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 1816 in ‘nusKha-e raza’. This is one of three Ghazal composed in this zamin. Two are dated 1812 – 1816 (this one) and one is dated 1816.
1
KhuuN dar-jigar¹ nahufta², na zardi-rasiida³ huN
Khud aashiyaan⁴-e taa’er⁵-e raNg-e pariida⁶ huN    1.in the liver/heart 2.hidden 3. fully developed paleness (rasiida – faarsi) 4.nest 5.bird 6.flown away
The blood that I bleed because of pain and sorrow is hidden deep in my heart. It does not show up as paleness of my face. I myself am like a nest/home of a bird whose colour (abilities, health) has flown away i.e., I have been stricken with sorrow and loss but I keep it hidden.
2
hai dast¹-e rad² ba-sair³-e jahaaN⁴ bastan⁵-e nazar⁶
paa⁷-e havas⁸ ba-daaman⁹-e mizshgaaN¹⁰ kashiida¹¹ huN   1.hand 2.rejection 3.looking at, sightseeeing 4.world 5.closed 6.eyes 7.feet 8.love, desire, lust 9.hem of the robe 10.eyelashes 11.to pull in, to carry
Eyelashes are like the apron/hem for the eyes. To carry/pull in/collect the “paa-e havas – feet of love” is like withholding love. (a) I close my eyes to this material world and pull the feet of desire back inside the apron/hem of the eyes, because I want to look for the spiritual (b) I reject/give up on the world because it has its eyes closed i.e., it does not see my real merit. So, I hold my desire/passion “within my eyelashes”. (c) I experience the hand of rejection, so I do not look at the world, close my eyes. I hold my desire/passion ‘within my eyelashes’. (d) To see the world with closed eyes is like rejecting it (or being rejected by it or by its creator). Here “closed eyes” can mean looking at it without seeing its “real (spiritual) beauty. I am afraid that I go through life withholding my passion/love for the divine (this may be a bit of introspection).
3
maiN chashm¹-e vaa² kushaada³ aur gulshan⁴ nazar-fareb⁵
laikin abas⁶ keh shabnam⁷-e Khurshiid-diida⁸ huN    1.eyes 2.open 3.wide 4.garden, world 5.sight deceiving, illusory 6.useless 7.dew 8.that has seen the sun
(a) I have my eyes wide open but the sights of the world are illusory. Their attraction is useless, it has no effect of me, because I am like a dew drop that has seen the sun and I am drawn to its brilliance (b) The world is an illusion and I cannot see the real thing even though I have my eyes wide open. It is useless (to try to understand it) because I am like a dew drop that has seen the sun i.e., the dew drop will soon evaporate and cease to exist.
4
tasleem¹ se ye naala²-e mauzooN³ hua husool⁴
aye be-Khabar⁵ maiN naGhma⁶-e chaNg⁷-e Khamiida⁸ huN    1.acceptance, submission 2.wailing, crying 3.suitable, appropriate 4.obtained 5.unaware, ignorant 6.song, Ghazal 7.lute 8.bent, curved, bowed
‘chaNg-e Khamiida’ is a musical instrument with a curve carved into its neck. Ghalib is using this as a simile for the shaa’er with his head bowed to the glory of god (or the beauty of the beloved). Because I submit (to the beauty of the divine beloved) I have acquired this beautiful Ghazal, O you, who are unaware that I am like a ‘chaNg-e Khamiida’.
5
paida¹ nahiN hai asl²-e tag-o-taaz³-e justajuu⁴
maanind⁵-e mauj⁶-e aab⁷, zabaan-e buriida⁸ huN    1.visible, apparent, discernible (faarsi) 2.reality, purpose 3.run, struggle 4.search, seek 5. similar to, like 6.waves 7.water, river 8.cut off
The poet is running/struggling in search of something. It is not apparent what the real purpose of his search is, perhaps not even to himself. Thus, he is like the waves of the river which struggle (wave up and down) and run/flow not knowing their destination. The waves cannot speak, their tongue is cut off. I am like them (although he composed/recited exquisite Ghazal).
6
sar par mere vabaal¹-e hazaar aarzu² raha
yaarab³ maiN kis Ghariib⁴ ka baKht⁵-e ramiida⁶ huN    1.calamity, curse, vexation 2.desires 3.god 4.destitute 5.fate 6.run away, escaped
I carry the burden/curse of a thousand (unfulfilled) desires on my head. O god, which destitute’s runaway/empty fate is mine.
7
maiN be-hunar¹, keh jauhar²-e aaina tha abas³
paa⁴-e nigaah⁵-e Khalq⁶ meN Khaar⁷-e Khaliida⁸ huN    1.without talent/skill 2.shine, brilliance 3.useless 4.feet 5.eyes 6.world 7.thorn 8.pricking
‘jauhar-e aaina’ – the brilliance/polish of a mirror cannot be called ‘be-hunar’. The ‘be-hunar’ is clearly meant to be sarcastic. I, with no talent was like the useless/unused polish of the mirror. Useless/unused because the world could not see the reflection/image of what he was trying to say. So, I ended up being a thorn in the feet of the eyes of the world. He is not only a thorn in the eyes of the present world but also those gone by …
deta huN kushtangaaN ko suKhan se sar-e tapish
mizraab-e taar-haa-e guluu-e bureeda huN
8
mera niyaaz¹ o ijz² hai muft³-e butaaN⁴ asad⁵
yaa’ni⁶ keh banda⁷-e ba-diram⁸ na-Khariida⁹ huN 1.devotional offering 2.submission 3.free, freely offered 4.beloved 5.penname of the poet 6.meaning 7.servant, devotee 8.by/with coin/money 9.not/cannot be bought
I (my verse) is a submission (to the will) devotional offering to the beloved (divine), freely (without expectation of compensation), O asad. That is, I am a devotee/servant who cannot be purchased with money/reward. Recall …
taa’at meN taa rahe na mai o aNgabiiN ki laag
dozaKh meN Daal do koii le kar behisht ko