For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
بندۂ اوہام ہے ساقی ۔ جوشؔ ملیح آبادی
۱۱
عمل کا رشتہ ہے جب دستِ ماحولِ وراثت میں
تو پھر کیوں آدمیت موردِ اِلزام ہے ساقی
۱۲
جسے کہتے ہیں عرفِ عام میں تخلیقِ اِنسانی
یہ کس آغاز کی سعیِ زُبُوں انجام ہے ساقی
۱۳
وہاں بخشا گیا ہے میرے دل کو ذوقِ آزادی
جہاں موج ہوا تک مرغِ زیرِ دام ہے ساقی
۱۴
تبسُُّم اک بڑی دولت ہے میں بھی اِس کا قائل ہوں
مگر یہ آنسوؤں کا ایک شیریں نام ہے ساقی
۱۵
جسے اربابِ مذہب بادۂ توحید کہتے ہیں
وہ آبِ صاف بھی افشردۂ اصنام ہے ساقی
۱۶
خروشِ گریہ ہی حامِل نہیں غمہائے پنہاں کا
یہاں تو ساز کے پردے میں بھی کہرام ہے ساقی
۱۷
لڑکپن ضِد میں روتا تھا جوانی دل کو روتی تھی
نہ جب آرام تھا ساقی نہ اب آرام ہے ساقی
۱۸
تمنّائیں جگاتی ہیں تو ناکامی سُلاتی ہے
نہ اپنی صبح ہے ساقی نہ اپنی شام ہے ساقی
۱۹
بڑی دریا دلی کے ساتھ ہر خونریز طاقت کو
مشیت کی طرف سے اِزنِ قتلِ عام ہے ساقی
۲۰
یہ کس کی مُہرِ ہیبت ثبت ہے گیتی کے سینے پر
کہ ہر ذرّہ ازل سے لرزہ بر اندام ہے ساقی
۲۱
ادب کر اِس خراباتی کا جس کو جوشؔ کہتے ہیں
کہ یہ اپنی صدی کا حافظ و خیام ہے ساقی
बंदा-ए औहाम है साक़ी – जोश मलीहाबादी
११
अमल का रिश्ता है जब दस्त-ए माहौल-ए विरासत में
तो फिर क्यूं आदमिय्यत मौरिद-ए इल्ज़ाम है साक़ी
१२
जिसे कहते हैं उर्फ़-ए आ’म में तख़्लीक़-ए इंसानी
ये किस आग़ाज़ की सई-ए ज़बूं अंजाम है साक़ी
१३
वहां बख़्शा गया है मेरे दिल को ज़ौक़-ए आज़ादी
जहां मौज-ए हवा तक मुरग़-ज़ेर-ए दाम है साक़ी
१४
तबस्सुम एक बढी दौलत है मैं भी इस का क़ा’एल हूँ
मगर ये आँसुओं का एक शीरीं नाम है साक़ी
१५
जिसे अर्बाब-ए मज़हब बादा-ए तौहीद कहते हैं
वो आब-ए साफ़ भी अफ़्शुर्दा-ए अस्नाम है साक़ी
१६
ख़रोश-ए गिर्या ही हामिल नहीं ग़म-हा-ए पिनहां का
यहां तो साज़ के पर्दे में भी कोहराम है साक़ी
१७
लढकपन ज़िद में रोता था जवानी दिल को रोती थी
न जब आराम था साक़ी न अब आराम है साक़ी
१८
तमन्नाएं जगाती हैं तो नाकामी सुलाती है
न अपनी सुब्ह है साक़ी न अपनी शाम है साक़ी
१९
बढी दरिया-दिली के साथ हर ख़ूं-रेज़ ताक़त को
मशीय्यत की तरफ़ से इज़्न-ए क़त्ल-ए आ’म है साक़ी
२०
ये किस की मोहर-ए हैबत सब्त है गेती के सीने पर
के हर ज़र्रा अज़ल से लर्ज़ा-बर-अंदाम है साक़ी
२१
अदब कर इस ख़राबाती का जिस को जोश कहते हैं
के ये अपनी सदी का हाफ़ेज़ ओ ख़य्याम है साक़ी
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.
11
amal1 kaa rishta2 hai jab dast3-e maahaul4-e viraasat5 meN
to phir kyuN aadamiyyat maurid6-e ilzaam7 hai saaqi 1.actions, happenings 2.relationship, tie, string, rope 3.hand of 4.surroundings, circumstances 5.inheritence 6.deserving of 7.blame
When there is a clear tie between what happens and the hand of inherited circumstances (dast-e maahaul-e viraasat), why blame humanity (aadamiyyat) for its flaws? In a progressive view, this could be about privileges of inheritance that have a tight grip on circumstances and disadvantage those that are deprived of such a privilege.
