For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
بے وجہ خفا ہو جانا ۔ وحیدؔ اختر
۱
ہم نے دیکھا ہے محبت کا سزا ہو جانا
صبح دیدار کا بھی شامِ بلا ہو جانا
۲
پہلے اتنا نہ پراگندہ مزاج دل تھا
بے سبب ہنسنا تو بے وجہ خفا ہو جانا
۳
جی کے بہلانے کو دنیا میں سہارے ہیں بہت
سازگار آئے تمہیں ہم سے جدا ہو جانا
۴
ہم ہیں شمع سر باد اور ہو تم موج ہوا
گھومنے پھرنے ادھر کو بھی ذرا ہو جانا
۵
ہم ہیں محروم رہے دامن گل چیں آباد
اپنی تقدیر میں تھا بوئے وفا ہو جانا
۶
کتنی فریادوں کے لب سی کے زباں پائی وحیدؔ
کھیل سمجھے نہ کوئی نغمہ سرا ہو جانا
बे-वजह ख़फ़ा हो जाना – वहीद अख़्तर
१
हम ने देखा है मोहब्बत का सज़ा हो जाना
सुब्ह-ए दीदार का भी शाम बला हो जाना
२
पहले इतना न परागंदा मिज़ाज-ए दिल था
बे-सबब हँसना तो बे-वजह ख़फ़ा हो जाना
३
जी के बहलाने को दुनिया में सहारे हैं बहुत
साज़गार आए तुम्हें हम से जुदा हो जाना
४
हम हैं शमा’-ए सर-ए बाद और हो तुम मौज-ए हवा
घूमने फिरने इधर को भी ज़रा हो जाना
५
हम हैं महरूम रहे दामन-ए गुलचीं आबाद
अपनी तक़्दीर में था बू-ए वफ़ा हो जाना
६
कितनी फ़र्यादों के लब सी के ज़बाँ पाई वहीद
खेल समझे न कोई नग़्मा-सरा हो जाना
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. vaheed aKhtar (1935-1996), hyderabad, poet, writer and critic. He did his PhD in philosophy from osmania university and later taught at aligaRh. His compositions are very thoughtful and thought provoking.
1
ham ne dekhaa hai mohabbat ka sazaa1 ho jaana
sub’h-e diidaar2 kaa bhii shaam-e balaa3 ho jaana 1.punishment, painful 2.sighting, manifestation 3.curse, calamity
I have seen many calamities – experienced love becoming a punishment/burden. I have seen the dawn which appeared bright as the beloved change into a calamitous night.
2
pahle itnaa na paraaganda1 mizaaj2-e dil tha
be-sabab3 haNsnaa to be-vajah4 Khafaa5 ho jaana 1.scattered, confused 2.nature, disposition 3.without reason 4.without cause 5.offended/annoyed
The mind was not so confused before, laughing for no reason and getting offended/annoyed without cause. It is not quite clear whose mind the poet is talking about – his own or the beloved’s. Either the beloved is annoyed with him now or now that he has fallen hopelessly in love, his own mind is confused.
3
jii1 ke bahlaane2 ko duniyaa meN sahaare3 haiN bahut
saazgaar4 aa’e tumheN ham se judaa5 ho jaana 1.heart, life 2.consoling 3.support, means, ways 4.useful 5.separate, distinct
There are many ways of consoling the heart. May separation from me be useful to you (in consoling yourselves). Again, the shaa’er leaves it to us to guess who it is who is separating from him, either he has given up on the beloved or she is kicking him out saying that he should find other ways to console his heart.
4
ham haiN sham’a1-e sar2-e baad3 aur ho tum mauj4-e havaa
ghoomne phirne idhar ko bhii zaraa ho jaana 1.lamp, candle 2.head, facing 3.breeze 4.gust
I am like a candle facing the wind, vulnerable and exposed, and you are like a strong gust of wind. Who is the gust of wind, that can put out the candle?
