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’. This Ghazal is linked to other ham-radeef Ghazal on the Refrain Index page.
1
uThaa saaGhar¹ keh insaaN kushta²-e aalaam³ hai saaqi
yeh barbat⁴ hai, yeh mai⁵, aage Khudaa kaa naam hai saaqi 1.cup 2.killed 3.sorrows, suffering 4.lute 5.wine
O saaqi raise the wine cup and serve wine, for humanity is being killed by suffering; here the lute for music and here is the wine, the rest is up to god. Could this be the wine of love or is josh only keen on grape wine?
2
na jaane¹ nau²-e insaaN kyuN ajal³ se Khauf⁴ khaati hai,
ajal³ kahte haiN jis ko zahmat⁵-e yak-gaam⁶ hai saaqi     1.no one knows 2.progeny 3.death 4.fear 5.bother, incovenience 6.single step
No one knows why humanity is fearful of death ajal. That which is called death is the inconvenience of a single step yak gaam. Wrapped in what josh euphemistically calls ‘fear of death’ is a slew of superstitions about life after death and vivid description of burning in hell. josh mocks this irrational fear, taking an existential tone – death is inevitable, yet humans cling to illusions of permanence.
3
haqiiqat¹ kyaa samajh² meN aa sak’e ashya³-e aalam⁴ ki
faqat⁵ ek shakl⁶ hai saaqi faqat ek naam hai saaqi 1.truth, reality 2.understanding 3.ingredients 4.world, universe 5.only 6.form, shape
How can we comprehend the reality haqiiqat of the ingredients of the universe i.e., the inner workings of what goes into making the universe. All we know is the shape and the name that we give them. This may be a simple statement of the inadequacy of the state of knowledge rather than some esoteric reflection of the material vs spiritual.
4
sunaauN saaz¹-e hikmat² ke taraane³ kis tawaqq’u⁴ par
keh ab tak nau-e-insaaN⁵ banda⁶-e auhaam⁷ hai saaqi     1.music 2.wisdom, knowledge 3.songs 4.expectation 5.human species, humanity 6.servant 7.superstitions, illusions
With what expectation should I sing songs of wisdom/knowledge when humanity remains a slave of superstitions/illusions.
5
sadaaqat¹ aaj bhi poshiida² hai aulaad-e-aadam³ se
daroGh⁴-e maslahat-aamez⁵ ab bhi ‘aam⁶ hai saaqi     1.truth, credibility 2.hidden 3.progeny of Adam, humanity 4.falsehood, lies 5.mixed with expedience/convenience, hidden agenda 6.common
Truth (sadaaqat) is still hidden from Adam’s descendants, while convenient lies (daroGh-e maslahat aamez) are still common.
6
udhar yeh qaul¹ hum ne shar’h² kar dii hai haqaa’eq³ ki
idhar ab tak vahii ib’haam⁴ kaa ib’haam hai saaqi 1.statement, saying 2.explained, published 3.truths 4.confusion, ambiguity
Over there udhar and over here idhar, is probably a reference to liberal thinkers, rebels and poets on the one hand and conservative clergy on the other. Thus, there we have stated/declared the explanation of truths while here there is still the same confusion and intentional obfuscation.
7
udhar takmiil¹-e diiN² kaa ho chukaa hai daavaa³-e muhkam⁴
idhar iimaaN⁵ thaa jaisaa Khaam⁶ ab tak Khaam hai saaqi    1.completion, perfection 3.claim 4.strong, clear 5.faith 6.defective, incomplete
Over there udhar refers to orthodoxy, religious institutions; they lay claim to, boast of perfecting faith (takmiil-e diiN), yet over here idhar among the populace faith itself remains unripe (Khaam).
8
udhar shiddat¹ ke saath e’laan² hai itmaam³-e ne’mat⁴ kaa
idhar har-har⁵ saaNs ab tak zahr⁶ kaa ek jaam⁷ hai saaqi 1.intensity 2.declaration 3.completion, perfection 4.blessings 5.every 6.poison 7.cup
Over there they strongly declare the celebration/perfection of divine blessings. While over here, among the people, every breath is like a cup of poison (zahr kaa jaam). This could be a contrast between the priveleged and the exploited.
9
kahaa jaataa hai mujh se zindagi in’aam¹-e qudrat² hai
sazaa³ kyaa hogi uss ki jis kaa yeh in’aam hai saaqi 1.reward, gift 2.nature, god 3.punishment
They tell me that life is a gift/reward of god. If this is so, then just imagine what punishment will be like i.e., life is no blessing, it is a struggle.
10
shikaa’et¹ kyaa kise KhuuN-rez² chaNgez³ o halaaku³ ki
Khud apnaa dil hi jab KhuuN-aashaam⁴ hai saaqi    1.complaint, blame 2.blood spilling 3.legendary warriors known for merciless killing 4.blood-drinking, bloodthirsty
Why blame tyrants like chaNgez KhaaN and halaaku of spilling blood when our own hearts are bloodthirsty (KhuuN-aashaam)? A call for self-awareness.