For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the “English” or “Notes” tab.
Recitation
shabnam majeed
talat mahmood
mehdi hasan
زندگانی اور ہے ۔ مرزا غالبؔ
۱
کوئی دن گر زندگانی اور ہے
اپنے جی میں ہم نے ٹھانی اور ہے
۲
آتشِ دوزخ میں یہ گرمی کہاں
سوزِ غمہائے نہانی اور ہے
۳
بار ہا دیکھی ہیں ان کی رنجشیں
پر کچھ اب کے سر گرانی اور ہے
۴
دے کے خط منہ دیکھتا ہے نامہ بر
کچھ تو پیغامِ زبانی اور ہے
۵
قاطعِ اعمار ہیں اکثر نجوم
وہ بلائے آسمانی اور ہے
۶
ہو چکیں غالب بلائیں سب تمام
ایک مرگِ ناگہانی اور ہے
ज़िंदगानी और है – मिर्ज़ा ग़ालिब
१
कोई दिन गर ज़िंदगानी और है
अपने जी में हम ने ठानी और है
२
आतिश-ए दोज़ख़ में ये गर्मी कहाँ
सोज़-ए ग़म्हा-ए निहानी और है
३
बार‐हा देखी हैं उन की रंजिशें
पर कुछ अब के सर-गिरानी और है
४
दे के ख़त मुंह देखता है नामा-बर
कुछ तो पैग़ाम-ए ज़बानी और है
५
क़ाता-ए आमार हैं अकसर नुजूम
वो बला-ए आस्मानी और है
६
हो चुकीं ग़ालिब बलाएं सब तमाम
एक मरग-ए नागहानी और है
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. mirza asadullah KhaaN Ghalib (1797-1869). I dare not write any introduction. On more than one occasion Ghalib has warned his readers that he needs no introduction or even address. I humbly comply. badri raina, retired professor of English, dehli University, poet, writer, columnist has translated several Ghalib Ghazal and published them as a book.
1
koii1 din gar zindagaani aur hai
apne ji meN ham ne Thaani2 aur hai 1.another, a few more 2.decided
Should I live for another few days, I have decided something else for my life. What that something else is, is left to the audience to conjure up. Ghalib only states that he has not been happy with what he has received in this life. And then, ‘Thaani aur hai’ can imply a challenge, just wait and see what I am planning to do.
2
aatish1-e dozaKh meN ye garmi kahaaN
soz2-e Ghamhaa3-e nihaani4 aur hai 1.fire 2.burning 3.sorrows, desires 4.hidden
The fire of hell does not have this intensity. The heat of the hidden fires of desire in my heart is something else.
3
baar-haa1 dekhi haiN un ki ranjisheN2
par kuchh ab ke sar-giraani3 aur hai 1.many times 2.annoyances, vexations 3.anger
The poet/lover has experienced her annoyance many times in the past. But this time her anger is ‘something else’.
4
de ke Khat muNh dekhta hai naamah-bar1
kuchh to paiGhaam2-e zabaani3 aur hai 1.messenger 2.message 3.oral
The messenger has delivered the beloved’s answering letter and is standing around looking uncertainly at the poet/lover. It appears that he has a further oral message to deliver. Is the oral addendum pleasant? That is left to the audience … but there is a strong implication that it is not.
5
qaat’a1-e a’maar2 haiN aksar3 nujoom4
vo balaa5-e aasmaani6 aur hai 1.cut off, cut short 2.lives, life-span 3.often 4.stars 5.calamities 6.celestial
You may consult the stars/astronomer but be prepared for the celestial calamity … stars often cut short your life span. But ‘aasmaan’, sky, is also often used as ‘cruel fate’. But ‘that cruel fate’ is something else. What is that cruel fate – the cruelty of the beloved.
6
ho chukiN Ghaalib balaa’eN1 sab tamaam
ek marg2-e naagahaani3 aur hai 1.calamities 2.death 3.sudden, unforeseen
You have faced many calamities O Ghalib. That count is all exhausted/finished but there is one left … unforeseen death. It is also implied that he is prepared for it, for it cannot be any worse that what he has already undergone.
mirza asadullah KhaaN Ghalib (1797-1869). I dare not write any introduction. On more than one occasion Ghalib has warned his readers that he needs no introduction or even address. I humbly comply. badri raina, retired professor of English, dehli University, poet, writer, columnist has translated several Ghalib Ghazal and published them as a book.
1
koii1 din gar zindagaani aur hai
apne ji meN ham ne Thaani2 aur hai
1.another, a few more 2.decided
Should I live for another few days, I have decided something else for my life. What that something else is, is left to the audience to conjure up. Ghalib only states that he has not been happy with what he has received in this life. And then, ‘Thaani aur hai’ can imply a challenge, just wait and see what I am planning to do.
2
aatish1-e dozaKh meN ye garmi kahaaN
soz2-e Ghamhaa3-e nihaani4 aur hai
1.fire 2.burning 3.sorrows, desires 4.hidden
The fire of hell does not have this intensity. The heat of the hidden fires of desire in my heart is something else.
3
baar-haa1 dekhi haiN un ki ranjisheN2
par kuchh ab ke sar-giraani3 aur hai
1.many times 2.annoyances, vexations 3.anger
The poet/lover has experienced her annoyance many times in the past. But this time her anger is ‘something else’.
4
de ke Khat muNh dekhta hai naamah-bar1
kuchh to paiGhaam2-e zabaani3 aur hai
1.messenger 2.message 3.oral
The messenger has delivered the beloved’s answering letter and is standing around looking uncertainly at the poet/lover. It appears that he has a further oral message to deliver. Is the oral addendum pleasant? That is left to the audience … but there is a strong implication that it is not.
5
qaat’a1-e a’maar2 haiN aksar3 nujoom4
vo balaa5-e aasmaani6 aur hai
1.cut off, cut short 2.lives, life-span 3.often 4.stars 5.calamities 6.celestial
You may consult the stars/astronomer but be prepared for the celestial calamity … stars often cut short your life span. But ‘aasmaan’, sky, is also often used as ‘cruel fate’. But ‘that cruel fate’ is something else. What is that cruel fate – the cruelty of the beloved.
6
ho chukiN Ghaalib balaa’eN1 sab tamaam
ek marg2-e naagahaani3 aur hai
1.calamities 2.death 3.sudden, unforeseen
You have faced many calamities O Ghalib. That count is all exhausted/finished but there is one left … unforeseen death. It is also implied that he is prepared for it, for it cannot be any worse that what he has already undergone.
Key Search Words:
raina’a Ghalib
1
Should I be destined to survive some more
My heart is set on remedies untried before
2
Infernal hell but coldly compares
My smouldering passion, my scalding tears
4
Her note delivered, the messenger stares
Afraid to speak the word his visage bears
5
How tempting it is to tell mysterious fate,
Except that dissolute death ensues from such a state.
6
Your trials over, Ghalib, now brace your breath
To prepare for the final trial of sudden death
Excellent
thanks,
1. who is Raina on your site? we a have a poet Arvind Raina in Kuwait?
2. I understood the real meaning of the poetry for the first time. really enjoyed.
3. Shabnam Majeed left two couplets ? is it intentional or time constraints?
overall: 9/10, really enjoying the website.
Badri Raina, a good friend, retired professor of English, dehli university.
Glad that the explanation helped.
Time constraints, perhaps. Don’t really know.