For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
اے خدا نہ مانگ ۔ مرزا اسداللہ خاں غالبؔ
١
گر تجھ کو ہے یقینِ اجابت دعا نہ مانگ
یعنی بغیرِ یک دلِ بے مدّعا نہ مانگ
٢
اے آرزو! شہیدِ وفا! خوں بہا نہ مانگ
جُز بہرِ دست و بازوئے قاتل، دعا نہ مانگ
۳
گستاخیِ وصال ہے مَشّاطۂ نیاز
یعنی، دعا بجز خمِ زلفِ دوتا نہ مانگ
۴
برہم ہے بزمِ غنچہ بہ یک جنبشِ نشاط
کاشانہ بس کہ تنگ ہے، غافل ہوا نہ مانگ
۵
عیسیٰ طلسمِ حسنِ تغافل ہے زینہار
جز پشتِ چشم، نسخۂ عرضِ دوا نہ مانگ
۶
میں دورِ گردِ عرضِ رُسومِ نیاز ہوں
دشمن سمجھ، ولے نگہِ آشنا نہ مانگ
۷
نظّارہ دیگر و دلِ خونیں نفس دگر
آئینہ دیکھ، جوہرِ برگِ حِنا نہ مانگ
۸
آتا ہے داغِ حسرتِ دل کا شمار یاد
مجھ سے مرے گناہ کا حساب اۓ خدا نہ مانگ
۹
یک بخت اوج، نذرِ سبُک باریِ اسدؔ
سر پر وبالِ سایۂ بالِ ہُما نہ مانگ
अए ख़ुदा न मांग-मिर्ज़ा असद-उल-लाह ख़ां ग़ालिब
१
गर तुझ को है यक़ीन-ए इजाबत दुआ न मांग
यानी बग़ैर-ए यक दिल-ए बे-मुद्दआ न मांग
२
अए आर्ज़ू! शहीद-ए वफ़ा! ख़ूं बहा न मांग
जुज़ बहर-ए दस्त-ए बाज़ू-ए क़ातिल, दुआ न मांग
३
गुस्ताख़ी-ए विसाल है मश्शाता-ए नियाज़
यानी दुआ बजुज़ ख़म-ए ज़ुल्फ़-ए दो-ता न मांग
४
बरहम है बज़्म-ए ग़ुंचा ब-यक जुंबिश-ए निशात
काशाना बस-के तंग है, ग़ाफ़िल हवा न मांग
५
ईसा तिलस्म-ए हुस्न-ए तग़ाफ़ुल है ज़ीनहार
जुज़ पुश्त-ए चश्म, नुस्ख़ा-ए अर्ज़-ए दवा न मांग
६
मैं दूर-ए गर्द-ए अर्ज़ रुसूम-नियाज़ हूं
दुश्मन समझ, वले निगह-ए आश्ना न मांग
७
नज़्ज़ारा दीगर ओ दिल-ए ख़ूनीं नफ़स दिगर
आईना देख, जौहर-ए बर्ग-ए हिना न मांग
८
आता है दाग़-ए हसरत-ए दिल का शुमार याद
मुझ से मिरे गुनह का हिसाब अय ख़ुदा न मांग
९
यक बख़्त औज, नज़्र-ए सुबुक-बारी-ए असद
सर पर वबाल-ए साया-ए बाल-ए हुमा न मांग
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 an address. I humbly comply. badri raina, retired professor of English, dehli university, poet, writer, columnist and a dear friend has translated several Ghalib Ghazal and published them as a book. This Ghazal is dated 1816 when Ghalib was a mere 19 year old and was in a phase in which he wrote very abstract verse. In his later diivaan he de-selected many ash’aar from this Ghazal. This is the complete version taken from ‘nusKha-e raza’ compiled by kalidaas gupta raza and confirmed by reference to ‘nusKha-e hamiidiya’.
1
gar1 tujh ko hai yaqiin2-e ijaabat3 duaa na maaNg
y’aanii baGhair4-e yak dil-e be-muddaa5 na maaNg 1.if 2.certainty 3.acceptance (of petition or prayer) 4.except for OR without 5.without desire
If you are certain that your prayer will be accepted, then do not ask for anything (what more do you want?). First clean out your heart of all desires. Without doing this do not ask for anything OR do not ask for anything except for a heart that has been cleansed of all desire. Ghalib the sufi showing through.
