Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. panDit dilaaraam ratan panDorvi (1909-1990), paThaankoT. There are many books to his credit including urdu instructional texts for school children, an explanatory, interpretive book of Ghalib’s Ghazal, literary history and criticism, rules of versification and representative compositions of muslim poets of hindi. A recognized authority of urdu, hindi and sanskrit and perhaps also of faarsi. This nazm is linked to others of the same radeef/theme on the Refrain page.
1
aap aaye haiN to Thahrein mere ghar aaj ki raat
maiN ziyada to nah rokuNga magar aaj ki raat   Now that you have come, stay at my home tonight. I won’t hold you too long tonight. The poet seems to want to add a note of reassurance to persuade the beloved to stay.
2
husn¹-e qismat se voh aaye mere ghar aaj ki raat
kaash² ruk jaaye yeh kambaKht³ sahar⁴ aaj ki raat     1.beauty, goodness 2.I wish 3.accursed 4.dawn
It is rare or never that the beloved comes to the lover’s house. If she does, she would leave promptly just before dawn for fear that others might see her. Thus, it is a stroke of good fortune that she has come to my house tonight. How wish that the accursed dawn would stay away tonight. He wants to make sure that she does not leave.
3
ashk¹ barsaaye na kyuN deedah²-e tar³ aaj ki raat
nazar⁴ aate nahiN aasaar⁵-e sahar⁶ aaj ki raat     1.tears 2.eye 3.moist, mournful 4.visible, apparent 5.indications, signs 6.dawn
Unlike the previous she’r (in which the beloved came to his house) this appears to be a night of separation. By definition, this is tearful, mournful and very long. Thus, why should my mournful eyes not rain tears tonight. I don’t see any signs of dawn; I don’t see the night ending anytime soon.
4
mera mehmaan¹ hai ek rashk²-e qamar³ aaj ki raat
dar-o-diivaar⁴ haiN firdaus⁵-e nazar⁶ aaj ki raat   1.guest 2.envy 3.moon 4.doors and walls, house 5.heaven 6.sight, eyes
The beloved, because she is more beautiful than the full moon is the envy of the moon. She is a guest at the lover’s house. The house appears like heaven to him this night.
5
mera har naala¹ hai taKhriib-asar² aaj ki raat
kyuN nah ho nazm³-e jahaaN³ zer-o-zabar⁴ aaj ki raat   1.wail, lament 2.effect of destruction/annihilation 3.running, administering 4.topsy turvy, upside down
Every lament of mine carries the effect of destruction tonight (it is so intense in its sorrow). Why then, should the running of the world not turn upside down, tonight.
6
har fiza¹ noor² meN Doobi nazar³ aati hai mujhe
kis ke jalvoN⁴ se hai jannat⁵ mera ghar aaj ki raat   1.ambience, surrounding 2.light 3.appears 4.splendour, glory
Whereever I look, I see the ambience drowned in light. With whose splendour does my home appear like paradise tonight.
7
chaar Gham-Khwaar¹ diye mujh ko Gham-e-furqat² ne
dard-e dil, dard-e jigar, deedah³-e tar⁴ aaj ki raat   1.sharing sorrow, sympathiser, companion 2.sorrow of separation 3.eyes 4.moist, tearful
The sorrow of separation (from the beloved) has given me four companions – aching heart, burning liver and tearful eyes. Note – I count only three but who is going to quibble with the poet about counting.
8
maut¹ ka shauq² bhi, jeene³ ki tamanna⁴ bhi hai
hijr⁵ ke roag⁶ ka dekho to asar⁷ aaj ki raat     1.death, dying 2.wish 3.living 4.desire 5.separation 6.disease, affliction 7.effect
The effect of the affliction of separation from the beloved has such opposite effects on me – I wish to die and also desire to keep living.
9
chashm¹-e beena² ne hijabaat³ nah baaqi⁴ chhoRe
husn⁵-e mastoor⁶ hua pesh⁷-e nazar⁸ aaj ki raat   1.eye 2.seeing, discerning 3.veils 4.remaining 5.beauty 6.hidden 7.before, in front of 8.eyes, sight
This can apply both to the beloved and to the divine beloved. The discerning eye of the poet/lover/seeker did not let any veil remain between him and the hidden beauty. That beauty is before his eyes this night.
10
jal chukaa mera nasheman¹ to meri aahoN² se
kyuN haiN sargarm³-e jafaa⁴ barq⁵ o sharar⁶ aaj ki raat   1.nest, abode 2.sighs 3.busy, engaged in 4.cruelty, oppression 5.lightning 6.spark, flash
In poetic convention, the poet is often depicted as a bird that is happiest in the garden building its nest. Lightning is always on the lookout for it and strikes and burns its abode. Here the sighs of the poet/bird, separated from the beloved, are so intense that they have burned his nest. Why then is are lightning flashes engaged in inflicting cruelty on the bird/poet.
11
dar-o-diivaar¹ haiN afsurda², fiza³ hai taarik⁴
mujh se ruKhsat⁵ hua ek rashk⁶-e qamar⁷ aaj ki raat   1.doors and walls, house 2.gloomy, dejected 3.surroundings, ambience 4.dark 5.departed 6.envy 7.full moon
The beloved, because of her beauty is the envy of the moon. She has just taken leave of the poet/lover and departed. The house appears gloomy and the surroundings go dark.
12
uss ke jalvoN¹ se haiN mahroom² abhi tak nazreN³
aye saba⁴ tuu hi uThaa⁵ pardah⁶-e dar⁷ aaj ki raat   1.appearance, manifestation, sighting 2.deprived 3.eyes 4.breeze 5.life 6.curtain 7.door
Here the ‘uss’ is the beloved. The poet/lover waiting outside the door of the beloved in her street is still deprived of a sight of her. He calls upon the breeze to blow and lift the curtain of her door, so he might have a chance to see her.
13
Ghamzada¹ ho ke khiNche² aaye voh Gham-Khaane³ meN
dekhiye to meri aaNkhoN ka asar⁴ aaj ki raat   1.sorrowful, grief-stricken 2.pulled, attracted, drawn 3.house of mourning 4.effect
The poet/lover is in house, mourning because of separation from the beloved. Hence it is house of mourning. He has been weeping profusely. His eyes have somehow had this magical effect that the beloved is drawn to his house of mourning out of sympathy.
14
soz¹-e paiham² ki yeh taasiir³ toh koi dekhe
aye ratan⁴ jal uThaa har daaGh⁵-e jigar⁶ aaj ki raat     1.burning, hurting 2.repeated, continuous 3.effect 4.pen-name of the poet 5.wound 6.liver/heart
Look at the effect of the constant pain. O ratan, every wound of the heart is aflame.