For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
اور آشیاں اپنا ۔ حبیب جالبؔ
۱
اب نہ وہ غزل اپنی اب نہ وہ بیاں اپنا
راکھ ہو گیا جل کر ہر حسیں گماں اپنا
۲
وہ چمن جسے ہم نے خونِ دل سے سینچا تھا
اُس پہ حق جتاتی ہیں آج بجلیاں اپنا
۳
بجلیوں نے دنیا کو کچھ سکون تو بخشا
ہم بنائے لیتے ہیں اور آشیاں اپنا
۴
کچھ دنوں رہی تو ہے داستانِ دل رنگیں
کچھ دنوں رہا تو ہے کوئی ہم زباں اپنا
۵
اس دیار کی راتیں، نغمہ ریز برساتیں
ہر نظر شراب آلود، ہر نفس جواں اپنا
۶
منزلوں نہیں ملتا کوئی سایۂ دیوار
کس کے پاس جائیں ہم، کون ہے یہاں اپنا
۷
سرزمیں دو آبے کی ہم سے چھن گئی جالبؔ
آج تک اِسی غم میں دل ہے نوحہ خواں اپنا
और आशिया अपना – हबीब जालिब
१
अब न वो ग़ज़ल अपनी, अब न वो बयां अपना
राख हो गया जल कर हर हसीं गुमां अपना
२
वो चमन जिसे हम ने ख़ून-ए दिल से सींचा था
उस पे हक़ जताती हैं आज बिज्लियां अपना
३
बिज्लियौं ने दुनिया को कुछ सुकून तो बख़्शा
हम बनाए लेते हैं और आशियां अपना
४
कुछ दिनौं रही तो है दास्तान-ए दिल रंगीं
कुछ दिनौं रहा तो है कोई हमज़बां अपना
५
इस दयार की रातें, नग़्मा रेज़ बरसातें
हर नज़र शराब आलूद, हर नफ़स जवां अपना
६
मंज़िलौं नहीं मिलता, कोई साया-ए दीवार
किस के पास जाएं हम, कौन है यहां अपना
७
सरज़मीं दो-आबे की हम से छिन गई जालिब
आज तक इसी ग़म में दिल है नौहा ख़्वां अपना
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. habib jalib (1929-1993), people’s poet. Wrote and spoke/recited fearlessly against dictatorship, inequality and injustice in simple straightforward language. This Ghazal, in the zamin of Ghalib’s, ‘zikr us parivash ka, aur phir bayaaN apna’.
1
ab na vo Ghazal apni, ab na vo bayaaN1 apna
raakh ho gaya jal kar har hasiiN gumaaN2 apna 1.speech, word 2.used here to mean – imagination, dream
Neither can do we have our freedom to compose Ghazal nor can we say anything due to censorship. Every dream of ours has been burnt to ashes.
2
vo chaman jise hum ne Khoon-e dil se seeNcha1 tha
us pe haq2 jataati3 haiN aaj bijliyaaN4 apna 1.watered, nurtured 2.rights 3.assert 4.lightning strikes
In urdu poetic tradition lightning strikes gardens and burns them down. Lightning can be bad luck/fate, an oppressive system, military dictatorship or even world powers. The garden that we had nurtured with the blood of our hearts is now claimed as their right by lightning strikes, as their legitimate target i.e. world powers claim a right to dictate terms to us.
3
bijliyoN ne duniya ko kuchh sukoon1 to baKhsha2
hum banaaye lete haiN aur aashiyaaN3 apna 1.satistaction, peace of mind 2.granted 3.nest, refuge
Lightning strikes (military dictatorship) has at least granted the world (world powers) some peace of mind i.e. the world powers (USA) are satisfied (that they can use us). Now we will have to make a different nest/refuge for ourselves.
4
kuchh dinoN rahi to hai, daastaan-e dil raNgiiN
kuchh dinoN raha to hai, koii hamzabaaN apna 1.story 2.colourful, cheerful, hopeful 3.same opinion
At least for a few days the story of our heart was hopeful. At least for some time there was someone who spoke in the same language/had the same interests/goals.
