Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. mirza asadullah KhaaN Ghalib (1797-1869). I dare not write any introduction. On more than one occasion Ghalib has warned his readers that he needs no introduction or even address. I humbly comply. This Ghazal appeared in earlier publications of Ghalib’s divaan, but in the later versions, which have become “official” and more common, he, for whatever reason dropped it. This is dated 1812 in ‘nusKha-e bhopal’, which was published in Ghalib’s own handwriting in 1816 i.e. Ghalib was fifteen years old when he composed this!!!!! This is one of three Ghazal composed in this zamin. The other two are dated 1816 and 1867.
1
sauda¹-e ishq se dam²-e sard³-e kasheeda⁴ huN
shaam-e Khayaal-e zulf⁵ se sub’h dameeda⁶ huN 1.trade, bought 2.breath, sigh 3.cold 4.sorrowful 5.hair 6.rising, dawning
I have bought into the passion of love (of the beloved, of god or of universal love of humanity). Because of this passion I am like a (or, my ash’aar are like a, or, I have become an embodiment of a) cold, sorrowful sigh. I have experienced the thought/imagination of ‘zulf’ – dark hair, evening/night/ignorace. In this darkness of ignorance, I am like the rising sun, spreading the light of knowledge.
2
dauraan¹-e sar se gardish²-e saaGhar³ hai mutassil⁴
KhumKhaana⁵-e junuN⁶ meN damaaGh⁷-e raseeda⁸ huN    1.mystical trance like in a sufi dance 2.circulation 3.cup of wine 4.connected, continuous 5.tavern 6.passion 7.mind 8.mature, reached at its destination
Here, ‘se’ in the first misra is used to mean along with, at the same time as. The poet/sufi is in a trance having reached the climax of mystical love when, along with this the cup of the wine of love is still in circulation. Others are still just tasting it while in the the tavern of passion of love (universal, humanity), his mind has reached its destination – the climax of love.
3
kii mutassil¹ sitaara-shumaari² meN umr sarf³
tasbiih⁴-e ashk-haa⁵-e ze mizshgaaN⁶ chakiida⁷ huN    1.in series, continuously 2.counting stars 3.spent 4.string of beads, rosary 5.tears 6.eye-lashes 7.dripped
I have spent my whole life in counting stars. “Counting stars” can mean – spending sleepless nights in sorrow or pain, undertaking an impossible challenge, doing something without caring for reward. Tears dripping from the eyes can also shine like stars. Thus counting stars goes along with counting tears. I am like tears that drip from eyelashes and are strung into beads of a rosary i.e. sorrowful, but divine. There is an implication of many tear drops strung into a rosary, being holy/revered.
4
zaahir¹ haiN meri shakl² se afsos³ ke nishaaN⁴
Khaar⁵-e alam⁶ se pusht⁷ ba dandaaN⁸ gazeeda⁹ huN    1.apparent, visible 2.face 3.sorrow 4.marks 5.thorns 6.sorrows 7.back 8.teeth 9.pricked, stung
Marks of sorrow are apparent/visible on my face. My back has been torn/stung/bitten by the teeth of thorns of sorrow as it constantly chases me and stings me on the back as I go through my journey of life.
5
huN garmi¹-e nishaat²-e tasavvur³ se naGhma-sanj⁴
maiN andaleeb⁵-e gulshan⁶-e naa-aafrida⁷ huN     1.enthusiasm, passion 2.pleasure, joy 3.imagination, creativity 4.person of discriminating taste in song/Ghazal 5.nightingale 6.garden 7.uncreated
With the passion of creativity/imagination I select/sort and write song/Ghazal (of high standard, discriminating taste). Driven by this passion, I am forced to sing. I am the nightingale of a garden yet to be created (singing about visions not seen by others, thoughts not thought by others). Imagine a fifteen year old writing this!!!!!
6
deta huN kushtangaaN¹ ko suKhan² se sar-e tapish³
mizraab⁴-e taar-haa⁵-e guluu⁶-e bureeda⁷ huN     1.dead, past 2.verse 3.burning head, headache 4.pluck worn on finger to play stringed instrument music 5.strings 6.throat 7.torn, rent apart
With my verse I give a headache to those gone by – because (a) his verse violates all the conventions that they thought sacred, or (b) he gives them such competition that they are eclipsed, or (c) he writes abstruse she’r which they cannot understand. I am the pluck playing music on the strings of torn/slit throat. The torn/slit throat implies a lover. Thus the music he creates is the music of love.
7
hai jumbish¹-e zabaaN ba-dahan² saKht³ naagavaar⁴
Khoonaaba⁵-e halaahal⁶-e hasrat⁷ chashiida⁸ huN      1.movement 2.in the mouth 3.extremely 4.unacceptable, unpalatable 5.tears of blood 6.life-sapping 7.longing 8.tasted, experienced
It is extremely difficult/unbearable to even move my tongue in my mouth i.e., composing/reciting poetry has been difficult. I have tasted life-sapping longing and cried tears of blood i.e., I have nourished my verse with my blood.
8
chuuN¹ buu-e gul huN garche² giraaN-baar³-e musht-e-zar⁴
laikin asad⁵, ba-vaqt⁶-e guzashtan⁷ jariida⁸ huN     1.whereas 2.even though 3.heavier than, more valuable than 4.fistful of gold 5.name and early pen-name of the poet 6.at the time of 7.passing, dying 8.naked, alone
Whereas I am like rose-fragrance, (spreading easily, freely available) even though I am more valuable than a fistful of gold (gold dust – pollen of the rose). But O, asad, at the time of passing through this world, I am still alone and unappreciated.