For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
عرض تمنا کون کرے ۔ ضمیر حسن دِلؔ شاہجہاںپوری
۱
ہر سانس ہے شرح ناکامی پھر عشق کو رُسوا کون کرے
تکمیل وفا ہے مِٹ جانا جینے کی تمنا کون کرے
۲
جو غافل تھے ہشیار ہوئے جو سوتے تھے بیدار ہوئے
جس قوم کی فطرت مردہ ہو اس قوم کو زندہ کون کرے
۳
ہر صبح کٹی ہر شام کٹی بیداد سہی افتاد سہی
انجام محبت جب یہ ہے اس جنس کا سودا کون کرے
۴
حیراں ہیں نگاہیں دل بے خود محجوب ہے حسنِ بے پروا
اب عرض تمنّا کس سے ہو اب عرض تمنا کون کرے
۵
فطرت ہے ازل سے پابندی کچھ قدر نہیں آزادی کی
نظروں میں ہیں دل کش زنجیریں رخ جانب صحرا کون کرے
अर्ज़-ए तमन्ना कौन करे – ज़मीर हसन दिल शाहजहांपूरी
१
हर साँस है शरह-ए नाकामी फिर इश्क़ को रुस्वा कौन करे
तक्मील-ए वफ़ा है मिट जाना जीने की तमन्ना कौन करे
२
जो ग़ाफ़िल थे हुशियार हुए जो सोते थे बेदार हुए
जिस क़ौम की फ़ितरत मुर्दा हो उस क़ौम को ज़िंदा कौन करे
३
हर सुब्ह कटी हर शाम कटी बेदाद सही उफ़्ताद सही
अंजाम-ए मोहब्बत जब ये है इस जिन्स का सौदा कौन करे
४
हैराँ हैं निगाहें दिल बे-ख़ुद महजूब है हुस्न-ए बे-परवा
अब अर्ज़-ए तमन्ना किस से हो अब अर्ज़-ए तमन्ना कौन करे
५
फ़ितरत है अज़ल से पाबंदी कुछ क़द्र नहीं आज़ादी की
नज़्रों में हैं दिल्कश ज़ंजीरें रुख़ जानिब-ए सहरा कौन करे
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. zamiir hasan dil shahjahaaNpuri (1875-1959), was taught faarsi and arabi at home by a private tutor and he also learnt the family profession of ‘hakiim’ – traditional medicine. He set up a practice and also did other business (land owner and contractor) as a source of income. He started composing at the age of 15 and later became a disciple of amiir miinaaii. In addition to his collections of poetry he authored a novel and a translation of an English novel.
1
har saaNs hai sharh1-e naakaami2 phir ishq ko rusva3 kaun kare
takmiil4-e vafa5 hai miT jaana jiine ki tamanna6 kaun kare 1.explanation, commentary 2.failure 3.embarrass 4.completion, end 5.fidelity 6.desire
Every breath (every moment of life) of the poet/lover is an exposition of his failure (in love). Why then should anybody embarrass Love by falling in love. The end result of fidelity/love is erasure/fana/obliteration (becoming one with the divine spirit and losing one’s own identity), then why should anyone wish to live.
2
jo Ghaafil1 the hushiyaar2 hue jo sote the bedaar3 hue
jis qaum4 ki fitrat5 murda6 ho us qaum ko zinda kaun kare 1.unmindful, negligent 2.clever, alert, attentive 3.awake 4.community, nation 5.nature 6.corpse
Those who are unmindful can learn to become attentive, those who are asleep can wake up but the nation which by its very nature is dead, who can bring it back to life.
3
har sub’h kaTi har shaam kaTi bedaad1 sahi uftaad2 sahi
anjaam3-e mohabbat jab ye hai is jins4 ka sauda5 kaun kare 1.oppression, injustice 2.falling, putting down 3.result 4.commondity 5.purchase
Every day and every night that passes, I suffer oppression and insults. If this is the result of falling in love, who will purchase this commodity.