12
jise kahte haiN urf-e-‘aam1 meN taKhliiq2-e insaani
yeh kis aaGhaaz3 ki sa’ii4-e zubuuN5 anjaam6 hai saaqi 1.popular saying, popular terminology 2.creation 3.beginning 4.effort 5.faulty, weak, disgraced 6.result
This may be a reference to the popular belief/saying that humanity is the apex of creation, puncturing self-serving beliefs. Thus, what we call human creation (taKhliiq-e insaani) is merely the defective/incomplete result (anjaam) of some unknown beginning.
13
vahaaN baKhshaa1 gayaa hai mere dil ko zauq2-e aazaadi3
jahaaN4 mauj5-e havaa tak murGh6-e ze’r7-e daam8 hai saaqi 1.granted 2.desire, taste 3.freedom 4.where 5.wave, gust 6.bird 7.under 8.net
In this life, humans have been given a taste/desire for freedom. Yet, life is such that here (in this life) even a gust of wind is as if it is trapped under a net i.e., there is no real freedom. This is not necessarily speaking of freedom in the afterlife, but simply pointing out the confining system of governance that prevails.
14
tabassum1 ek baRii daulat2 hai maiN bhi iss kaa qaa’el3 huN,
magar4 yeh aaNsuoN5 kaa e’k shiiriiN6 naam hai saaqi 1.smile, happiness 2.treasure 3.convinced 4.but 5.tears, sorrow 6.sweet
Smile/happiness is a great treasure, of this even I am convinced, but is a sweet/gentle name given to tears/sorrow (to disguise pain).
15
jis’e arbaab1-e mazhab2 baada3-e tauhiid4 kahte haiN
voh aab5-e saaf6 bhi afshurdah7-e asnaam8 hai saaqi 1.owners of 2.faith 3.wine 4.unique/only 5.water 6.clear, pure 7.juice, essence 8.idols
I think that josh is suggesting that there is not much difference between idol worship of many gods and the worship of a disembodied single god. Thus, that which the orthodox owners of faith call the wine of uniqueness of divinity; that pure water too, is but the juice/essence of idols.
16
Kharosh1-e giryaa2 hi haamil3 nahiiN Gham-haa4-e pinhaaN5 kaa
yahaaN to saaz6 ke pardoN7 meN bhi kohraam8 hai saaqi 1.sound, clamour 2.weeping 3.pregnant with, carrying in it 4.sorrows 5.hidden 6.musical instrument, music 7.veils, sheets 8.lamentation, wailing
It is not just the sound of crying that carries inner/hidden pain; even music is but sorrowful lamentation hidden behind veils.
17
laRakpan zidd1 meN rotaa thaa javaani dil2 ko roti thi
na jab aaraam3 thaa saaqi na ab aaraam hai saaqi 1.obstinacy 2.heart/love 3.peace, fulfillment
Childhood cried in its obstinate demands; youth cried for its lost love; no fulfillment or peace (aaraam) in past or present, a lament for lifelong unrest.
18
tamannaa’eN1 jagaati haiN to naakaami2 sulaati hai
na apni sub’h hai saaqi na apni shaam hai saaqi 1.desire, longings 2.failures
Desires (tamannaa’eN) awaken/arouse us to action, only to lull us to stupor with failure (nakaami). We have no control over our days and nights … we are caught in this perpetual cycle of desire and failure.
19
baRi daryaa-dili1 ke saath har KhuuNrez2 taaqat3 ko
mashiyyat4 ki taraf5 se izn6-e qatl-e-‘aam7 hai saaqi 1.generosity 2.blood-spilling 3.power 4.divine sanction 5.direction, from 6.permission 7.mass killing
Divine sanction for mass killing has been generously granted to every bloodthirsty power; a scathing indictment of how tyranny is justified in god’s name with the blessings of the orthodoxy.
20
yeh kis ki moh’r1-e haibat2 sabt3 hai geti4 ke siine par
keh har zarra5 azal6 se larza-bar-andaam7 hai saaqi 1.seal, stamp 2.fear, terror 3.engraved 4.world 5.particle, speck, grain of sand 6.beginning, eternity 7.trembling head to toe
The implication is that the terror of the unseen/unknown (whether it be superstitions, concepts of hellfire or divine fury) has the whole world in its grip. Every speck of the universe trembles (larza-bar-andaam) under an unseen, terrifying seal of terror (mohar-e haibat).
21
adab1 kar is Kharaabaati2 kaa jise josh3 kahte haiN,
keh yeh apni sadi4 kaa haafiz5 o Khayyaam5 hai saaqi 1.respect 2.patron of the tavern, wine lover 3.pen-name 4.century, era 5.renowned faarsi poets
I am not sure who this is addressed to … his own audience. Offer respects to this wine lover who is called josh because he is the haafiz and Khayaam of this era i.e., he is a poet of the same calibre.
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.
11
amal1 kaa rishta2 hai jab dast3-e maahaul4-e viraasat5 meN
to phir kyuN aadamiyyat maurid6-e ilzaam7 hai saaqi
1.actions, happenings 2.relationship, tie, string, rope 3.hand of 4.surroundings, circumstances 5.inheritence 6.deserving of 7.blame
When there is a clear tie between what happens and the hand of inherited circumstances (dast-e maahaul-e viraasat), why blame humanity (aadamiyyat) for its flaws? In a progressive view, this could be about privileges of inheritance that have a tight grip on circumstances and disadvantage those that are deprived of such a privilege.