2
aye aarzu-shahiid1-e vafa2! KhuuN-bahaa3 na maaNg
juz4 bahr5-e dast6-e baazu7-e qaatil8, dua na maaNg 1.martyred by longing for 2.fidelity 3.blood-price 4.except 5.for the sake of, in favour of 6.hand 7.arm 8.killer, beloved
The poet/lover expects fidelity from the beloved, hoping that she will keep her promise of love and union. Of course, she turns out to be unfaithful and the lover becomes a martyr to his longing for fidelity. But he is told, even though you may feel that your claim is legitimate, do not ask for blood-money (reparations for killing) from the beloved. Except for the well-being of the arm and hand of the killer/beloved, do not pray for anything.
3
gustaaKhi1-e visaal2 hai mashshaata3-e niyaaz4
y’aani dua bajuz5 Kham6-e zulf-e-do-taa7 na maaNg 1.insult 2.union (with the beloved) 3.matchmaker, embellishment/make-up of the bride 4.offering, gift 5.except for 6.curls 7.tangled hair
A ‘mushaata’ (usually a woman) is one who is hired to find a match, and also hired to get the bride ready for her wedding or presentation to prospective groom. Here, the lover is getting his niyaaz-gift/offering for presentation to the beloved. The poet says that this is an insult to the concept of union with the beloved. You should not ask for anything except for the curls of the beloved’s tangled hair i.e., her beauty.
4
barham1 hai bazm2-e Ghuncha3 ba-yak4 junbish5-e nishaat6
kaashaana7 bas-keh8 taNg9 hai, Ghaafil10 havaa na maaNg 1.a miracle-worker like Jesus 2.skill of ignoring 3.never, be careful 4.except for 5.an expression meaning – to turn eyes away, to ignore 6.prescription 7.petition 8.cure, medication
The beloved is a miracle worker. Her miracle is her great skill in looking away, ignoring the lover, but still maintaining her hold. Be warned about this and in order to avoid insult to injury, do not petition for any cure except for that which you are going to get anyway, the ‘back of her eyes i.e., her turning her eyes away from you’.
5
eesa-tilasm1 husn-e-taGhaaful2 hai ziinhaar3
juz4 pusht-e-chashm5, nusKha6-e arz7-e dava8 na maaNg 1.a miracle-worker like Jesus 2.skill of ignoring 3.never, be careful 4.except for 5.an expression meaning – to turn eyes away, to ignore 6.prescription 7.petition 8.cure, medication
The beloved is a miracle worker. Her miracle is her great skill in looking away, ignoring the lover, but still maintaining her hold. Be warned about this and in order to avoid insult to injury, do not petition for any cure except for that which you are going to get anyway, the ‘back of her eyes i.e., her turning her eyes away from you’.
6
maiN duur1 gird2-e arz3-e rusuum4-e niyaaz5 huN
dushman samajh, vale6 nigah7-e aashna8 na maaNg 1.distance, distant 2.wandering 3.petition 4.traditions, practices 5.supplication, offering 6.so be it 7.glance 8.familiar
This could be addressed to the earthly or to the divine beloved. I remain far away from the traditions of making offerings and petitioning. So be it, if you consider me an enemy. But don’t expect me to show up near you as if I were familiar with your gatherings. Most others have interpreted this to mean that his humility is so pure that he prefers to stay away. I rather interpret it more in the defiant spirit of … ulTe phir aaye dar-e kaaba agar vaa na hua.
7
nazzaara1 diigar2 o dil-e KhuuniN-nafas3 digar1
aaiina dekh, jauhar4-e barg-e-hina5 na maaNg 1.looking (at something without real involvement) 2.different 3.blood-breathing, bleeding 4.shine, brilliance 5.leaf of henna
‘jauhar-e barg-e hina’ is the bright red colour of mehndi – the colour of blood. It is one thing to look at you (your beauty/glory), it is quite another to have a bleeding heart (full of feelings) for you/your glory. As an example, consider the mirror. It reflects your beauty/glory but do not expect a bleeding heart in it. It is just plain shining surface (like my rivals or like conventional devotees). I, on the other hand, have deep feelings. This could be addressed either to the earthly beloved or to the divine.
