For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
اپنی ملکۂ سخن سے ۔ ۹۔۱۶ ۔ جوشؔ ملیح آبادی
۹
چہرے کو رنگ و نور کا طوفاں کئے ہوئے
شمع و شراب و شعر کا عنواں کئے ہوئے
ہر نقشِ پا کو تاجِ گلستاں کئے ہوئے
سَو طور اِک نگاہ میں پنہاں کئے ہوئے
آتی ہے جب چمن میں تو اِس طرز و طور سے
گل دیکھتے ہیں باغ میں بُلبُل کو غور سے
۱۰
میرے بیاں میں سحر بیانی تجھی سے ہے
روۓ سخن پہ خونِ جوانی تجھی سے ہے
لفظوں میں رقص و رنگ و روانی تجھی سے ہے
فقرِ گدا میں فرّ کیانی تجھی سے ہے
فِدوی کے اِس عروج پہ کرتی ہے غور کیا
تیری ہی جُوتیوں کا تصدُّق ہے اور کیا
۱۱
اے کِردگارِ معنی و خلّاقِ شعرِ تر
اے جانِ ذوق و محسنہ لیلیِ ہُنر
کُھل جاۓ گر یہ بات کہ اُردو زبان پر
تیری نگاہِ ناز کا اِحساں ہے کِس قدر
چاروں طرف سے نارۂ صلّ علیٰ اُٹھے
تیرے مُجسمّوں سے زمیں جگمگا اُٹھے
۱۲
میرے ہنر میں صَرف ہوی ہے تیری نظر
خیمہ ہے میرے نام کا بالاۓ بحر و بر
شہرت کی بزم تجھ سے مُنوّر نہیں مگر
فرقِ گدا پہ تاج ہے، سلطاں برہنہ سر
پروانے کو وہ کون ہے جو مانتا نہیں
اور شمع کس طرف ہے کوئی جانتا نہیں
۱۳
دل تیری بزمِ ناز میں جب سے ہے باریاب
ہر خار ایک گُل ہے تو ہر ذرّہ آفتاب
اِک لشکرِ نشاط ہے ہر غم کے ہم رکاب
زیرِ نگیں ہے عالمِ تمکین و اِضطراب
بادِ مُراد و چشمکِ طوفاں لئے ہوئے
ہوں بُوئے زُلف و جنبشِ مِژگاں لئے ہوئے
۱۴
تیرے لبوں سے چشمۂ حیواں مرا کلام
تیری لٹوں سے موجۂ طوفاں مرا کلام
تیری نظر سے طور بداماں مرا کلام
تیرے سخن سے نغمہ یزداں مرا کلام
تو ہے پیامِ عالمِ بالا مرے لئے
اک وحی ذی حیات ہے گویا مرے لئے
۱۵
اے ماہِ شعر پرور و مہرِ سخن وری
اے آب و رنگِ حافظ و اے حُسنِ انوری
تو نے ہی ثبت کی ہے بصد نازِ داوری
میرے سخن کی پشت پہ مُہرِ پیمبری
تیری شمیمِ زُلف کی دولت لئے ہوئے
میرا نفس ہے بوئے رِسالت لئے ہوئے
۱۶
دُرہائے آبدار و شررہائے دل نشیں
شب ہائے تلخ و ترش و سحر ہائے شکریں
عقلِ نشاط خیز و جنونِ غم آفریں
دولت وہ کون ہے جو مری جیب میں نہیں
ٹکرائی جب بھی مجھ سے خجِل سروری ہوئی
یوں ہے ترے فیقر کی جھولی بھری ہوئی
अपनी मलका-ए सुख़न से -९-१६- जोश मलीहाबादी
९
चेहरे को रंग ओ नूर का तूफ़ाँ किये हुए
शमा ओ शराब ओ शेर का उन्वां किये हुए
हर नक़श-ए पा को ताज-ए गुलिस्तां किये हुए
सौ तूर एक निगाह में पिन्हां किये हुए
आती है तो चमन में जब इस तर्ज़ ओ तौर से
गुल देखते हैं बाग़ में बुल्बुल को ग़ौर से
१०
मेरे बयां में सहर बयानी तुझी से है
रू-ए सुख़न पे ख़ून-ए जवानी तुझी से है
लफ़्ज़ों में रक़्स ओ रंग ओ रवानी तुझी से है