12
jise kahte haiN urf-e-‘aam1 meN taKhliiq2-e insaani
yeh kis aaGhaaz3 ki sa’ii4-e zubuuN5 anjaam6 hai saaqi
1.popular saying, popular terminology 2.creation 3.beginning 4.effort 5.faulty, weak, disgraced 6.result
This may be a reference to the popular belief/saying that humanity is the apex of creation, puncturing self-serving beliefs. Thus, what we call human creation (taKhliiq-e insaani) is merely the defective/incomplete result (anjaam) of some unknown beginning.
13
vahaaN baKhshaa1 gayaa hai mere dil ko zauq2-e aazaadi3
jahaaN4 mauj5-e havaa tak murGh6-e ze’r7-e daam8 hai saaqi
1.granted 2.desire, taste 3.freedom 4.where 5.wave, gust 6.bird 7.under 8.net
In this life, humans have been given a taste/desire for freedom. Yet, life is such that here (in this life) even a gust of wind is as if it is trapped under a net i.e., there is no real freedom. This is not necessarily speaking of freedom in the afterlife, but simply pointing out the confining system of governance that prevails.
14
tabassum1 ek baRii daulat2 hai maiN bhi iss kaa qaa’el3 huN,
magar4 yeh aaNsuoN5 kaa e’k shiiriiN6 naam hai saaqi
1.smile, happiness 2.treasure 3.convinced 4.but 5.tears, sorrow 6.sweet
Smile/happiness is a great treasure, of this even I am convinced, but is a sweet/gentle name given to tears/sorrow (to disguise pain).
15
jis’e arbaab1-e mazhab2 baada3-e tauhiid4 kahte haiN
voh aab5-e saaf6 bhi afshurdah7-e asnaam8 hai saaqi
1.owners of 2.faith 3.wine 4.unique/only 5.water 6.clear, pure 7.juice, essence 8.idols
I think that josh is suggesting that there is not much difference between idol worship of many gods and the worship of a disembodied single god. Thus, that which the orthodox owners of faith call the wine of uniqueness of divinity; that pure water too, is but the juice/essence of idols.
16
Kharosh1-e giryaa2 hi haamil3 nahiiN Gham-haa4-e pinhaaN5 kaa
yahaaN to saaz6 ke pardoN7 meN bhi kohraam8 hai saaqi
1.sound, clamour 2.weeping 3.pregnant with, carrying in it 4.sorrows 5.hidden 6.musical instrument, music 7.veils, sheets 8.lamentation, wailing
It is not just the sound of crying that carries inner/hidden pain; even music is but sorrowful lamentation hidden behind veils.
17
laRakpan zidd1 meN rotaa thaa javaani dil2 ko roti thi
na jab aaraam3 thaa saaqi na ab aaraam hai saaqi
1.obstinacy 2.heart/love 3.peace, fulfillment
Childhood cried in its obstinate demands; youth cried for its lost love; no fulfillment or peace (aaraam) in past or present, a lament for lifelong unrest.
18
tamannaa’eN1 jagaati haiN to naakaami2 sulaati hai
na apni sub’h hai saaqi na apni shaam hai saaqi
1.desire, longings 2.failures
Desires (tamannaa’eN) awaken/arouse us to action, only to lull us to stupor with failure (nakaami). We have no control over our days and nights … we are caught in this perpetual cycle of desire and failure.
19
baRi daryaa-dili1 ke saath har KhuuNrez2 taaqat3 ko
mashiyyat4 ki taraf5 se izn6-e qatl-e-‘aam7 hai saaqi
1.generosity 2.blood-spilling 3.power 4.divine sanction 5.direction, from 6.permission 7.mass killing
Divine sanction for mass killing has been generously granted to every bloodthirsty power; a scathing indictment of how tyranny is justified in god’s name with the blessings of the orthodoxy.
20
yeh kis ki moh’r1-e haibat2 sabt3 hai geti4 ke siine par
keh har zarra5 azal6 se larza-bar-andaam7 hai saaqi
1.seal, stamp 2.fear, terror 3.engraved 4.world 5.particle, speck, grain of sand 6.beginning, eternity 7.trembling head to toe
The implication is that the terror of the unseen/unknown (whether it be superstitions, concepts of hellfire or divine fury) has the whole world in its grip. Every speck of the universe trembles (larza-bar-andaam) under an unseen, terrifying seal of terror (mohar-e haibat).
21
adab1 kar is Kharaabaati2 kaa jise josh3 kahte haiN,
keh yeh apni sadi4 kaa haafiz5 o Khayyaam5 hai saaqi
1.respect 2.patron of the tavern, wine lover 3.pen-name 4.century, era 5.renowned faarsi poets
I am not sure who this is addressed to … his own audience. Offer respects to this wine lover who is called josh because he is the haafiz and Khayaam of this era i.e., he is a poet of the same calibre.