8
aataa hai daaGh1-e hasrat2-e dil ka shumaar3 yaad
mujh se mere gunah ka hisaab4 aye Khudaa na maaNg 1.wound, scar 2.desire, longing 3.count 4.reckoning, accounting
The poet/lover has many unfulfilled desires. These have left lots of scars on his heart. O god do not ask me for a reckoning of my sins for if I think of the sins that I committed I am reminded of the ones that I could not and that left a scar on my heart. There was a time when poets could write such a thing without inviting a fatwa! There is another beautiful Ghazal that unfortunately Raina did not make a part of his collection. But I produce below a she’r from that Ghazal which is equally provocative and beautiful.
naakarda gunaahauN ki bhi hasrat ki mile daad
yaarab agar in karda gunaahauN ki saza hai
O god, if you are going to punish me for the sins that I committed, you must give me some credit for the sins that I wanted to commit, but could not.
9
yak baKht1 auj2, nazr3-e subuk-baari4-e asad5
sar par vabaal6-e saaya7-e baal8-e huma9 na maaNg 1.good fortune 2.climax, peak 3.devotional or sacrificial offering 4.of light weight, carrying a light weight, carefree 5.Ghalib used the taKhallus/pen-name of ‘asad’ in his early compositions 6.pestilence, bother 7.shadow 8.feathers, wing 9.mythical bird
Legend has it that ‘huma’ is a magical, invisible bird, but if it casts the shadow of its wing on someone, then he receives great good fortune, perhaps the royal crown. O asad, I sacrifice this great good fortune to me carefree lifestyle. Why would I ask for the shadow of the wing of ‘huma’ to fall on my head, when it will be such a great vexation.
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 an address. I humbly comply. badri raina, retired professor of English, dehli university, poet, writer, columnist and a dear friend has translated several Ghalib Ghazal and published them as a book. This Ghazal is dated 1816 when Ghalib was a mere 19 year old and was in a phase in which he wrote very abstract verse. In his later diivaan he de-selected many ash’aar from this Ghazal. This is the complete version taken from ‘nusKha-e raza’ compiled by kalidaas gupta raza and confirmed by reference to ‘nusKha-e hamiidiya’.
1
gar1 tujh ko hai yaqiin2-e ijaabat3 duaa na maaNg
y’aanii baGhair4-e yak dil-e be-muddaa5 na maaNg
1.if 2.certainty 3.acceptance (of petition or prayer) 4.except for OR without 5.without desire
If you are certain that your prayer will be accepted, then do not ask for anything (what more do you want?). First clean out your heart of all desires. Without doing this do not ask for anything OR do not ask for anything except for a heart that has been cleansed of all desire. Ghalib the sufi showing through.
2
aye aarzu-shahiid1-e vafa2! KhuuN-bahaa3 na maaNg
juz4 bahr5-e dast6-e baazu7-e qaatil8, dua na maaNg
1.martyred by longing for 2.fidelity 3.blood-price 4.except 5.for the sake of, in favour of 6.hand 7.arm 8.killer, beloved
The poet/lover expects fidelity from the beloved, hoping that she will keep her promise of love and union. Of course, she turns out to be unfaithful and the lover becomes a martyr to his longing for fidelity. But he is told, even though you may feel that your claim is legitimate, do not ask for blood-money (reparations for killing) from the beloved. Except for the well-being of the arm and hand of the killer/beloved, do not pray for anything.
3
gustaaKhi1-e visaal2 hai mashshaata3-e niyaaz4
y’aani dua bajuz5 Kham6-e zulf-e-do-taa7 na maaNg
1.insult 2.union (with the beloved) 3.matchmaker, embellishment/make-up of the bride 4.offering, gift 5.except for 6.curls 7.tangled hair
A ‘mushaata’ (usually a woman) is one who is hired to find a match, and also hired to get the bride ready for her wedding or presentation to prospective groom. Here, the lover is getting his niyaaz-gift/offering for presentation to the beloved. The poet says that this is an insult to the concept of union with the beloved. You should not ask for anything except for the curls of the beloved’s tangled hair i.e., her beauty.
4
barham1 hai bazm2-e Ghuncha3 ba-yak4 junbish5-e nishaat6
kaashaana7 bas-keh8 taNg9 hai, Ghaafil10 havaa na maaNg
1.confused, scattered 2.assembly, gathering 3.unopened flower bud 4.with/because of one 5.movement 6.pleasure, joy 7.house 8.even though 9.narrow, tight 10.simpleton, fool
The assembly/gathering of the Ghuncha (unopened rose-bud) can be scattered with a single movement of joy i.e., in a moment of temptation the Ghuncha blossoms (experiences joy) into a flower. But soon after that the petals are scattered all over the place because of the wind. Thus, O fool, even though your house is small, tight and narrow, do not wish for wind to blow through it. Don’t you see how the rose-bud in a single moment joy blooms and its petals get scattered by the wind.