फ़क़्र गदा में फ़र्र-ए कयानी तुझी से है
फ़िदवी के इस उरूज पे करती है ग़ौर क्या
तेरी ही जूतियों का तसद्दुक़ है, और क्या
११
अए किरदेगार-ए मानी ओ ख़लाक़-ए शेर-ए तर
अए जान-ए ज़ौक़ ओ मोहसिना-ए लैली-ए हुनर
खुल जाए गर ये बात के उर्दू ज़बान पर
तेरी निगाह-ए नाज़ का एहसां है किस क़दर
चारों तरफ़ से नारा-ए सल्ले अला उठे
तेरे मुजसममों से ज़मीं जगमगा उठे
१२
मेरे हुनर में सर्फ़ हुई है तेरी नज़र
ख़ैमा है मेरे नाम का बाल-ए बहर ओ बर
शोहरत की बज़्म तुझ से मुनव्वर नहीं मगर
फ़र्क़-ए गदा पे ताज है, सुल्तां बरहना सर
परवाने को वो कौन है जो मानता नहीं
और शमा किस तरफ़ है कोई जानता नहीं
१३
दिल तेरी बज़्म-ए नाज़ में जब से है बारयाब
हर ख़ार एक गुल है तो हर ज़र्रा आफ़ताब
एक लश्कर-ए निशात है हर ग़म के हम रकाब
ज़ेर-ए नगीं है आलम-ए तमकीन ओ इज़्तेराब
बाद-ए मुराद ओ चश्मक-ए तूफ़ाँ लिए हुए
हूं बू-ए ज़ुल्फ़ ओ जुम्बिश-ए मिज़्श्गां लिए हुए
१४
तेरे लबों से चश्मा-ए हैवां मेरा कलाम
तेरी लटों से मौजा-ए तूफ़ाँ मेरा कलाम
तेरी नज़र से तूर ब दामां मेरा कलाम
तेरे सुख़न से नग़मा-ए यज़दां मेरा कलाम
तू है पयाम-ए आलम-ए बाल मेरे लिए
एक वही-ए ज़ी हयात है गया मेरे लिए
१५
अए माह-ए शेर परवर ओ महर-ए सुख़न वरी
अए आब ओ रंग-ए हाफ़िज़ ओ हुस्न-ए अनवरी
तू ने ही सब्त की है ब सद नाज़-ए दावरी
मेरे सुख़न कि पुश्त पे मोहर-ए पैअम्बरी
तेरी शमीम-ए ज़ुल्फ़ की दौलत लिए हुए
मेरा नफ़स है बू-ए रिसालत लिए हुए
१६
दुर हा-ए आबदार ओ शरर हा-ए दिल नशीं
शब हा-तल्ख़ ओ तुर्श ओ सहर हा-ए शक्करीं
अक़्ल-ए निशात ख़ेज़ ओ जूनून-ए ग़म आफ़रीं
दौलत वो कौन है जो मेरी जेब में नहीं
टकराई जब भी मुझ से ख़जिल सरवरी हुई
यूं है तेरे फ़क़ीर की झोली भरी हुई
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. josh malihabadi (1898-1982) is called shaa’er-e inqelaab, poet of change/revolution. He is very secular and nationalistic in his writings and rebels against orthodoxy. His range of language and vocabulary is simply amazing. He has written extensively about the beauty of dawn. His collection of nazm/Ghazal and rubaaii about the beauty of dawn can be accessed both under the poet’s name and from the Theme Index, ‘jalva-e sahr’. In this musaddas, josh is ostensibly addressing the “queen of his verse – urdu” and lavishes great praise on her. In the process he has equal if not more (certainly well deserved) praise for his own verse rather than just urdu.
