eqtedaaar se kya-Ghalib (farsi) shahed (urdu)

For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the “Roman” or “Notes” tab.

اقتدار سے کیا ۔ مرزا اسد اللہ خاں غالب

فارسی ۔ غالب

۱

مرا کہ بادہ ندارم، زِ روزگار چہ حِظ

ترا کہ ہست و نیاشامی، از بہار چہ حِظ

۲

خوش است کوثر و پاک است بادۂ کہ دروست

از آن رحیقِ مقدّس، در ین خمار چہ حِظ

۳

چمن پُر از گُل و نسرین و دِلربائے نے

بدشتِ فتنہ ازین گردِ بے سوار چہ حِظ

۴

بذوقِ بے خبر از در در آمدن محوم

بوعدہ ام چہ نیاز و زِ انتظار چہ حِظ

۵

در آن چہ من نتوانم ز اِختیار چہ سود

بدانچہ دوست نخواہد ز اختیار چہ حِظ

۶

چنیں کہ نخل بلند است و سنگ ناپیدا

ز میوہ تا نفتد خود ز شاخسار چہ حِظ

۷

نہ ہر کہ خونی و رہزن بپایۂ منصور است

بدیں حضیضِ طبیعی ز اوجِ دار چہ حِظ
۸

بہ بندِ زحمتِ فرزند و زن چہ می کُشیم

از یں نخواستہ غمہائے ناگوار چہ حِظ

۹

تو آنی آنکہ نشانی بجائے رضوانم

مرا کہ محوِ خیالم ز کاروبار چہ حِظ

۱۰

بہ عرضِ غصہ نظیریؔ وکیلِ غالبؔ بس

اگر تو نشنوی از نالہ ہائے زار چہ حِظ

اقتدار سے کیا ۔ مرزا اسد اللہ خاں غالب

اُردو ۔ شاہد

۱

ملے شراب نہ مجھ کو تو لطفِ روزگار سے کیا

ہے بے حساب تجھے اور نہ پئے، تو پھر بہار سے کیا

۲

تیری کوثر ہے بہت خوب مگر شراب ہے پاک

طاہر شراب ہو تو پھر اُس کو خمار سے کیا

۳

لہلہائے گُل و نسریں سے چمن، یار ہی جو نہ ہو

دشتِ فتنۂ گُل ہے یہ گردِ بے سوار سے کیا

۴

میں محوِ ذوق ہوں در پر نظر لگی ہے مگر

وعدہ سے بے نیاز ہوں، تو ڈر اِنتظار سے کیا

۵

جو اپنے بس میں نہیں اُس پہ اِختیار کیا معنی

اگر تُو اُس سے نہ راضی ہمارے اِقتدار سے کیا

۶

ہیں بے شمار ثمر، اونچا درخت ہے پتّھر کمیاب

جو خود نہ جھکے شاخسار تو پھر شمار سے کیا

۷

رہزن جو چڑھے دار تو منصور نہیں بن جاتا

جب طبع میں پستی ہو تو پھر اوجِ دار سے کیا

۸

کیوں تو نے مجھے کشمکشِ روزگار سے مارا

آزاد رِند ہوں مجھے اِس بارِ ناگوار سے کیا

۹

ہے تری شان کہ تو رُتبۂ رضواں مجھے دے دے

محوِ خیال و فکر ہوں اِس کاروبار سے کیا

۱۰

ہے خوب رنج و غم میں نظیریؔ نے یہ کہا غالبؔ

اگر سنے نہ یار جو نالہ تو زار زار سے کیا

एक़्तेदार से क्या – मिर्ज़ा असदुल्लाह ख़ां ग़ालेब

फ़ार्सी – ग़ालेब

उर्दू तर्जुमा – शाहेद

मिले शराब न मुझ को तो लुत्फ़-ए रोज़्गार से क्या

है बे-हिसाब तुझे और न पिए, तो फिर बहार से क्या

तेरी कौसर है बहुत ख़ूब मगर शराब है पाक

ताहेर शराब हो तो फिर उस को ख़ुमार से क्या

लहलहाए गुल ओ नस्रीं से चमन यार ही जो न हो

दश्त-ए फ़ित्ना-ए गुल है ये गर्द-ए बे-सवार से क्या

मैं महव-ए ज़ौक़ हुं दर पर नज़र लगी है मगर

वादे से बेनियाज़ हुं तो डर इन्तेज़ार से क्या

जो अपने बस में नहीं, उल पे एख़्तियार क्या मुआनी

अगर तु उस से न राज़ी हमारे एक़्तेदार से क्या

हैं बेशुमार समर, ऊंचा दरख़्त, है पत्थर कम्याब

जो ख़ुद न झुके शाख़्सार तो फिर शुमार से क्या

रहज़न जो चढ़े दार तो मन्सूर नहीं बन जाता

