that the poet/lover enjoy the cruelty that the beloved visits on him. He considers that a gift. muNh lagaana is the equivalent, “giving a lift” i.e. giving the slightest bit of encouragement. As soon as daaGh, the poet, received a modicum of encouragement, he began to show off, asking that she be cruel to him again and that that would be a pleasure for him.
daaGh dehlavi (1831-1905), grandson of bahadur shah zafar. After 1857, he had to move to rampur and later to hyderabad, where he died. His Ghazal are more earthy and romantic than sufiyaana or philosophical. He was a disciple of zauq, whose rivalry with/jealousy of Ghalib is well known. But daaGh had good relations with Ghalib and composed several Ghazal in the bahr of Ghalib, using many of the same phrases. This is one of them.
1
aarzu1 hai vafaa2 kare koii
jii na chaahe to kya kare koii
1.desire 2.fidelity
The beloved is notorious for switching favours among her many lovers. The poet/lover has an intense desire that she be true to him. But at the same time, he recognizes, what can one do, if her fancy changes and she gets bored and switches her favours.
2
gar maraz1 ho davaa kare koii
marne vaale ka kya kare koii
1.sickness
The poet/lover considers himself beyond the stage of sickness (of love). So, he is beyond cure, about to die. Thus, if one is sick, someone may try a remedy/cure. But if a person is dying, what can you do. This may be the beloved talking sarcastically and cruelly to the poet/lover, exclaiming that he is beyond hope.
3
koste1 haiN jale2 hue kya kya
apne haq3 meN dua kare koii
1.curse 2.jealous 3.used here to mean ‘in favour of’, ‘for the sake of’
All rivals are jealous of the poet/lover and they curse him. He wishes that someone would pray on his behalf.
4
un se sab apni apni kahte haiN
mera matlab1 adaa2 kare koii
1.desire, interests 2.deliver
It appears that the poet/lover is banned from the beloved’s society. There are other lovers gathered around her and each is speaking for themselves, of their own interests. He wishes that someone would speak of his desire, on his behalf.
5
chaah1 se aap ko to nafrat2 hai
mujh ko chaahe Khudaa kare koii
1.love, expressing love 2.hatred
The beloved hates expressing love. May god that someone love me. The someone here could mean the beloved herself rather than someone else.
6
us gile1 ko gila nahiiN kahte
gar maze2 kaa gilaa kare koii
1.complaint, gripe 2.tasty, enjoyable
Perhaps the poet/lover has been griping that the beloved has not kept her promise and she is annoyed with him, saying that griping is not good. He responds that the complaint, which is made in refined manner, is not a gripe but is enjoyable/pleasurable i.e., he complains in a refined manner.
7
ye milii daad1 raNj-e furqat2 kii
aur dil kaa kahaa kare koii
1.reward, appreciation 2.separation
This could all be sarcastic. This is the appreciation I get for expressing my sorrow of missing you, when I am separated (forced to stay away). How can one speak of the matters of the heart any more.
8
tum saraapa1 ho surat2-e tasviir
tum se phir baat kya kare koii
1.head to toe, embodiment 2.likeness of, similar of
You (beloved) are the embodiment, likeness of a picture (beautiful, silent – meaning ignoring my entreaties). How then, can anyone talk to you.
9
kahte haiN ham nahiiN Khuda-e kariim1
kyuN hamaarii Khataa2 kare koii
1.kind, forgiving 2.transgression, offence
This is probably about the beloved taking offence at something that the poet/lover has done. He begs forgiveness. She responds, I am not a forgiving god, why should anyone offend me. If they do, they deserve to be punished.
10
jis meN laakhoN baras1 kii hooreN2 hoN
aisii jannat ko kya kare koii
1.years 2.angels, hoor, apsara
This is poking fun at the concept of heaven where each man is supposed to get 72 hoor for his pleasure. But they have been around since eternity and are therefore old. What am I going to do with a heaven like this!
11
is jafaa1 par tumheN tamanna2 hai
ke meri iltejaa3 kare koii
1.cruelty, harshness 2.desire 3.plead, beg
The beloved has been harsh/cruel and now expects that someone will plead the poet/lover’s case before her. The implication is that everyone will be afraid to do so, because she might get angry at them.
12
muNh lagaate hii daaGh1 itraaya2
lutf3 hai phir jafaa4 kare koii
1.pen-name of poet 2.preen, show off 3.pleasure, joy 4.cruelty
Poetic tradition demands that the poet/lover enjoy the cruelty that the beloved visits on him. He considers that a gift. muNh lagaana is the equivalent, “giving a lift” i.e. giving the slightest bit of encouragement. As soon as daaGh, the poet, received a modicum of encouragement, he began to show off, asking that she be cruel to him again and that that would be a pleasure for him.
