For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
عزاب و سواب میں ۔ شیام موہن لال جگرؔ بریلوی
۱
راحت کبھی نہ پائی جہانِ خراب میں
گزری تمام عمر عجب اضطراب میں
۲
ویرانیوں پہ جن کی ہیں آبادیاں نثار
وہ بستیاں بھی ہیں دلِ خانہ خراب میں
۳
اشکوں کے بس کی بات نہیں ہے سکونِ دل
دیوانگی کا رنگ ہے اب اضطراب میں
۴
معلوم ہے کہ میں ہوں گنہگارِ زندگی
رکھا ہے کیا حضور سوال و جواب میں
۵
مہتاب میں ضیا ہے اُسی کے جمال کی
جلوہ فگن ہے جس کا جلال آفتاب میں
۶
سمجھے ہیں وہ کہ بخش دیا ہم نے اک جہاں
ہم زندگی کو لے کے پڑے ہیں عذاب میں
۷
اے دل حدِ شعور سے باہر ہے رازِ زیست
کیوں مبتلا ہے وہمِ عزاب و ثواب میں
۸
ہم عرش پر بھی نالۂ غم جا کے کھینچ آئے
آوازِ بازگشت ہی آئی جواب میں
۹
دل جس نے پھونک پھونک کے اکسیر کر دیا
وہ آگ لگ رہی ہے ہمارے شباب میں
۱۰
افسانہائے عشق سنائیں کسے جگرؔ
بیدار ہے بھی کوئی جہانِ خراب میں
अज़ाब ओ सवाब में – श्याम मोहन लाल जिगर बरेलवी
१
राहत कभी न पाई जहान-ए ख़राब में
गुज़री तमाम उम्र अजब इज़्तेराब में
२
वीरानियौं पे जिन कि हैं आबादियां निसार
वो बस्तियां भि हैं दिल-ए ख़ाना-ख़राब में
३
अश्कौं के बस कि बात नहीं है सुकून-ए दिल
दीवानगी का रंग है अब इज़्तराब में
४
मालूम है के मैं हुं गुनहगार-ए ज़िंदगी
रक्खा है क्या हुज़ूर सवाल ओ जवाब में
५
महताब में ज़िया है उसी के जमाल की
जल्वा फ़िगन है जिस का जलाल आफ़्ताब में
६
समझे हैं वो के बख़्श दिया हम ने एक जहां
हम ज़िंदगी को ले के पढे हैं अज़ाब में
७
अए दिल हद-ए शऊर से बाहर है राज़-ए ज़ीस्त
क्यूं मुब्तला है वहम-ए अज़ाब ओ सवाब में
८
हम अर्श पर भी नाला-ए ग़म जा के खींच आए
आवाज़-ए बाज़गश्त हि आई जवाब में
९
दिल जिस ने फूंक फूंक के एक्सीर कर दिया
वो आग लग रही है हमारे शबाब में
१०
अफ़्साना-हा-ए इश्क़ सुनाएं किसे जिगर
बेदार है भी कोई जहान-ए ख़राब में
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. shyaam mohan laal jigar barelavi (1890-1976) Ghazal, nazm, rubaaii, masnavi and critical treatises as well as linguistics. In addition to poetic collections, he has writes about issues of literary style in sehat-e zabaan, autobiography in hadees-e Khudi. His father, rai kanhaiya laal, was poet and a shaagird of Ghulam hasnain qadr who himself was a disciple of Ghalib. He learnt urdu and faarsi from a local ustaad, then high school and BA in philosophy and faarsi. Started out teaching in a school, went into government administration and progressed to become deputy collector. Early retirement, pension and teaching jobs followed but remained in straitened circumstances. This Ghazal is linked to Ghalib naqsh-e qadam.
1
raahat1 kabhi na paaii jahaan2-e Kharaab3 meN
guzri4 tamaam5 umr ajab6 izteraab7 meN 1.comfort, peace 2.world 3.wretched, miserable 4.passed 5.all 6.strange 7.restlessness
There is no peace in this wretched world. All life is spent in a strange restlessness.