9
chehre ko raNg o noor ka toofaaN kiye hue
sham’a o sharaab o she’r ka unvaaN1 kiye hue
har naqsh-e paa2 ko taaj-e gulistaaN kiye hue
sau toor3 ek nigaah4 meN pinhaaN5 kiye hue
aati hai tu chaman meN jab is tarz-o-taur6 se
gul dekhte haiN baaGh meN bulbul ko Ghaur7 se 1.subject, title 2.foot print 3.light on Mt.Toor, divine light 4.look, eyes 5.hidden 6.style and likeness 7.carefully
Your face shining in a storm of color and light tells the story of lamp, wine and verse. Lamp can be a metaphor for light/knowledge or for love/beloved – thus the story of love, wine and verse. Even the print of your feet are like a crown of the garden. The divine light (hundred times as bright) of Toor lurks in your eyes. Moses went to the top of Mt.Toor and saw a brilliance – a manifestation of god, a divine light. urdu carries that light in its words. When you come into the garden in this style jealous flowers look carefully at the bulbul. In urdu poetry the bulbul and the rose are considered lover and beloved. Flowers/roses are jealous of the beauty of urdu when she come down into the garden.
10
mere bayaaN1 meN sahr-bayaani2 tujhi se hai
roo-e-suKhan3 pe Khoon-e javaani tujhi se hai
lafzauN4 meN raqs5 o rang o ravaani6 tujhi se hai
faqr-e gada7 meN farr-e kayaani8 tujhi se hai
fidvi9 ke is urooj10 pe karti hai Ghaur11 kya
teri hi jootiyauN ka tasadduq12 hai aur kya 1.talk, composition, poetry 2.enchanting poetics 3.face/looks of poetry 4.words 5.dance 6.flow 7.poverty of the beggar 8.grandeur of royalty 9.one who is willing to be sacrificed (for you) 10.climax, greatness 11.looking carefully at 12.alms
My poetry has enchantment only because of you. My words have youthful vigour only because of you. My colourful words dance and flow only because of you. Even the poverty of this beggar shines like royal grandeur only because of you. Why are you surprised at the success of this slave. It is but the generosity that I received at your feet.
11
aye kirdegaar-e-ma’ani1 o Khallaaq2-e-she’r-e-tar3
aye jaan-e-zauq4 o mohsin5-e laili-e hunar6
khul jaa’e gar ye baat ke urdu zabaan par
teri nigaah-e-naaz7 ka ehsaaN8 hai kis qadar9
chaarauN taraf se naara10-e-salle ala’a11 uThe
tere mujassamauN12 se zamiN jagmaga uThe 1.creator of meaning 2.architect 3.(moist) living/life giving verse 4.life of tasteful choice 5.patron, benefactor 6.Laila of talent 7.eye of kindness 8.benevolence 9.how much 10.cry, shout 11.praise be to god 12.statues
O, creator of meaning (god of urdu), maker of living verse, O, embodiment of refined taste, benefactor of Talent, if it ever be known that on urdu language, how much your kind eye has been benevolent, then a cry would rise all around, praising you. Your idols will shine (and will be worshipped) all over this earth.
12
mere hunar1 meN sarf2 hui hai teri nazar
Khaima3 hai mere naam ka baalaa4-e bahr-o-bar5
shohrat6 ki bazm7 tujh se munavvar8 nahiN magar
farq-e gada9 pe taaj hai, sultaaN barhana sar10
parvaane11 ko vo kaun hai jo maanta nahiN
aur sham’a12 kis taraf hai koi jaanta nahiN 1.talent 2.spent 3.station, place 4.at the head of 5.land and water i.e.earth 6.fame 7.assembly 8.lit up, shining 9.top of the head of the beggar 10.bare head i.e.without cap or crown 11.moth-lover-the poet 12.lamp-beloved-urdu
It is your vision that has gone into my talent. My station is at the head of all creation (I am famous) because of it. Your presence does not shine in the assembly of Fame, but the head of this beggar has a crown and the king bareheaded (because of you). Who does not acknowldege this lover of yours even if they don’t know who the beloved is. The thoughts here go along with the earlier verse where Josh suggests that all credit belongs to urdu and the poets who steal that glory are shamefaced in its presence.
