Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. momin KhaaN momin (1800-1852), was a hakim following the profession of his father and grandfather. momin received education in arabi, faarsi, urdu and in medicine, mathematics, and astrology. momin composed unabashedly about romantic with much witticism on his taKhallus. Considering the lifespans of the two poets it is reasonable to think that both Ghalib (saaqi ne kuchh mila na diya ho sharaab meN) and momin composed their Ghazal for the same mushaa’era. This is one of two Ghazal of momin in the same zamin, linked along with many more to ‘saaqi ne kuchh mila na diya ho sharaab meN’, in the page ‘Ghalib naqsh-e qadam’. momin was a contemporary of Ghalib and this Ghazal may have been composed for a ‘tarahi’ mushaa’era in which both participated. This Ghazal is also linked to special category, ‘1850s hum asar’ under ‘Ghalib naqsh-e qadam’.
1
taasiir¹ sabr² meN na asar³ izteraab⁴ meN
bechaaragi⁵ se jaan paRi kis azaab⁶ meN    1.effectiveness, bear fruit 2.patience, forbearance 3.effect 4.restlessness 5.helplessness 6.curse, calamity
The poet/lover has only two choices – either he can be patient or restless. There is no possibility that the beloved would reciprocate his love. Neither does patience have an effect nor does restlessness help. Because of this utter helplessness his life has become a curse.
2
be-naala¹ muNh se jhaRte haiN be-giriya² aaNkh se
ajza³-e dil ka haal⁴ na poochh izteraab⁵ meN    1.without wailing 2.without crying 3.parts, components 4.condition 5.restlessness
Do not ask me about the condition of my heart in this extreme agitation/restlessness. My heart breaks apart and parts fall even without wailing or crying.
3
charKh¹ o zamiN meN tauba² ka milta nahiN suraaGh³
haNgaama⁴-e bahaar⁵ o hujoom⁶-e sahaab⁷ meN    1.wheel, sky 2.repentance 3.clue 4.time 5.spring 6.onslaught, crowding 7.clouds
Spring and clouds/rains are considered a time of rejunvenation, joy, romance, and wine drinking. Says momin – during the time of spring and rain clouds, I do not see any sign of repentance anywhere between the sky and earth i.e., no one seems to want to hold back from drinking wine and enjoying life.
4
aye zohra-chehr¹ dushman²-e manhoos³ ko na dekh
naale⁴ baheNge Khoon ke is fatahbaab⁵ meN    1.Venus faced, beautiful, beloved 2.enemy, rival 3.cursed 4.rivers 5.stars, see notes below
momin was not only a highly reputable poet but also a physician/hakim and an astronomer/mathematician. Apparently ‘fatehbaab’ is a confluence of two stars. When they come together, it is supposed to rain. This time the poet/lover is fearful that if a confluence occures, then it will rain blood, not water. He begs the Venus faced beloved not to look at the evil star i.e., the rival, then it will rain blood and cause rivers of blood to flow.
5
itni kadoorat¹ ashk² meN hairaaN³ huN kya kahuN
darya⁴ meN hai saraab⁵ keh darya saraab meN    1.resentment, anguish, malice 2.tears 3.puzzled 4.sea 5.mirage
The imagery is one of tears welling because of anguish. Whose tears? Who feels anguish? The poet leaves it to us to imagine. Suppose this is the beloved. The poet/lover is puzzled. He cannot believe that this is possible. The beloved cannot feel anguish. What he is seeing is a mirage across the desert. He uses ‘kadoorat’-desert sands and mirage-tears as analogies. He is so puzzled that he cannot decide whether he sees a mirage over the sands or sees a desert through the sea of tears.
6
fikr¹-e m’aal² se mai³ o shaahed⁴ rahe aziiz⁵
piiri⁶ meN maut⁷ yaad thi piiri shabaab⁸ meN    1.worry, concern 2.end, result 3.wine 4.beautiful person, beloved 5.loved, desirous 6.old age 7.death 8.youth
The poet/lover was concerned about the “end”. Conventional concern is about judgement, reward, and punishment as the ‘end’. In this case there is a mischievous implication that the concern here is about loss of opportunity to enjoy. In youth he was concerned about impending old age and in old age he was worried about death around the corner. This concern made wine and beloved even more desirous.