जब तबअ में पस्ती है तो फिर औज-ए दार से क्या

क्यूं तू ने मुझे कश्मकश-ए रोज़गार से मारा

आज़ाद रिन्द हूं मुझे इस बार-ए नागवार से क्या

है तेरी शान के तू रुत्बा-ए रिज़्वां मुझे दे दे

महव-ए ख़याल ओ फ़िक्र हुं इस कारोबार से क्या

१०

है ख़ूब रंज ओ ग़म में नज़ीरी ने ये कहा ग़ालेब

अगर सुने न यार जो नाला तो ज़ार ज़ार से क्या

 

Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. mirza asadullah KhaaN Ghalib (1797-1869), bard par excellence, thought that his faarsi kalaam was much superior to his urdu verse. This is one of his faarsi Ghazal, rendered in urdu Ghazal format. This is a Ghazal of continuous theme starting out making fun of conventional concepts of free will, reward and punishment.
1
mile sharaab na mujh ko to lutf1-e rozgaar2 se kya
hai be-hisaab3 tujhe aur na piye, to phir bahaar se kya   
1.pleasure 2.daily life 3.plentiful
If I don’t get wine, where is the pleasure in living. You (god in his heaven) have plentiful, yet you don’t drink, how can you celebrate (spring).

2
teri kausar1 hai bahut Khoob2 magar sharaab hai paak3
taahir4 sharaab ho to phir us ko Khumaar5 se kya   
1.river in paradise 2.good 3.unblemished 4.cleansing, puifying 5.intoxication
The rivers (of wine) in heaven are great but their wine is unblemished/holy. If wine is meant for cleansing of what use is it for intoxication.

3
lahlahaaye1 gul-o-nasriN2 se chaman yaar3 hi jo na ho
dasht4-e fitna-e-gul5 hai ye gard6-e be-savaar7 se kya
1.swaying like waves 2.rose and jasmine 3.beloved 4.desert, wilderness 5.mischief/illusion of flowers 6.dust 7.riderless horse
The garden looks like a sea of flowers waving in the breeze, but without the beloved it is merely an illusion. Waving flowers are like dust kicked up by a riderless horse.

4
maiN mahv1-e zauq2 huN dar3 par nazar lagi hai magar
vaade4 se be-niaaz5 huN, to Dar intezaar6 se kya   
1.engrossed 2.desire 3.door 4.promise 5.unmindful 6.anticipation, waiting
The beloved has promised that she will come and the poet/lover has his eyes gazing at the door engrossed in his desire. But he knows full well that she will not keep her promise. But he is unmindful of that, knows that his anticipation is of no use, but still waits.

5
jo apne bas1 meN nahiN, us pe eKhtiyaar2 kya m’aani
agar tu us se na raazi3, hamaare eqtedaar4 se kya   
1.power, control 2.permission 3.agree, permit 4.capability
You give us permission to do that which we cannot do (do not enjoy doing). You give us capability/power to do things (that we enjoy doing) that you do not permit us to do.

