For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
دہر کے اِنقلاب میں ۔ جوشؔ ملیح آبادی
۱
دیر سے منتظر ہوں میں بیٹھ نہ یوں حِجاب میں
تاروں کی چھاؤں ہے در آ میرے دلِ خراب میں
۲
کس سے کہوں میں داستاں طولِ شبِ فراق کی
جاگ رہا ہوں ایک میں، سارا جہاں ہے خواب میں
۳
اُس سے ڈرو وہ فتنۂ بزمِ حیات ہے جسے
شیب میں تابِ مے نہ ہو عشق نہ ہو شباب میں
۴
عرش سے آئی یہ صدا بخش دیے ترے گناہ
یاد کیا کسی کو یوں، کل شبِ ماہتاب میں
۵
یوں تو حریمِ ناز میں کتنے ہی دل ہوئے تھے پیش
حُکمِ شِکستگی ہوا میرے ہی دل کے باب میں
۶
مضطر و بیقرار ہوں جوشؔ وہ خود مرے لیے
کاش اِک ایسی رَو بھی ہو، دہر کے انقلاب میں
दहर के इनक़ेलाब में – जोश मलीह’आबादी
१
देर से मुन्तज़िर हूँ मैं बैठ न यूँ हिजाब में
तारों की छाँव है दर आ मेरे दिल-ए ख़राब में
२
किस से कहूँ मैं दास्ताँ तूल-ए शब-ए फ़िराक़ की
जाग रहा हूँ एक मैं, सारा जहाँ है ख़्वाब में
३
उस से डरो वो फ़ित्ना-ए बज़्म-ए हयात है जिसे
शेब में ताब-ए मय न हो, इश्क़ न हो शबाब में
४
अर्श से आई ये सदा बख़्श दिए तेरे गुनाह
याद किया किसी को यूँ, कल शब-ए माहताब में
५
यूँ तो हरीम-ए नाज़ में कितने ही दिल हुए थे पेश
हुक्म-ए शिकस्तगी हुआ मेरे ही दिल के बाब में
६
मुज़्तर ओ बेक़रार हों, जोश वो ख़ुद मेरे लिये
काश एक ऐसी रौ भी हो, दहर के इनक़ेलाब में
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. josh malihabadi (1898-1982) is known as a poet of revolution. He was a secular humanist writing sharply against colonialism, abuse of power, injustice and orthodoxy. ‘manshoor’ is manifesto/declaration. This Ghazal representing wishful thinking, composed in the same radeef as Ghalib’s ‘saaqi ne kuchh milaa na diya ho sharaab meN’ is linked to Ghalib naqsh-e qadam.
1
der se muntazir1 huN maiN baiTh na yuN hijaab2 meN
taaroN ki chhaa’uN hai dar3 aa mere dil-e Kharaab4 meN 1.waiting 2.veiled, hidden 3.intrude, come in without hesitation 4.ruined
I have been waiting for so long; don’t remain concealed like this. The shadows of stars are here; come into my ruined heart. This couplet captures the poet’s longing and desperation. The ‘broken heart’ symbolizes emotional vulnerability, while the ‘shadows of stars’ evoke a tranquil yet melancholic night of separation and anticipation, urging the beloved to step out of their hesitation.
2
kis se kahuN maiN dastaaN1 tuul2-e shab3-e firaaq4 ki
jaag raha huN ek maiN, saara jahaaN5 hai Khwaab6 meN 1.story 2.length 3.night 4.separation 5.world 6.sleep
Whom should I tell the story of the long, endless night of separation? I am awake alone, while the whole world is asleep in dreams. josh expresses the isolating pain of unrequited love or separation. The contrast between his wakefulness and the world’s slumber intensifies his solitude, making his sorrow seem unique and unmatched.
3
uss se Daro voh fitna1-e bazm2-e hayaat3 hai jise
sha’eb4 meN taab5-e ma’e6 na ho, ishq na ho shabaab7 meN 1.disturbance, mischief maker 2.gathering 3.life 4.old age 5.strength, capacity to bear 6.wine 7.youth
Fear the one who is disruptive of the normal order of life, who in old age lacks the strength for wine, who has not felt passion in youth. This couplet warns against those who have lost the essence of life. sha’eb
4
arsh1 se aaii ye sadaa2 baKhsh3 diye tere gunaah4
yaad kiya kisi ko yuN, kal shab-e-maahtaab5 meN 1.sky, heavens 2.voice 3.forgiven 4.sins 5.full-moon night
From the heavens came a voice: your sins are forgiven, you have remembered that special someone, last full-moon night. This she’r juxtaposes divine forgiveness with a romantic recollection and longing, implying that sincere love and suffering engender moments of grace and forgiveness.