5
eesa-tilasm1 husn-e-taGhaaful2 hai ziinhaar3
juz4 pusht-e-chashm5, nusKha6-e arz7-e dava8 na maaNg
1.the miracle-worker like Jesus 2.skill of ignoring 3.never, be careful 4.except for 5.an expression meaning – to turn eyes away, to ignore 6.prescription 7.petition 8.cure, medication
The beloved is a miracle worker. Her miracle is her great skill in looking away, ignoring the lover, but still maintaining her hold. Be warned about this and in order to avoid insult to injury, do not petition for any cure except for that which you are going to get anyway, the ‘back of her eyes i.e., her turning her eyes away from you’.
6
maiN duur1 gird2-e arz3-e rusuum4-e niyaaz5 huN
dushman samajh, vale6 nigah7-e aashna8 na maaNg
1.distance, distant 2.wandering 3.petition 4.traditions, practices 5.supplication, offering 6.so be it 7.glance 8.familiar
This could be addressed to the earthly or to the divine beloved. I remain far away from the traditions of making offerings and petitioning. So be it, if you consider me an enemy. But don’t expect me to show up near you as if I were familiar with your gatherings. Most others have interpreted this to mean that his humility is so pure that he prefers to stay away. I rather interpret it more in the defiant spirit of … ulTe phir aaye dar-e kaaba agar vaa na hua.
7
nazzaara1 diigar2 o dil-e KhuuniN-nafas3 digar1
aaiina dekh, jauhar4-e barg-e-hina5 na maaNg
1.looking (at something without real involvement) 2.different 3.blood-breathing, bleeding 4.shine, brilliance 5.leaf of henna
‘jauhar-e barg-e hina’ is the bright red colour of mehndi – the colour of blood. It is one thing to look at you (your beauty/glory), it is quite another to have a bleeding heart (full of feelings) for you/your glory. As an example, consider the mirror. It reflects your beauty/glory but do not expect a bleeding heart in it. It is just plain shining surface (like my rivals or like conventional devotees). I, on the other hand, have deep feelings. This could be addressed either to the earthly beloved or to the divine.
8
aataa hai daaGh1-e hasrat2-e dil ka shumaar3 yaad
mujh se mere gunah ka hisaab4 aye Khudaa na maaNg
1.wound, scar 2.desire, longing 3.count 4.reckoning, accounting
The poet/lover has many unfulfilled desires. These have left lots of scars on his heart. O god do not ask me for a reckoning of my sins for if I think of the sins that I committed I am reminded of the ones that I could not and that left a scar on my heart. There was a time when poets could write such a thing without inviting a fatwa! There is another beautiful Ghazal that unfortunately Raina did not make a part of his collection. But I produce below a she’r from that Ghazal which is equally provocative and beautiful.
naakarda gunaahauN ki bhi hasrat ki mile daad
yaarab agar in karda gunaahauN ki saza hai
O god, if you are going to punish me for the sins that I committed, you must give me some credit for the sins that I wanted to commit, but could not.
9
yak baKht1 auj2, nazr3-e subuk-baari4-e asad5
sar par vabaal6-e saaya7-e baal8-e huma9 na maaNg
1.good fortune 2.climax, peak 3.devotional or sacrificial offering 4.of light weight, carrying a light weight, carefree 5.Ghalib used the taKhallus/pen-name of ‘asad’ in his early compositions 6.pestilence, bother 7.shadow 8.feathers, wing 9.mythical bird
Legend has it that ‘huma’ is a magical, invisible bird, but if it casts the shadow of its wing on someone, then he receives great good fortune, perhaps the royal crown. O asad, I sacrifice this great good fortune to me carefree lifestyle. Why would I ask for the shadow of the wing of ‘huma’ to fall on my head, when it will be such a great vexation.
Scars of unfulfilled desires – Raina’s Ghalib
1
Should you have faith in the efficacy of prayer,
Then, O pray for a heart devoid of desire
2
Arraign me not for all my sins, O god,
Or count as well my wounds, to straighten the record
