For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
دیدہ ور ملے ۔ حبیب جالبؔ
۱
حسرت رہی کوئی تو یہاں دیدہ ور ملے
لیکن تری گلی میں سبھی کم نظر ملے
۲
ایسے بھی آشنا ہیں نہ دیکھا جنہیں کبھی
نا آشنا تھے وہ بھی جو شام و سحر ملے
۳
شاید اِسی لئے ہمیں منزل نہ مل سکی
جتنے بھی ہم کو لوگ ملے راہبر ملے
۴
لکھی تھیں جن پہ اپنے جنوں کی حکایتیں
آوارگی میں ایسے بھی کم بام و در ملے
۵
کیا کیا نظر نظر میں ہوئی گفتگو نہ پوچھ
مُدّت کے بعد جب وہ سرِ رہ گزر ملے
۶
ہم کو تو داغِ دل کے سوا کچھ نہ مل سکا
اِن بستیوں میں پیار کسی کو مگر ملے
۷
جالبؔ ہوائے لعل و گہر تھی نہ آج ہے
وہ سنگِ در عزیز ہے وہ سنگِ در ملے
दीदा-वर मिले – हबीब जालिब
१
हस्रत रही कोई तो यहां दीदा-वर मिले
लैकिन तेरी गली में सभी कम-नज़र मिले
२
ऐसे भी आश्ना हैं न देखा जिन्हें कभी
ना-आश्ना थे वो भी जो शाम ओ सहर मिले
३
शा’एद इसी लिये हमें मंज़िल न मिल सकी
जितने भी हम को लोग मिले राहबर मिले
४
लिक्खी थी जिन पे अपने जुनूं की हिका’एतें
आवारगी में ऐसे भी कम बाम-ओ-दर मिले
५
क्या क्या नज़र नज़र में हुई गुफ़्तगू न पूछ
मुद्दत के बा’द जब वो सर-ए रहगुज़र मिले
६
हम को तो दाग़-ए दिल के सिवा कुछ न मिल सका
इन बस्तियौं में प्यार किसी को मगर मिले
७
जालिब हवा-ए लाल ओ गोहर थी न आज है
वो संग-ए दर अज़ीज़ है वो स़ग-ए दर मिले
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. habib jaalib (1929-1993), people’s poet. Wrote and spoke/recited fearlessly against dictatorship, inequality and injustice in simple straightforward language. Much of his composition in the form for fiery nazm. Sometimes he ventures into Ghazal with beautiful results, like this one (still politically loaded).
1
hasrat1 rahi koii to yahaaN diida-var2 mile
laikin teri gali meN sabhi kam-nazar3 mile 1.yearning 2.discriminating eye, far-sighted 3.narrow-minded, short-sighted
Here ‘teri gali’ is the beloved’s street where the beloved can also be the homeland. The poet/activist longs for far-sighted leadership but all he gets is short-sighted, narrow-minded people.
2
aise bhi aashna1 haiN na dekha jinheN kabhi
na-aashna2 the vo bhi jo shaam-o-sahar3 mile 1.familiar, friend 2.stranger, unfamiliar 3.day and night, every day
There are those who the poet/activist has never met, but they are like-minded, sympathetic, friendly. And then there are those who meet every day and yet are strangers. This could be because they have airs or because their philosophy is fundamentally different.
3
shaa’ed isi liye hameN manzil na mil saki
jitne bhi ham ko log mile raahbar mile 1.perhaps 2.destination 3.guide, leader (used here sarcastically)
Perhaps we have not reached our destination yet because whoever I meet pretends to know the way, wants to be a guide/leader and end up misleading people.
4
likkhi thi jin pe apne junooN1 ki hikaa’eteN2
aavaaragi3 meN aise bhi kam baam-o-dar4 mile 1.madness, passion 2.stories 3.wandering 4.roof and doors (see note below)
‘baam-o-dar’, literally meaning roof and doors can be used for home, building and as here to mean institutions, societies, gathering. Thus, the poet/activist is passionate about social justice. But this story does not appear in, is not a part of any institution.
5
kya kya nazar-nazar1 meN hui guftagu2 na poochh
muddat3 ke baa’d jab vo sar4-e rahguzar5 mile 1.eye to eye 2.conversation 3.long time 4.at the head of, open 5.path
This could be the long estranged beloved who suddenly the poet comes across on the road. Their eyes meet and they exchange thoughts/memories without saying a word.