4
hairaaN1 haiN nigaaheN2 dil3 be-Khud4 mahjuub5 hai husn6-e be-parva7
ab arz8-e tamanna9 kis se ho ab arz-e tamanna kaun kare 1.puzzled 2.eyes 3.heart, also pen-name of the poet 4.in a trance 5.veiled, hidden 6.beauty, beloved 7.uncaring 8.petition, submit 9.desire
My eyes are dazed, the heart is in a trance, the beloved is uncaring and hidden. Under such conditions who can petition/submit their desire of reciprocity of love.
5
fitrat1 hai azal2 se paabandi3 kuchh qadr4 nahiN aazaadi5 ki
nazroN6 meN haiN dilkash7 zanjireN ruKh8 jaanib9-e sahra10 kaun kare 1.nature, character 2.beginning of time 3.circumscribed, limited 4.value 5.freedom 6.eyes, imagination 7.pleasing 8.face 9.direction, towards 10.wilderness
The conventional image of the made passionate lover is that he is a free bird, heads to the wilderness in search of his beloved. But here the poet/lover claims that from time immemorial, his nature/character prefers being restricted/bound. He does not value freedom and imagines pleasant chains that bind him. How can he turn towards the wilderness.
zamiir hasan dil shahjahaaNpuri (1875-1959), was taught faarsi and arabi at home by a private tutor and he also learnt the family profession of ‘hakiim’ – traditional medicine. He set up a practice and also did other business (land owner and contractor) as a source of income. He started composing at the age of 15 and later became a disciple of amiir miinaaii. In addition to his collections of poetry he authored a novel and a translation of an English novel.
1
har saaNs hai sharh1-e naakaami2 phir ishq ko rusva3 kaun kare
takmiil4-e vafa5 hai miT jaana jiine ki tamanna6 kaun kare
1.explanation, commentary 2.failure 3.embarrass 4.completion, end 5.fidelity 6.desire
Every breath (every moment of life) of the poet/lover is an exposition of his failure (in love). Why then should anybody embarrass Love by falling in love. The end result of fidelity/love is erasure/fana/obliteration (becoming one with the divine spirit and losing one’s own identity), then why should anyone wish to live.
2
jo Ghaafil1 the hushiyaar2 hue jo sote the bedaar3 hue
jis qaum4 ki fitrat5 murda6 ho us qaum ko zinda kaun kare
1.unmindful, negligent 2.clever, alert, attentive 3.awake 4.community, nation 5.nature 6.corpse
Those who are unmindful can learn to become attentive, those who are asleep can wake up but the nation which by its very nature is dead, who can bring it back to life.
3
har sub’h kaTi har shaam kaTi bedaad1 sahi uftaad2 sahi
anjaam3-e mohabbat jab ye hai is jins4 ka sauda5 kaun kare
1.oppression, injustice 2.falling, putting down 3.result 4.commondity 5.purchase
Every day and every night that passes, I suffer oppression and insults. If this is the result of falling in love, who will purchase this commodity.
4
hairaaN1 haiN nigaaheN2 dil3 be-Khud4 mahjuub5 hai husn6-e be-parva7
ab arz8-e tamanna9 kis se ho ab arz-e tamanna kaun kare
1.puzzled 2.eyes 3.heart, also pen-name of the poet 4.in a trance 5.veiled, hidden 6.beauty, beloved 7.uncaring 8.petition, submit 9.desire
My eyes are dazed, the heart is in a trance, the beloved is uncaring and hidden. Under such conditions who can petition/submit their desire of reciprocity of love.
5
fitrat1 hai azal2 se paabandi3 kuchh qadr4 nahiN aazaadi5 ki
nazroN6 meN haiN dilkash7 zanjireN ruKh8 jaanib9-e sahra10 kaun kare
1.nature, character 2.beginning of time 3.circumscribed, limited 4.value 5.freedom 6.eyes, imagination 7.pleasing 8.face 9.direction, towards 10.wilderness
The conventional image of the made passionate lover is that he is a free bird, heads to the wilderness in search of his beloved. But here the poet/lover claims that from time immemorial, his nature/character prefers being restricted/bound. He does not value freedom and imagines pleasant chains that bind him. How can he turn towards the wilderness.
