For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
حجاب ہے ساقی ۔ غلام نصیرالدین نصیرؔ گیلانی
۱
اُٹھا رباب کہ شُغلِ شراب ہے ساقی
اب انتظار کی صورت عذاب ہے ساقی
۲
ہجومِ غم ہے، شبِ ماہتاب ہے ساقی
شراب دے کہ بڑا اضطراب ہے ساقی
۳
بچی کُچھی ہی سہی، مجھ پہ بھی کرم فرما
زمانہ دَر سے ترے فیض یاب ہے ساقی
۴
جو زلف میں ہو تو زینت، جو دل میں ہو تو خَلِش
نہیں تو ایک ہی شے پیچ و تاب ہے ساقی
۵
مجال ہے جو کوئی آنکھ بھر کے دیکھ سکے
تری جبیں صِفَت، آفتاب ہے ساقی
۶
شراب جھوم کے دے، جام چوم چوم کر دے
کسی کی پیاس بُجھانا ثواب ہے ساقی
۷
نگاہ وُسعتِ کون و مکاں کو جانچے کیا
وُفُورِ جلوہ تو خود اِک حجاب ہے ساقی
۸
وہ پاس ہو، تو حقیقت ہے خواب کا عالم
وہ دُور ہو، تو حقیقت بھی خواب ہے ساقی
۹
وہ ایک شعلہ عطا ہو کہ دل کی آگ بُجھے
نصیرؔ وقفِ غم و اِضطراب ہے ساقی
हिजाब है साक़ी – ग़ुलाम नसीरुद्दीन नसीर गीलानी
१
उठा रबाब के शुग़्ल-ए शराब है साक़ी
अब इंतेज़ार की सूरत अज़ाब है साक़ी
२
हुजूम-ए ग़म है, शब-ए माहताब है साक़ी
शराब दे के बढा इज़्तेराब है साक़ी
३
बची कुछी ही सही, मुझ पे भी करम फ़रमा
ज़माना दर से तेरे फ़ैज़-याब है साक़ी
४
जो ज़ुल्फ़ में हो तो ज़ीनत, जो दिल में हो तो ख़लिश
नहीं तो एक ही शै पेच-ओ-ताब है साक़ी
५
मजाल है जो कोई आंख भर के देख सके
तेरी जबीं सिफ़त-ए, आफ़्ताब है साक़ी
६
शराब झूम के दे, जाम चूम चूम के दे
किसी की प्यास बुझाना सवाब है साक़ी
७
निगाह वुस’अत-ए कौन-ओ-मकाँ को जाँचे क्या
वुफ़ूर-ए जल्वा तो ख़ुद एक हिजाब है साक़ी
८
वो पास हो तो हक़ीक़त है ख़्वाब का आलम
वो दूर हो तो हक़ीक़त भी ख़्वाब है साक़ी
९
वो एक शो’ला अता हो के दिल की आग बुझे
नसीर वक़्फ़-ए ग़म ओ इज़्तेराब है साक़ी
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. syed Ghulam naseeruddin naseer giilani (1949–2009), also known as pir naseeruddin naseer, was a distinguished pakistani sufi scholar, poet, and spiritual leader. he served as the custodian (sajjada nashin) of the golra sharif shrine near islamabad, a significant center of the chishti qadiri sufi order in pakistan.
1
uThaa rabaab1 keh shuGhl2-e sharaab3 hai saaqi
ab intezaar4 ki suurat5 ‘azaab6 hai saaqi 1.instrument like sitar 2.occupation, pastime 3.wine 4.waiting 5.form 6.torment
Strike the rabaab (music and celebration), for this is the occasion to indulge in the pastime of (drinking) wine, O saaqi. The act of waiting itself has now become a form of torment. Given the sufiyaana background of the poet, the wine could easily be mystical and the waiting (for union with the beloved or god, or for divine message) is unbearable.