7
tum nikle bahr¹-e sair² to niklega mahr³ bhi
hovega ijtemaa⁴ shab⁵-e maahtaab⁶ meN   1.with the intention of, for 2.sight-seeing 3.sun 4.combination of sun and moon 5.night of 6.full moon
The beloved’s beauty is dazzling like the sun. So, if she comes out when the full moon is out at night, it will be as if the sun has risen and there will be an ‘ijtemaa’ – a technical term used in astronomy to indicate the confluence of the sun and moon.
8
Doobi hujoom¹-e ashk² se kishti zamiin ki
maahi³ ko izteraab⁴ hua josh⁵-e aab⁶ meN    1.crowd, onslaught, attack 2.tears 3.fish 4.restlessness 5.passion, boil 6.water
It was believed that the earth is anchored in place by a large fish that swims in an ocean (of space). The poet/lover wept so profusely that the onslaught of tears caused a flood. The fish became restless and caused the boat/earth to sink. I am not sure how meaningful this is, other than to say that the poet/lover is very sad because of unrequited love.
9
khola jo daftar¹-e gila², apna ziyaaN³ kiya
guzri⁴ shab⁵-e visaal⁶ sitam⁷ ke hisaab⁸ meN    1.ledger, account 2.complaints 3.loss 4.passed 5.night of 6.union 7.torture, cruelty 8.counting
The poet/lover has been keeping a ledger of all the complaints he has against the beloved. The list is very long. It was unfortunate that he opened that ledger on the night of union with the beloved. The whole night passed in counting all her cruelties. It is also possible that the moment he opened the ledger of complaints the beloved got so annoyed that she began to abuse him and the whole night was spent counting these new abuses.
10
aye hashr¹ jald² kar tah-o-baala³ jahaan ko
yuN kuchh na ho, umiid⁴ to hai inqelaab⁵ meN   1.doomsday, day of judgement 2.soon 3.turning things upside down 4.hope 5.reversal
The beloved continues to ignore the entreaties of the poet/lover. Nothing is going to happen if it continues like this. The only hope is in complete reversal like might happen due to the tumult of doomsday. Thus, he calls upon doomsday to happen soon.
11
qaatil¹ jafa² se baaz³ na aaya, vafaa⁴ se hum
fitraak⁵ meN jo sar hai to jaaN hai rakaab⁶ meN    1.killer, beloved 2.cruelties 3.hold back 4.fidelity 5. leather strap on the side of the saddle in which prey is carried 6.stirrup
The beloved does not hold back her cruelties and the poet/lover does not hold back his steadfast love. He remains faithful to her. The imagery is that of the beloved out on a hunt, riding her horse. The poet/lover is the prey, she is carrying his head in a pouch/strap hanging by the side of the saddle. His soul rised towards the sky/heaven but stops at the stirrup to hold up her feet i.e., in spite of his head being cut off his vafaa is so strong that his soul rises up to the stirrup and is stuck there.
12
baaziicha¹ kar diya sitam²-e yaar³ o jaur⁴-e charKh⁵
tifli⁶ se GhulGhula⁷ hai mera shaiKh⁸ o shaab⁹ meN    1.playground, plaything 2.cruelty, oppression 3.beloved 4.cruelty 5.sky, fate 6.infancy, childhood 7.tumultous sound of anguish 8.old age 9.youth
The cruelty of the beloved and the injustice of fate have made a plaything of the poet/lover’s life. His life has been an anguished cry from infancy through youth and old age.
13
momin¹ ye aalam² us sanam³-e jaaN-faza⁴ ka hai
dil lag gaya jahaan⁵-e saraasar⁶ Kharaab meN   1.pious person, penname of the poet 2.condition 3.beloved 4.life-giving 5.world 6.end to end
This world is ‘maya’ and is a passing phase. The pious person/preacher is not supposed to get attached to it. But look at the condition of the life-giving beauty of the beloved. Even the preacher has become attached to this world. This is a very mischievous use of the pen-name of the poet. See ‘momin ka taKhallus’ on the page ‘Theme Index’ to enjoy many other similar examples of how momin uses his penname.