13
dil teri bazm-e naaz1 meN jab se hai baaryaab2
har Khaar3 ek gul hai to har zarra4 aaftaab5
ek lashkar-e-nishaat6 hai har Gham ke hum-rakaab7
zer-e-nageeN8 hai aalam9-e-tamkeen10-o-izteraab11
baad-e-muraad12o chashmak-e toofaaN13 liye hue
huN boo-e zulf14-o-junbish-e mizhgaaN15 liye hue 1.assembly of benevolence 2.admitted to 3.thorn 4.particle (of dust) 5.sun 6.army of pleasure 7.same stirrup i.e.riding with 8.under the jewel, under my ring (ring/seal represents signature giving approval), under my control 9.world 10.dignity, pleasure 11.restlessness, sorrow 12.breeze of desire 13.lightning of storm 14.fragrance of hair 15.fluttering of eyelashes
Ever since I have been admitted into you benevolence, every thorn turns into a flower, every particle shines like the sun. A host of pleasures accompany every sorrow. The world of pleasures and sorrows is under my thumb. Controlling the winds of desire and the lightning strike of sorrow, I bring the fragrance of your hair and the flutter of your eyelashes.
14
tere labauN se chashma-e haivaaN1 mera kalaam2
teri laTauN3 se mauja-e toofaaN4 mera kalaam
teri nazar5 se toor6 badaamaaN7 mera kalaam
tere suKhan8 se naGhma-e yazdaaN9 mera kalaam
tu hai payaam10-e aalam-e baalaa11 mere liye
ek vahi12-e zi-hayaat13 hai goya14 mere liye 1.spring of life 2.verse 3.hair, tresses 4.stormy waves 5.sight, vision 6.Toor where Moses saw divine light 7.carrying in apron 8.words 9.song of god 10.message 11.high world, heavens 12.revelation 13.life giving 14.as if
Because of your sweet lips, my verse is like a spring of life. Your tresses make my poetry powerful like a stormy wave. Your vision makes my poetry shine like divine light. Your words turn my verse into the song of god. You are the message of heavens for me as if it were a life-giving revelation.
15
aye maah-e she’r-parvar1 o mahr-e suKhan-vari2
aye aab-o-raNg3-e hafiz4 o aye husn-e anvari5
tu ne hi sabt6 ki hai basad7 naaz-e daavari8
mere suKhan ki pusht9 pe mohr-e paiambari10
teri shamim-e zulf11 ki daulat12 liye hue
mera nafas13 hai buu-e risaalat14 liye hue 1.moon of sustainer of poetry 2.sun of writer of verse 3.brilliance and colour 4.Farsi poet 5.beauty of Anvar (another Farsi poet) 6.engraved 7.with a hundred 8.royal style 9.back 10.stamp/seal of prophethood/prophecy/foretelling/farsightedness 11.fragrance of hair 12.wealth 13.breath 14.prophetic fragrance
O moon-like sustainer and sun-like creator of verse, O brilliance of Hafiz and beauty of Anvar, you have engraved with great royal style the stamp of prophecy (farsighted) on my verse. With the wealth of the aroma of your tresses, my breath carries the sweet fragrance of prophecy.
16
dur’haa1-e aabdar2 o sharar’haa3-e dil nashiN4
shab’haa5-e talKh6 o tursh7 o sahr’haa8-e shakkareeN9
aql-e nishaat Khez10 o junoon11-e Gham aafriN12
daulat vo kaun hai jo meri jeb meN nahiN
Takraai mujh se jab bhi Khajil13 sarvari14 hui
yuN hai tere faqiir15 ki jholi bhari hui 1.dur=pearl, dur’haa=pearls 2.lustrous 3.sparks 4.heart pleasing 5.nights 6.hard 7.bitter 8.mornings 9.sweet 10.pleasure creating 11.(mad) passion 12.sorrow giving 13.shamed 14.royalty, power 15.beggar
Lustrous pearls and heart warming sparks, hard, bitter nights and sweet mornings, pleasing thoughts and sorrowful longing what wealth is it that I do not possess. Power has been shamed whenever it has confronted me. It is thus that your beggar’s sack has been full.
josh malihabadi (1898-1982) is called shaa’er-e inqelaab, poet of change/revolution. He is very secular and nationalistic in his writings and rebels against orthodoxy. His range of language and vocabulary is simply amazing. He has written extensively about the beauty of dawn. His collection of nazm/Ghazal and rubaaii about the beauty of dawn can be accessed both under the poet’s name and from the Theme Index, ‘jalva-e sahr’. In this musaddas, josh is ostensibly addressing the “queen of his verse – urdu” and lavishes great praise on her. In the process he has equal if not more (certainly well deserved) praise for his own verse rather than just urdu.