5
ham haiN mahroom1 rahe daaman2-e gul-chiiN3 aabaad4
apnii taqdiir5 meN thaa buu6-e vafaa7 ho jaana 1.deprived 2.apron/robe, lap 3.flower picker 4.full, prosperous 5.fate 6.fragrance 7.fidelity
One traditional image in urdu shaa’eri is that of a flower-picker picking the choicest flowers of the garden and gathering them in his apron/robe. The flower-picker is getting his full while the poet is deprived and does not get his share. His fate is merely to be the fragrance of fidelity – to spread and please everyone without any expectation of reward.
6
kitnii fariyaadoN1 ke lab2 sii3 ke zabaaN4 paaii vahiid5
khel samjhe na koii naGhma-saraa6 ho jaana 1.appeals, protests, demands 2.lips 3.sew up, seal 4.tongue, voice 5.name and pen-name of the poet 6.song/Ghazal writer
I have had to seal the lips of/suppress many other demands and (and devote myself exclusively to composing) only then did I acquire a voice, O, vahiid. Do not think that writing/composing comes easy.
vaheed aKhtar (1935-1996), hyderabad, poet, writer and critic. He did his PhD in philosophy from osmania university and later taught at aligaRh. His compositions are very thoughtful and thought provoking.
1
ham ne dekhaa hai mohabbat ka sazaa1 ho jaana
sub’h-e diidaar2 kaa bhii shaam-e balaa3 ho jaana
1.punishment, painful 2.sighting, manifestation 3.curse, calamity
I have seen many calamities – experienced love becoming a punishment/burden. I have seen the dawn which appeared bright as the beloved change into a calamitous night.
2
pahle itnaa na paraaganda1 mizaaj2-e dil tha
be-sabab3 haNsnaa to be-vajah4 Khafaa5 ho jaana
1.scattered, confused 2.nature, disposition 3.without reason 4.without cause 5.offended/annoyed
The mind was not so confused before, laughing for no reason and getting offended/annoyed without cause. It is not quite clear whose mind the poet is talking about – his own or the beloved’s. Either the beloved is annoyed with him now or now that he has fallen hopelessly in love, his own mind is confused.
3
jii1 ke bahlaane2 ko duniyaa meN sahaare3 haiN bahut
saazgaar4 aa’e tumheN ham se judaa5 ho jaana
1.heart, life 2.consoling 3.support, means, ways 4.useful 5.separate, distinct
There are many ways of consoling the heart. May separation from me be useful to you (in consoling yourselves). Again, the shaa’er leaves it to us to guess who it is who is separating from him, either he has given up on the beloved or she is kicking him out saying that he should find other ways to console his heart.
4
ham haiN sham’a1-e sar2-e baad3 aur ho tum mauj4-e havaa
ghoomne phirne idhar ko bhii zaraa ho jaana
1.lamp, candle 2.head, facing 3.breeze 4.gust
I am like a candle facing the wind, vulnerable and exposed, and you are like a strong gust of wind. Who is the gust of wind, that can put out the candle?
5
ham haiN mahroom1 rahe daaman2-e gul-chiiN3 aabaad4
apnii taqdiir5 meN thaa buu6-e vafaa7 ho jaana
1.deprived 2.apron/robe, lap 3.flower picker 4.full, prosperous 5.fate 6.fragrance 7.fidelity
One traditional image in urdu shaa’eri is that of a flower-picker picking the choicest flowers of the garden and gathering them in his apron/robe. The flower-picker is getting his full while the poet is deprived and does not get his share. His fate is merely to be the fragrance of fidelity – to spread and please everyone without any expectation of reward.
6
kitnii fariyaadoN1 ke lab2 sii3 ke zabaaN4 paaii vahiid5
khel samjhe na koii naGhma-saraa6 ho jaana
1.appeals, protests, demands 2.lips 3.sew up, seal 4.tongue, voice 5.name and pen-name of the poet 6.song/Ghazal writer
I have had to seal the lips of/suppress many other demands and (and devote myself exclusively to composing) only then did I acquire a voice, O, vahiid. Do not think that writing/composing comes easy.