2
viiraaniyoN1 pe jin ki haiN aabaadiyaaN2 nisaar3
vo bastiyaaN4 bhi haiN dil-e Khaana-Kharaab5 meN 1.desolation, deserted 2.communities 3.sacrificial offering 4.settlements 5.ruined, destroyed
The poet/lover has a home in his heart for the beloved. It is such a home that it is grand even when it is deserted. It is so grand even in its desolation that settlements are willing to sacrifice themselves to it as a tribute.
3
ashkoN1 ke bas2 ki baat nahiN hai sukoon3-e dil
diivaanagi ka raNg4 hai ab izteraab5 meN 1.tears 2.control, capability 3.peace, tranquility 4.colour, character 5.restlessness
The poet/lover’s restlessness has now acquired the character of madness. It is no longer within the capability of tears to handle this madness and give him peace of mind.
4
maa’loom1 hai keh maiN huN gunahgaar2-e zindagi
rakkha hai kya huzoor3 savaal4 o javaab5 meN 1.known 2.sinner 3.sir 4.question 5.answer
It is not explicit who this is addressed to, who ‘sir’ is. We can assume that it is the preacher or the ‘mohtasib’ – moralizer. Sir, it is well known that I am a sinner. Of what use is this question and answer. (interrogation)
5
mahtaab1 meN ziya2 hai usi ke jamaal3 ki
jalva-figan4 hai jis ka jalaal5 aaftaab6 meN 1.full moon 2.light 3.image, beauty 4.lustre dropping/giving 5.glory, dignity 6.sun
The moon also has the light of his beauty whose glory grants lustre to the sun i.e., both reflect divine glory.
6
samjhe haiN vo keh baKhsh1 diya ham ne ek jahaaN2
ham zindagi3 ko le ke paRe haiN azaab4 meN 1.grant 2.world 3.life 4.torment, punishment
He thinks that he has granted us a world (done us a favour by granting us this world). By accepting life we are being subjected to torture. In a related thought faiz ahmed faiz …
ek fursat-e gunaah mili vo bhi chaar din
dekhe haiN ham ne hausle parvardigaar ke
7
aye dil had1-e shu’oor2 se baahir3 hai raaz4-e ziist5
kyuN mubtala6 hai vahm7-e azaab8 o savaab9 meN 1.limits 2.knowledge, wisdom 3.outside, beyond 4.secret, mystery 5.life 6.involved, tangled 7.doubt, uncertainty, confusion 8.punishment 9.reward
O heart, the mystery of life is beyond the realm of knowledge. Why then do you tangle yourselves in questions of reward and punishment.
8
ham arsh1 par bhi naala2-e Gham jaa ke khiiNch aaye
aavaaz-e-baazgasht3 hi aaii javaab4 meN 1.sky, heaven 2.wail (of pain) 3.returning sound, echo 4.answer
I went to the sky carrying my loud wails. All I got was an echo in answer.
9
dil jis ne phooNk1 phooNk ke eksiir2 kar diya
vo aag3 lag rahi hai hamaare shabaab4 meN 1.blow 2.used here to mean dust/ashes, powder 3.fire 4.youth
The poet/lover’s youth is on fire (with the passion of love). His youth keeps blowing the fire to keep it going and burns his heart to ashes.
10
afsaana-haa1-e ishq sunaa’eN kise jigar2
bedaar3 hai bhi koii jahaan-e-Kharaab4 meN 1.plural of afsaana – stories 2.pen-name of the poet 3.awake, aware 4.wretched world
O jigar, to whom can the story of love be told. Who in this wretched world is awake (sensitive) enough to listen.
shyaam mohan laal jigar barelavi (1890-1976) Ghazal, nazm, rubaaii, masnavi and critical treatises as well as linguistics. In addition to poetic collections, he has writes about issues of literary style in sehat-e zabaan, autobiography in hadees-e Khudi. His father, rai kanhaiya laal, was poet and a shaagird of Ghulam hasnain qadr who himself was a disciple of Ghalib. He learnt urdu and faarsi from a local ustaad, then high school and BA in philosophy and faarsi. Started out teaching in a school, went into government administration and progressed to become deputy collector. Early retirement, pension and teaching jobs followed but remained in straitened circumstances. This Ghazal is linked to Ghalib naqsh-e qadam.