5
is dayaar1 ki raateN, naGhma-rez2 barsaateN
har nazar sharaab aalood3, har nafas4 javaaN apna 1.region, homeland 2.song/cheer showering 3.drenched/soaked in 4.breath
During the time of hopeful hearts, every night of the homeland showered cheer, every eye was intoxicated with hope and every breath was young and energetic.
6
manziloN1 nahiN milta, koii saaya2-e diivaar
kis ke paas jaayeN hum, kaun hai yahaaN apna 1.way-stations along the path to the destination 2.shadow, protection
On the path to our destination, there is no place where we can rest in the shadow/protection of a wall/refuge/help. Where shall we go, who is our helper here.
7
sar-zamiN1 do-aabe2 ki hum se chhin gaii jaalib3
aaj tak isi Gham meN dil hai nauha-KhwaaN4 apna 1.homeland 2.land between two rivers 3.pen-name of poet 4.singing dirge, wailing, crying
The homeland between two rivers has been snatched away from us, O, jaalib. That is why to this day, our hearts cry out in pain.
habib jalib (1929-1993), people’s poet. Wrote and spoke/recited fearlessly against dictatorship, inequality and injustice in simple straightforward language. This Ghazal, in the zamin of Ghalib’s, ‘zikr us parivash ka, aur phir bayaaN apna’.
1
ab na vo Ghazal apni, ab na vo bayaaN1 apna
raakh ho gaya jal kar har hasiiN gumaaN2 apna
1.speech, word 2.used here to mean – imagination, dream
Neither can do we have our freedom to compose Ghazal nor can we say anything due to censorship. Every dream of ours has been burnt to ashes.
2
vo chaman jise hum ne Khoon-e dil se seeNcha1 tha
us pe haq2 jataati3 haiN aaj bijliyaaN4 apna
1.watered, nurtured 2.rights 3.assert 4.lightning strikes
In urdu poetic tradition lightning strikes gardens and burns them down. Lightning can be bad luck/fate, an oppressive system, military dictatorship or even world powers. The garden that we had nurtured with the blood of our hearts is now claimed as their right by lightning strikes, as their legitimate target i.e. world powers claim a right to dictate terms to us.
3
bijliyoN ne duniya ko kuchh sukoon1 to baKhsha2
hum banaaye lete haiN aur aashiyaaN3 apna
1.satistaction, peace of mind 2.granted 3.nest, refuge
Lightning strikes (military dictatorship) has at least granted the world (world powers) some peace of mind i.e. the world powers (USA) are satisfied (that they can use us). Now we will have to make a different nest/refuge for ourselves.
4
kuchh dinoN rahi to hai, daastaan-e dil raNgiiN
kuchh dinoN raha to hai, koii hamzabaaN apna
1.story 2.colourful, cheerful, hopeful 3.same opinion
At least for a few days the story of our heart was hopeful. At least for some time there was someone who spoke in the same language/had the same interests/goals.
5
is dayaar1 ki raateN, naGhma-rez2 barsaateN
har nazar sharaab aalood3, har nafas4 javaaN apna
1.region, homeland 2.song/cheer showering 3.drenched/soaked in 4.breath
During the time of hopeful hearts, every night of the homeland showered cheer, every eye was intoxicated with hope and every breath was young and energetic.
6
manziloN1 nahiN milta, koii saaya2-e diivaar
kis ke paas jaayeN hum, kaun hai yahaaN apna
1.way-stations along the path to the destination 2.shadow, protection
On the path to our destination, there is no place where we can rest in the shadow/protection of a wall/refuge/help. Where shall we go, who is our helper here.
7
sar-zamiN1 do-aabe2 ki hum se chhin gaii jaalib3
aaj tak isi Gham meN dil hai nauha-KhwaaN4 apna
1.homeland 2.land between two rivers 3.pen-name of poet 4.singing dirge, wailing, crying
The homeland between two rivers has been snatched away from us, O, jaalib. That is why to this day, our hearts cry out in pain.
