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 themes with much witticism on his taKhallus. Ghalib’s Ghazal, “be-sabab hua Ghalib dushman aasmaaN apna” is definitively dated at 1848. Considering the lifespans of the two poets, it is likely that they composed this Ghazal for the same tarahi mushaa’era.
1
kya hua, hua gar¹ vo baad-e imtehaaN² apna
be-gunah³ saza⁴ paaye ab vo dil kahaaN apna    1.if 2.test 3.blameless, innocent 4.punishment
The beloved tests the fidelity of potential admirers before even considering them for her ‘short list’. The mode of this test is to subject them to torture. The poet/lover might lose interest at the end of his test … (a) he might lose interest because of the cruelty/insincerity of the test (b) because he has lost all strength after having been subjected to torture (c) because he has gotten old while waiting (the beloved remains young forever). In any case, what is the use if I win her heart after she has subjected me to a test. My heart no longer has the strength to bear punishment without any fault.
2
roz ka bigaaR¹ aaKhir², jaan-par-bana-dega³
un ko shauq⁴-e aaraa’esh⁵, dil hai badgumaaN⁶ apna    1.differences 2.at last 3.become a mortal threat 4.wish, desire, taste 5.self-adornment 6.suspicious
The beloved spends inordinate amounts of time adorning herself. The poet/lover is naturally jealous and suspicious that she is adorning herself for the rival. He fears that this difference will at last become a mortal threat to him.
3
Khaar-o-Khas¹ meN gulshan² ke, buu³-e gul⁴ jo aati hai
rashk⁵ se kiya barbaad⁶, aap⁷ aashiyaaN⁸ apna    1.dry leaves, straw and thorns 2.garden 3.fragrance 4.rose 5.envy, but also spite, revenge 6.destroy 7.self, myself 8.nest
The poet is portrayed as a bird – more specifically as a bulbul. The rose and the bulbul are traditional lovers in urdu poetry. The poet/bird has built its nest using leaves and straw from the garden but in it there lingers the fragrance of the rose – which wilted and shed its petals. He is vengeful at ‘nature’ which has separated him from his love and in spiteful anger he destroys his own nest.
4
dashna¹ chhiin lega kya, ham-nashiiN² shab³-e furqat⁴
aap jab nahiN apne, kaun meri jaaN apna    1.dagger 2.friend 3.night of 4.separation (from the beloved)
During the “night of separation” the poet/lover is so distraught that it is as if he has no life, or does not value his life. “Night of separation” is not to be interpreted as one night … but as long as separation lasts. It is always ‘night’ during separation. Thus, if he is separated/rejected, if she does not favour him, then he has no life – life is not worth living. In such a case, what can a dagger take from him. Not his life – because he does not have any/does not value it.
5
baad muddat¹ us koo² se phire³ yuN taNg⁴ aa kar
jaa’e-jaa’e⁵ phirte haiN, poochhte makaaN apna    1.long time 2.short for koocha – lane 3.returned, turned away 4.tired, disgusted 5.place to place
The poet/lover has spent a long time (a lifetime) in the beloved’s street, to no avail. Finally, tired and disgusted, he comes away. But it has been so long, that he has forgotten where he himself lives. So his going from place to place, asking people his own house/address. Ghalib has a different take …
chhoRa na rashk ne keh tere ghar ka naam luN
har ek se poochhta huN keh jaauN kidhar ko maiN
6
sabr¹ baad-e aasaa’esh² is qalaq³ pe mushkil hai
aish⁴-e jaavedaaN⁵ nikla, ranj⁶-e jaavedaaN⁵ apna 1.patience, forbearance 2.comfort, pleasure 3.sorrow 4.luxury 5.eternal, long-lasting 6.sorrow, pain
The poet/lover is talking about the pain of separation/rejection. If he had received favours from the beloved followed by rejection, then the pain would have been unbearable. But since she has always ignored him, he has gotten used to long-lasting pain. So used to it, the he considers it a luxury. Said Ghalib …
ranj se Khuu-gar huaa insaaN to miT jaataa hai ranj
mushkileN mujh par paRiiN itnii kih aasaaN ho gaiiN
7
ishq¹-e but² meN Khud ab to, darKhur³-e parastish⁴ haiN
naam ho gaya itna, gum⁵ kiya nishaaN⁶ apna   1.love 2.idol, beloved 3.deserving of 4.worship, respect 5.lost, erased 6.mark, identity
Engrossed in the love of the beloved, the poet/lover has forgotten himself, erased his own identity so much so that his reputation has spread and he himself has become deserving of respect.
8
dil ke lene tak hai bas, aap ki Kharidaari¹
kyuN kareN vo sauda² hum, jis meN ho ziyaaN³ apna 1.interest in purchasing/obtaining 2.trade 3.loss
The beloved is known to collect admirers and keep them dangling. Her interest in showing favours lasts only until she has captivated the poet/lover’s heart. After that, he spends a lifetime being tortured. He seems to have gotten a bit wiser – why should I do a trade in which all I get is loss.
9
dil ki beqaraari¹ se har tapish² zamiiN farsaa³
bahr⁴-e Khirman⁵-e garduuN⁶, sho’la⁷ hai fuGhaaN⁸ apna   1.restlessness, pain 2.agitation, affliction 3.erasing, obliterating 4.for, towards 5.harvest 6.sky 7.flame 8.wail, lamentation
The restlessness and the pain the heart of the poet/lover is so intense that it destroys the earth. His lamentation is so strong that it rises as a flame setting fire to the “harvest of the sky” i.e., to the stars.
10
dekhiye pas¹-e murdan² haal³-e jism-o-jaaN⁴ kya ho
mudda’ii⁵ zamiiN apni, dushman aasmaaN apna    1.behind, after 2.death 3.condition 4.body and soul 5.d’aava karne vaala – laying claim to
It remains to be seen what will happen to my body and soul after death. The earth lays claim to me and the sky/fate is my sworn enemy.
11
dair¹ o kaa’ba² yaksaaN³ haiN, aashiqoN⁴ ko aye momin⁵
ho rahe vahiiN ke hum, jii laga jahaaN apna    1.temple 2.mosque 3.similar, same 4.lovers, devotees 5.pen-name of the poet
There is no difference between temple and mosque for true lovers/devotees, O momin. Wherever our takes us, that is where we belong.