1
raahat1 kabhi na paaii jahaan2-e Kharaab3 meN
guzri4 tamaam5 umr ajab6 izteraab7 meN
1.comfort, peace 2.world 3.wretched, miserable 4.passed 5.all 6.strange 7.restlessness
There is no peace in this wretched world. All life is spent in a strange restlessness.
2
viiraaniyoN1 pe jin ki haiN aabaadiyaaN2 nisaar3
vo bastiyaaN4 bhi haiN dil-e Khaana-Kharaab5 meN
1.desolation, deserted 2.communities 3.sacrificial offering 4.settlements 5.ruined, destroyed
The poet/lover has a home in his heart for the beloved. It is such a home that it is grand even when it is deserted. It is so grand even in its desolation that settlements are willing to sacrifice themselves to it as a tribute.
3
ashkoN1 ke bas2 ki baat nahiN hai sukoon3-e dil
diivaanagi ka raNg4 hai ab izteraab5 meN
1.tears 2.control, capability 3.peace, tranquility 4.colour, character 5.restlessness
The poet/lover’s restlessness has now acquired the character of madness. It is no longer within the capability of tears to handle this madness and give him peace of mind.
4
maa’loom1 hai keh maiN huN gunahgaar2-e zindagi
rakkha hai kya huzoor3 savaal4 o javaab5 meN
1.known 2.sinner 3.sir 4.question 5.answer
It is not explicit who this is addressed to, who ‘sir’ is. We can assume that it is the preacher or the ‘mohtasib’ – moralizer. Sir, it is well known that I am a sinner. Of what use is this question and answer (interrogation).
5
mahtaab1 meN ziya2 hai usi ke jamaal3 ki
jalva-figan4 hai jis ka jalaal5 aaftaab6 meN
1.full moon 2.light 3.image, beauty 4.lustre dropping/giving 5.glory, dignity 6.sun
The moon also has the light of his beauty whose glory grants lustre to the sun i.e., both reflect divine glory.
6
samjhe haiN vo keh baKhsh1 diya ham ne ek jahaaN2
ham zindagi3 ko le ke paRe haiN azaab4 meN
1.grant 2.world 3.life 4.torment, punishment
He thinks that he has granted us a world (done us a favour by granting us this world). By accepting life we are being subjected to torture. In a related thought faiz ahmed faiz …
ek fursat-e gunaah mili vo bhi chaar din
dekhe haiN ham ne hausle parvardigaar ke
7
aye dil had1-e shu’oor2 se baahir3 hai raaz4-e ziist5
kyuN mubtala6 hai vahm7-e azaab8 o savaab9 meN
1.limits 2.knowledge, wisdom 3.outside, beyond 4.secret, mystery 5.life 6.involved, tangled 7.doubt, uncertainty, confusion 8.punishment 9.reward
O heart, the mystery of life is beyond the realm of knowledge. Why then do you tangle yourselves in questions of reward and punishment.
8
ham arsh1 par bhi naala2-e Gham jaa ke khiiNch aaye
aavaaz-e-baazgasht3 hi aaii javaab4 meN
1.sky, heaven 2.wail (of pain) 3.returning sound, echo 4.answer
I went to the sky carrying my loud wails. All I got was an echo in answer.
9
dil jis ne phooNk1 phooNk ke eksiir2 kar diya
vo aag3 lag rahi hai hamaare shabaab4 meN
1.blow 2.used here to mean dust/ashes, powder 3.fire 4.youth
The poet/lover’s youth is on fire (with the passion of love). His youth keeps blowing the fire to keep it going and burns his heart to ashes.
10
afsaana-haa1-e ishq sunaa’eN kise jigar2
bedaar3 hai bhi koii jahaan-e-Kharaab4 meN
1.plural of afsaana – stories 2.pen-name of the poet 3.awake, aware 4.wretched world
O jigar, to whom can the story of love be told. Who in this wretched world is awake (sensitive) enough to listen.