2
hujoom1-e Gham2 hai, shab3-e maahtaab4 hai saaqi
sharaab de, keh baRaa izteraab5 hai saaqi 1.crowd, onslaught 2.grief 3.night 4.moonlit, full moon 5.anxiety, restlessness
Grief presses in from all sides; on top of that it is moonlit night demanding union with the beloved, O saaqi. Pour the wine, for the restlessness is intense. This could be the wine of mystical love and the beloved could be the divine.
3
bachi-kuchhi1 hi sahii, mujh pe bhi karam2 farmaa3
zamaana4 dar5 se tere faiz-yaab6 hai saaqi 1.remaining, left-over 2.kindness 3.grant, give 4.world, people 5.doorstep 6.blessed
Even if it is just the leftover, grant me a little wine too, O saaqi; for the world is already receiving blessings from your threshold.
4
jo zulf1 meN ho to ziinat2, jo dil meN ho to Khalish3
nahiN to ek hii shai4 pech-o-taab5 hai saaqi 1.hair 2.adornment 3.pain, ache 4.thing 5.twists and turns, curls, agony and distress
When it dwells in your tresses it is a beautiful adornment, but in my heart it becomes torment, yet it’s the same thing, O saaqi. The ‘it’ and the ‘same thing’ is pech o taab which can mean both curls and ‘agony and distress’. This is a clever use of the two meanings of the same words.
5
majaal1 hai jo koi aaNkh bhar ke dekh sake
teri jabiiN2 sifat3, aaftaab4 hai saaqi 1.courage, daring 2.forehead 3.likeness, qualities of 4.sun
Who has the courage to look upon you fully/directly? Your radiant brow is like the sun, O saaqi. The beloved (or divine beloved) is too luminous to gaze upon directly. This evokes the mystical idea that divine beauty is overwhelming and inaccessible to the ordinary human eye.
6
sharaab jhoom ke de, jaam choom-choom1 kar de
kisi ki pyaas bujhaana savaab2 hai saaqi 1.kissing again and again 2.merit, spiritual reward for virtuous deeds
Pour the wine in ecstasy, kissing the cup again and again as you serve; quenching someone’s thirst is an act of virtue that will be rewarded, O saaqi. This is a clever turn of mystical metaphor and moral appeal. The poet frames the act of offering wine (literal or metaphorical) as a virtuous deed, sanctifying indulgence as opposed to orthodox forbidding.
7
nigaah1 vus’at2-e kaun-o-makaaN3 ko jaaNche4 kya
vufoor5-e jalva6 to Khud ek hijaab7 hai saaqi 1.gaze 2.vastness 3.time and space, cosmos, creation 4.measure, examine, understand 5.abundance 6.radiance, manifestation 7.veil
How can human gaze contemplate and measure the vastness of creation, O saaqi, when your overwhelming radiance is itself a veil? Here, the idea is that true reality is hidden not by darkness, but by an abundance of brilliance which blinds the eye; the (divine) beloved’s presence is so radiant it blinds rather than reveals. It critiques the intellect’s attempt to grasp the infinite.
8
voh paas1 ho to haqiiqat2 hai Khwaab3 ka ‘aalam4
voh duur ho to haqiiqat2 bhi Khwaab3 hai saaqi 1.near 2.reality 3.dream, illusion 4.state
If the beloved is near, dreams become real; if distant, even reality feels like a dream.
Presence grants meaning and transforms illusion into truth. Absence robs even truth of its substance. This is an eloquent depiction of spiritual yearning and emotional dependency.
9
voh ek sho’la1 ‘ataa2 ho keh dil ki aag bujhe
naseer3 vaqf4-e Gham-o-izteraab5 hai saaqi 1.flame 2.grant 3.naseer (the poet) 4.exclusively engaged in 5.grief and restlessness
Grant me that one special flame (the flame of divine/universal love) to quench the fire (passion for union with the divine/beloved) of my heart; for naseer is consumed by grief and turmoil, O saaqi.
syed Ghulam naseeruddin naseer giilani (1949–2009), also known as pir naseeruddin naseer, was a distinguished pakistani sufi scholar, poet, and spiritual leader. he served as the custodian (sajjada nashin) of the golra sharif shrine near islamabad, a significant center of the chishti qadiri sufi order in pakistan.