5
yuN to hariim1-e naaz2 meN kitne hi dil hue’ the’ pesh3
hukm4-e shikastagi5 hua me’re’ hi dil ke baab6 meN 1.sanctuary 2.coquetry, elegance 3.presented, offered 4.command, order 5.breaking 6.door, domain
In the sanctuary of elegance, many hearts were offered, but the command of breaking was reserved only for the domain of my heart. This might seem like a statement of complaint at being singled out for breaking, but it could be a statement of pride for being so selected in comparison with the other ordinary hearts that were on offer.
6
muztar1-o-beqaraar2 hoN josh3, voh Khud4 mere’ liye’
kaash5 ek aisi rau6 bhi ho, dahr7 ke inqelaab8 meN 1.restless 2.imaptient 3.pen-name 4.herself 5.I wish 6.tide, flow 7.world 8.revolution
May she herself be restless and impatient for me, O josh; I wish that there was such a tide in the topsy turvy world order.
josh malihabadi (1898-1982) is known as a poet of revolution. He was a secular humanist writing sharply against colonialism, abuse of power, injustice and orthodoxy. ‘manshoor’ is manifesto/declaration. This Ghazal representing wishful thinking, composed in the same radeef as Ghalib’s ‘saaqi ne kuchh milaa na diya ho sharaab meN’ is linked to Ghalib naqsh-e qadam.
1
der se muntazir1 huN maiN baiTh na yuN hijaab2 meN
taaroN ki chhaa’uN hai dar3 aa mere dil-e Kharaab4 meN
1.waiting 2.veiled, hidden 3.intrude, come in without hesitation 4.ruined
I have been waiting for so long; don’t remain concealed like this. The shadows of stars are here; come into my ruined heart. This couplet captures the poet’s longing and desperation. The ‘broken heart’ symbolizes emotional vulnerability, while the ‘shadows of stars’ evoke a tranquil yet melancholic night of separation and anticipation, urging the beloved to step out of their hesitation.
2
kis se kahuN maiN dastaaN1 tuul2-e shab3-e firaaq4 ki
jaag raha huN ek maiN, saara jahaaN5 hai Khwaab6 meN
1.story 2.length 3.night 4.separation 5.world 6.sleep
Whom should I tell the story of the long, endless night of separation? I am awake alone, while the whole world is asleep in dreams. josh expresses the isolating pain of unrequited love or separation. The contrast between his wakefulness and the world’s slumber intensifies his solitude, making his sorrow seem unique and unmatched.
3
uss se Daro voh fitna1-e bazm2-e hayaat3 hai jise
sha’eb4 meN taab5-e ma’e6 na ho, ishq na ho shabaab7 meN
1.disturbance, mischief maker 2.gathering 3.life 4.old age 5.strength, capacity to bear 6.wine 7.youth
Fear the one who is disruptive of the normal order of life, who in old age lacks the strength for wine, who has not felt passion in youth. This couplet warns against those who have lost the essence of life. sha’eb” (old age) lacking the capacity to bear ma’e (wine), and ‘shabaab’ (youth) lacking the passion of love, symbolizes a dull existence, disconnected from the vibrancy of life.
4
arsh1 se aaii ye sadaa2 baKhsh3 diye tere gunaah4
yaad kiya kisi ko yuN, kal shab-e-maahtaab5 meN
1.sky, heavens 2.voice 3.forgiven 4.sins 5.full-moon night
From the heavens came a voice: your sins are forgiven, you have remembered that special someone, last full-moon night. This she’r juxtaposes divine forgiveness with a romantic recollection and longing, implying that sincere love and suffering engender moments of grace and forgiveness.
5
yuN to hariim1-e naaz2 meN kitne hi dil hue’ the’ pesh3
hukm4-e shikastagi5 hua me’re’ hi dil ke baab6 meN
1.sanctuary 2.coquetry, elegance 3.presented, offered 4.command, order 5.breaking 6.door, domain
In the sanctuary of elegance, many hearts were offered, but the command of breaking was reserved only for the domain of my heart. This might seem like a statement of complaint at being singled out for breaking, but it could be a statement of pride for being so selected in comparison with the other ordinary hearts that were on offer.
6
muztar1-o-beqaraar2 hoN, josh3 voh Khud4 mere’ liye’
kaash5 ek aisi rau6 bhi ho, dahr7 ke inqelaab8 meN
1.restless 2.imaptient 3.pen-name 4.herself 5.I wish 6.tide, flow 7.world 8.revolution
May she herself be restless and impatient for me, O josh; I wish that there was such a tide in the topsy turvy world order.