9
chehre ko raNg o noor ka toofaaN kiye hue
sham’a o sharaab o she’r ka unvaaN1 kiye hue
har naqsh-e paa2 ko taaj-e gulistaaN kiye hue
sau toor3 ek nigaah4 meN pinhaaN5 kiye hue
aati hai tu chaman meN jab is tarz-o-taur6 se
gul dekhte haiN baaGh meN bulbul ko Ghaur7 se
1.subject, title 2.foot print 3.light on Mt.Toor, divine light 4.look, eyes 5.hidden 6.style and likeness 7.carefully
Your face shining in a storm of color and light tells the story of lamp, wine and verse. Lamp can be a metaphor for light/knowledge or for love/beloved – thus the story of love, wine and verse. Even the print of your feet are like a crown of the garden. The divine light (hundred times as bright) of Toor lurks in your eyes. Moses went to the top of Mt.Toor and saw a brilliance – a manifestation of god, a divine light. urdu carries that light in its words. When you come into the garden in this style jealous flowers look carefully at the bulbul. In urdu poetry the bulbul and the rose are considered lover and beloved. Flowers/roses are jealous of the beauty of urdu when she come down into the garden.
10
mere bayaaN1 meN sahr-bayaani2 tujhi se hai
roo-e-suKhan3 pe Khoon-e javaani tujhi se hai
lafzauN4 meN raqs5 o rang o ravaani6 tujhi se hai
faqr-e gada7 meN farr-e kayaani8 tujhi se hai
fidvi9 ke is urooj10 pe karti hai Ghaur11 kya
teri hi jootiyauN ka tasadduq12 hai aur kya
1.talk, composition, poetry 2.enchanting poetics 3.face/looks of poetry 4.words 5.dance 6.flow 7.poverty of the beggar 8.grandeur of royalty 9.one who is willing to be sacrificed (for you) 10.climax, greatness 11.looking carefully at 12.alms
My poetry has enchantment only because of you. My words have youthful vigour only because of you. My colourful words dance and flow only because of you. Even the poverty of this beggar shines like royal grandeur only because of you. Why are you surprised at the success of this slave. It is but the generosity that I received at your feet.
11
aye kirdegaar-e-ma’ani1 o Khallaaq2-e-she’r-e-tar3
aye jaan-e-zauq4 o mohsin5-e laili-e hunar6
khul jaa’e gar ye baat ke urdu zabaan par
teri nigaah-e-naaz7 ka ehsaaN8 hai kis qadar9
chaarauN taraf se naara10-e-salle ala’a11 uThe
tere mujassamauN12 se zamiN jagmaga uThe
1.creator of meaning 2.architect 3.(moist) living/life giving verse 4.life of tasteful choice 5.patron, benefactor 6.Laila of talent 7.eye of kindness 8.benevolence 9.how much 10.cry, shout 11.praise be to god 12.statues
O, creator of meaning (god of urdu), maker of living verse, O, embodiment of refined taste, benefactor of Talent, if it ever be known that on urdu language, how much your kind eye has been benevolent, then a cry would rise all around, praising you. Your idols will shine (and will be worshipped) all over this earth.
12
mere hunar1 meN sarf2 hui hai teri nazar
Khaima3 hai mere naam ka baalaa4-e bahr-o-bar5
shohrat6 ki bazm7 tujh se munavvar8 nahiN magar
farq-e gada9 pe taaj hai, sultaaN barhana sar10
parvaane11 ko vo kaun hai jo maanta nahiN
aur sham’a12 kis taraf hai koi jaanta nahiN
1.talent 2.spent 3.station, place 4.at the head of 5.land and water i.e.earth 6.fame 7.assembly 8.lit up, shining 9.top of the head of the beggar 10.bare head i.e.without cap or crown 11.moth-lover-the poet 12.lamp-beloved-urdu
It is your vision that has gone into my talent. My station is at the head of all creation (I am famous) because of it. Your presence does not shine in the assembly of Fame, but the head of this beggar has a crown and the king bareheaded (because of you). Who does not acknowldege this lover of yours even if they don’t know who the beloved is. The thoughts here go along with the earlier verse where Josh suggests that all credit belongs to urdu and the poets who steal that glory are shamefaced in its presence.