6
haiN be-shumaar1 samar2, ooNcha darKht3 hai patthar kamyaab4
jo Khud na jhuke shaaKhsaar5 to phir shumaar6 se kya   
1.countless 2.fruit 3.tree 4.rare, few 5.branch 6.count
Fruit is plentiful, but the tree is tall and we don’t have any rocks to throw. Unless the bough bends down by itself, what is the use of these numerous fruit i.e. your blessings/gifts are plentiful and all around but we don’t have access to them. What is the use.

7
rahzan1 jo chaRhe daar2 to mansur3 nahiN ban jaata
jab tab’a4 meN pasti5 hai to phir auj6-e daar2 se kya   
1.condemned criminal 2.gallows 3.mansur-al-hallaj 4.nature, character 5.low, mean 6.height, dignity
mansur-al-hallaj was a sufi scholar who was condemned to death. He was offered a chance to recant his teachings. He refused and chose to die. He is used in urdu poetry as a symbol of courage/defiance/dignity. Thus any criminal who ascends the hangman’s platform (like mansur did) does not become mansur. If the character is mean then the height of the gallows cannot impart dignity. Also see mir anis, qudrati Khoobi, ‘phoolauN pe koii itr lagaae to hai bekaar’.

8
kyuN tu ne mujhe kashmakash1-e rozgaar2 se maara
aazad rind3 huN mujhe is baar4-e naagavaar5 se kya   
1.struggle 2.dailing living 3.wine drinker 4.burden 5.unpleasant
Why are you killing me with the struggle of making a living. I am a free spirit, what do I have to do with unpleasant tasks like this.

9
hai teri shaan1 ke tu rutba2-e rizvaaN3 mujhe de de
mahv4-e Khayaal o fikr5 huN is kaarobaar se kya   
1.glory 2.status 3.angel – gatekeeper of paradise 4.engrossed 5.thought
If you make me the gatekeeper of heaven then it will be for your glory. I am a thoughtful person. What do I have to do with mundane tasks like deciding who goes to heaven and who does not. I don’t really want this job.

10
hai Khoob1 ranj o Gham meN naziri2 ne ye kaha Ghalib
agar sune na yaar3 jo naala, to zaar-zaar4 se kya   
1.well 2.faarsi classical poet 3.beloved, god 4.wailing loudly
O, Ghaib, naziri in extreme anguish has said it very well, ‘if the beloved/god does not listen, what is the use of wailing’.

1
Without wine to drink, pleasure of living is of no use
You have plenty but don’t drink, the joy of spring of no use
2
The river in your heaven is great and its wine is sacred
Sanctity makes it flat, for the joy of inebriation it is of no use
3
A sea of flowers waving in the breeze, but without her
False hope, like dust raised by a riderless horse, of no use
4
Engrossed in anticipation of her coming, I gaze at the door
Unmindful of false promises, my long wait, of no use
5
You give us permission to do that which we cannot
And displeased with what we can, free will, of no use
6
Plentiful fruit beyond reach not even rocks to throw
If the bough does not bend low, abundance, of no use
7
Ascending the hangman’s platform make you not mansur
For a base nature, noble heights of a platform, of no use
8
Why do you kill me with the struggle to make a living
I am a free spirit, this unwanted burden is of no use
9
It is your privilege, you can make me gatekeeper of paradise
Deep in sublime thought, such meaningless tasks, of no use
10
From the depths of sorrow, naziri said it well, O Ghalib
If the beloved does not hear, then lamentation, of no use

mirza asadullah KhaaN Ghalib (1797-1869), bard par excellence, thought that his faarsi kalaam was much superior to his urdu verse.  This is one of his faarsi Ghazal, rendered in urdu Ghazal format.  This is a Ghazal of continuous theme starting out making fun of conventional concepts of free will, reward and punishment.
1
mile sharaab na mujh ko to lutf1-e rozgaar2 se kya
hai be-hisaab3 tujhe aur na piye, to phir bahaar se kya

1.pleasure 2.daily life 3.plentiful

If I don’t get wine, where is the pleasure in living.  You (god in his heaven) have plentiful, yet you don’t drink, how can you celebrate (spring).
2
teri kausar1 hai bahut Khoob2 magar sharaab hai paak3
taahir4 sharaab ho to phir us ko Khumaar5 se kya