6
hum ko to daaGh-e dil ke siva kuchh na mil saka
in bastiyoN meN pyaar kisi ko magar mile 1.wound 2.except for
The poet did not get anything except a wounded heart, disappointment, unfulfilled dreams, but he hopes that at least someone in this neighbourhood (homeland) receives the love they deserve. He wishes them well like sahir ludhianavi 6-jab javaan hoN bachche to qatl ho jaayeN, a section of his long nazm parchhaaiyaaN …
hameN to kashmakash-e marg-e be amaaN hi mili
inheN to jhoomti gaati hayaat mil jaaye
… quite unlike the callous she’r of mir osman ali KhaaN …
mujh ko kya faa’eda gar koii raha mere b’aad
saari maKhlooq balaa se ho fanaa mere b’aad
7
jaalib1 havaa-e l’aal-o-guhar2 thi na aaj hai
vo saNg-e-dar3 aziiz4 hai vo saNg-e-dar mile 1.pen-name of poet 2.rubies and pearls 3.threshold 4.loved, desired
O jalib, the promise of pearls and rubies was always an empty promise. It never was nor will it ever be. What I always desired/wanted was that threshold, may I get that. The here threshold is the house of the beloved with the beloved being social justice.
habib jaalib (1929-1993), people’s poet. Wrote and spoke/recited fearlessly against dictatorship, inequality and injustice in simple straightforward language. Much of his composition in the form for fiery nazm. Sometimes he ventures into Ghazal with beautiful results, like this one (still politically loaded).
1
hasrat1 rahi koii to yahaaN diida-var2 mile
laikin teri gali meN sabhi kam-nazar3 mile
1.yearning 2.discriminating eye, far-sighted 3.narrow-minded, short-sighted
Here ‘teri gali’ is the beloved’s street where the beloved can also be the homeland. The poet/activist longs for far-sighted leadership but all he gets is short-sighted, narrow-minded people.
2
aise bhi aashna1 haiN na dekha jinheN kabhi
na-aashna2 the vo bhi jo shaam-o-sahar3 mile
1.familiar, friend 2.stranger, unfamiliar 3.day and night, every day
There are those who the poet/activist has never met, but they are like-minded, sympathetic, friendly. And then there are those who meet every day and yet are strangers. This could be because they have airs or because their philosophy is fundamentally different.
3
shaa’ed isi liye hameN manzil na mil saki
jitne bhi ham ko log mile raahbar mile
1.perhaps 2.destination 3.guide, leader (used here sarcastically)
Perhaps we have not reached our destination yet because whoever I meet pretends to know the way, wants to be a guide/leader and end up misleading people.
4
likkhi thi jin pe apne junooN1 ki hikaa’eteN2
aavaaragi3 meN aise bhi kam baam-o-dar4 mile
1.madness, passion 2.stories 3.wandering 4.roof and doors (see note below)
‘baam-o-dar’, literally meaning roof and doors can be used for home, building and as here to mean institutions, societies, gathering. Thus, the poet/activist is passionate about social justice. But this story does not appear in, is not a part of any institution.
5
kya kya nazar-nazar1 meN hui guftagu2 na poochh
muddat3 ke baa’d jab vo sar4-e rahguzar5 mile
1.eye to eye 2.conversation 3.long time 4.at the head of, open 5.path
This could be the long estranged beloved who suddenly the poet comes across on the road. Their eyes meet and they exchange thoughts/memories without saying a word.
6
hum ko to daaGh-e dil ke siva kuchh na mil saka
in bastiyoN meN pyaar kisi ko magar mile
1.wound 2.except for
The poet did not get anything except a wounded heart, disappointment, unfulfilled dreams, but he hopes that at least someone in this neighbourhood (homeland) receives the love they deserve. He wishes them well like sahir ludhianavi 6-jab javaan hoN bachche to qatl ho jaayeN, a section of his long nazm parchhaaiyaaN …
hameN to kashmakash-e marg-e be amaaN hi mili
inheN to jhoomti gaati hayaat mil jaaye
… quite unlike the callous she’r of mir osman ali KhaaN …
mujh ko kya faa’eda gar koii raha mere b’aad
saari maKhlooq balaa se ho fanaa mere b’aad
7
jaalib1 havaa-e l’aal-o-guhar2 thi na aaj hai
vo saNg-e-dar3 aziiz4 hai vo saNg-e-dar mile
1.pen-name of poet 2.rubies and pearls 3.threshold 4.loved, desired
O jalib, the promise of pearls and rubies was always an empty promise. It never was nor will it ever be. What I always desired/wanted was that threshold, may I get that. The here threshold is the house of the beloved with the beloved being social justice.