13
dil teri bazm-e naaz1 meN jab se hai baaryaab2
har Khaar3 ek gul hai to har zarra4 aaftaab5
ek lashkar-e-nishaat6 hai har Gham ke hum-rakaab7
zer-e-nageeN8 hai aalam9-e-tamkeen10-o-izteraab11
baad-e-muraad12o chashmak-e toofaaN13 liye hue
huN boo-e zulf14-o-junbish-e mizhgaaN15 liye hue
1.assembly of benevolence 2.admitted to 3.thorn 4.particle (of dust) 5.sun 6.army of pleasure 7.same stirrup i.e.riding with 8.under the jewel, under my ring (ring/seal represents signature giving approval), under my control 9.world 10.dignity, pleasure 11.restlessness, sorrow 12.breeze of desire 13.lightning of storm 14.fragrance of hair 15.fluttering of eyelashes
Ever since I have been admitted into you benevolence, every thorn turns into a flower, every particle shines like the sun. A host of pleasures accompany every sorrow. The world of pleasures and sorrows is under my thumb. Controlling the winds of desire and the lightning strike of sorrow, I bring the fragrance of your hair and the flutter of your eyelashes.
14
tere labauN se chashma-e haivaaN1 mera kalaam2
teri laTauN3 se mauja-e toofaaN4 mera kalaam
teri nazar5 se toor6 badaamaaN7 mera kalaam
tere suKhan8 se naGhma-e yazdaaN9 mera kalaam
tu hai payaam10-e aalam-e baalaa11 mere liye
ek vahi12-e zi-hayaat13 hai goya14 mere liye
1.spring of life 2.verse 3.hair, tresses 4.stormy waves 5.sight, vision 6.Toor where Moses saw divine light 7.carrying in apron 8.words 9.song of god 10.message 11.high world, heavens 12.revelation 13.life giving 14.as if
Because of your sweet lips, my verse is like a spring of life. Your tresses make my poetry powerful like a stormy wave. Your vision makes my poetry shine like divine light. Your words turn my verse into the song of god. You are the message of heavens for me as if it were a life-giving revelation.
15
aye maah-e she’r-parvar1 o mahr-e suKhan-vari2
aye aab-o-raNg3-e hafiz4 o aye husn-e anvari5
tu ne hi sabt6 ki hai basad7 naaz-e daavari8
mere suKhan ki pusht9 pe mohr-e paiambari10
teri shamim-e zulf11 ki daulat12 liye hue
mera nafas13 hai buu-e risaalat14 liye hue
1.moon of sustainer of poetry 2.sun of writer of verse 3.brilliance and colour 4.Farsi poet 5.beauty of Anvar (another Farsi poet) 6.engraved 7.with a hundred 8.royal style 9.back 10.stamp/seal of prophethood/prophecy/foretelling/farsightedness 11.fragrance of hair 12.wealth 13.breath 14.prophetic fragrance
O moon-like sustainer and sun-like creator of verse, O brilliance of Hafiz and beauty of Anvar, you have engraved with great royal style the stamp of prophecy (farsighted) on my verse. With the wealth of the aroma of your tresses, my breath carries the sweet fragrance of prophecy.
16
dur’haa1-e aabdar2 o sharar’haa3-e dil nashiN4
shab’haa5-e talKh6 o tursh7 o sahr’haa8-e shakkareeN9
aql-e nishaat Khez10 o junoon11-e Gham aafriN12
daulat vo kaun hai jo meri jeb meN nahiN
Takraai mujh se jab bhi Khajil13 sarvari14 hui
yuN hai tere faqiir15 ki jholi bhari hui
1.dur=pearl, dur’haa=pearls 2.lustrous 3.sparks 4.heart pleasing 5.nights 6.hard 7.bitter 8.mornings 9.sweet 10.pleasure creating 11.(mad) passion 12.sorrow giving 13.shamed 14.royalty, power 15.beggar
Lustrous pearls and heart warming sparks, hard, bitter nights and sweet mornings, pleasing thoughts and sorrowful longing what wealth is it that I do not possess. Power has been shamed whenever it has confronted me. It is thus that your beggar’s sack has been full.