1.river in paradise 2.good 3.unblemished 4.cleansing, puifying 5.intoxication

The rivers (of wine) in heaven are great but their wine is unblemished/holy.  If wine is meant for cleansing of what use is it for intoxication.
3
lahlahaaye1 gul-o-nasriN2 se chaman yaar3 hi jo na ho
dasht4-e fitna-e-gul5 hai ye gard6-e be-savaar7 se kya

1.swaying like waves 2.rose and jasmine 3.beloved 4.desert, wilderness 5.mischief/illusion of flowers 6.dust 7.riderless horse

The garden looks like a sea of flowers waving in the breeze, but without the beloved it is merely an illusion.  Waving flowers are like dust kicked up by a riderless horse.
4
maiN mahv1-e zauq2 huN dar3 par nazar lagi hai magar
vaade4 se be-niaaz5 huN, to Dar intezaar6 se kya

1.engrossed 2.desire 3.door 4.promise 5.unmindful 6.anticipation, waiting

The beloved has promised that she will come and the poet/lover has his eyes gazing at the door engrossed in his desire.  But he knows full well that she will not keep her promise.  But he is unmindful of that, knows that his anticipation is of no use, but still waits.
5
jo apne bas1 meN nahiN, us pe eKhtiyaar2 kya m’aani
agar tu us se na raazi3, hamaare eqtedaar4 se kya

1.power, control 2.permission 3.agree, permit 4.capability

You give us permission to do that which we cannot do (do not enjoy doing).  You give us capability/power to do things (that we enjoy doing) that you do not permit us to do.
6
haiN be-shumaar1 samar2, ooNcha darKht3 hai patthar kamyaab4
jo Khud na jhuke shaaKhsaar5 to phir shumaar6 se kya

1.countless 2.fruit 3.tree 4.rare, few 5.branch 6.count

Fruit is plentiful, but the tree is tall and we don’t have any rocks to throw.  Unless the bough bends down by itself, what is the use of these numerous fruit i.e. your blessings/gifts are plentiful and all around but we don’t have access to them.  What is the use.
7
rahzan1 jo chaRhe daar2 to mansur3 nahiN ban jaata
jab tab’a4 meN pasti5 hai to phir auj6-e daar2 se kya

1.condemned criminal 2.gallows 3.mansur-al-hallaj 4.nature, character 5.low, mean 6.height, dignity

mansur-al-hallaj was a sufi scholar who was condemned to death.  He was offered a chance to recant his teachings.  He refused and chose to die.  He is used in urdu poetry as a symbol of courage/defiance/dignity.  Thus any criminal who ascends the hangman’s platform (like mansur did) does not become mansur.  If the character is mean then the height of the gallows cannot impart dignity.  Also see mir anis, qudrati Khoobi, ‘phoolauN pe koii itr lagaae to hai bekaar’.
8
kyuN tu ne mujhe kashmakash1-e rozgaar2 se maara
aazad rind3 huN mujhe is baar4-e naagavaar5 se kya

1.struggle 2.dailing living 3.wine drinker 4.burden 5.unpleasant

Why are you killing me with the struggle of making a living.  I am a free spirit, what do I have to do with unpleasant tasks like this.
9
hai teri shaan1 ke tu rutba2-e rizvaaN3 mujhe de de
mahv4-e Khayaal o fikr5 huN is kaarobaar se kya

1.glory 2.status 3.angel – gatekeeper of paradise 4.engrossed 5.thought

If you make me the gatekeeper of heaven then it will be for your glory.  I am a thoughtful person.  What do I have to do with mundane tasks like deciding who goes to heaven and who does not.  I don’t really want this job.
10
hai Khoob1 ranj o Gham meN naziri2 ne ye kaha Ghalib
agar sune na yaar3 jo naala, to zaar-zaar4 se kya

1.well 2.faarsi classical poet 3.beloved, god 4.wailing loudly

O, Ghaib, naziri in extreme anguish has said it very well, ‘if the beloved/god does not listen, what is the use of wailing’.

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