1
uThaa rabaab1 keh shuGhl2-e sharaab3 hai saaqi
ab intezaar4 ki suurat5 ‘azaab6 hai saaqi
1.instrument like sitar 2.occupation, pastime 3.wine 4.waiting 5.form 6.torment
Strike the rabaab (music and celebration), for this is the occasion to indulge in the pastime of (drinking) wine, O saaqi. The act of waiting itself has now become a form of torment. Given the sufiyaana background of the poet, the wine could easily be mystical and the waiting (for union with the beloved or god, or for divine message) is unbearable.
2
hujoom1-e Gham2 hai, shab3-e maahtaab4 hai saaqi
sharaab de, keh baRaa izteraab5 hai saaqi
1.crowd, onslaught 2.grief 3.night 4.moonlit, full moon 5.anxiety, restlessness
Grief presses in from all sides; on top of that it is moonlit night demanding union with the beloved, O saaqi. Pour the wine, for the restlessness is intense. This could be the wine of mystical love and the beloved could be the divine.
3
bachi-kuchhi1 hi sahii, mujh pe bhi karam2 farmaa3
zamaana4 dar5 se tere faiz-yaab6 hai saaqi
1.remaining, left-over 2.kindness 3.grant, give 4.world, people 5.doorstep 6.blessed
Even if it is just the leftover, grant me a little wine too, O saaqi; for the world is already receiving blessings from your threshold.
4
jo zulf1 meN ho to ziinat2, jo dil meN ho to Khalish3
nahiN to ek hii shai4 pech-o-taab5 hai saaqi
1.hair 2.adornment 3.pain, ache 4.thing 5.twists and turns, curls, agony and distress
When it dwells in your tresses it is a beautiful adornment, but in my heart it becomes torment, yet it’s the same thing, O saaqi. The ‘it’ and the ‘same thing’ is pech o taab which can mean both curls and ‘agony and distress’. This is a clever use of the two meanings of the same words.
5
majaal1 hai jo koi aaNkh bhar ke dekh sake
teri jabiiN2 sifat3, aaftaab4 hai saaqi
1.courage, daring 2.forehead 3.likeness, qualities of 4.sun
Who has the courage to look upon you fully/directly? Your radiant brow is like the sun, O saaqi. The beloved (or divine beloved) is too luminous to gaze upon directly. This evokes the mystical idea that divine beauty is overwhelming and inaccessible to the ordinary human eye.
6
sharaab jhoom ke de, jaam choom-choom1 kar de
kisi ki pyaas bujhaana savaab2 hai saaqi
1.kissing again and again 2.merit, spiritual reward for virtuous deeds
Pour the wine in ecstasy, kissing the cup again and again as you serve; quenching someone’s thirst is an act of virtue that will be rewarded, O saaqi. This is a clever turn of mystical metaphor and moral appeal. The poet frames the act of offering wine (literal or metaphorical) as a virtuous deed, sanctifying indulgence as opposed to orthodox forbidding.
7
nigaah1 vus’at2-e kaun-o-makaaN3 ko jaaNche4 kya
vufoor5-e jalva6 to Khud ek hijaab7 hai saaqi
1.gaze 2.vastness 3.time and space, cosmos, creation 4.measure, examine, understand 5.abundance 6.radiance, manifestation 7.veil
How can human gaze contemplate and measure the vastness of creation, O saaqi, when your overwhelming radiance is itself a veil? Here, the idea is that true reality is hidden not by darkness, but by an abundance of brilliance which blinds the eye; the (divine) beloved’s presence is so radiant it blinds rather than reveals. It critiques the intellect’s attempt to grasp the infinite.
8
voh paas1 ho to haqiiqat2 hai Khwaab3 ka ‘aalam4
voh duur ho to haqiiqat2 bhi Khwaab3 hai saaqi
1.near 2.reality 3.dream, illusion 4.state
If the beloved is near, dreams become real; if distant, even reality feels like a dream.
Presence grants meaning and transforms illusion into truth. Absence robs even truth of its substance. This is an eloquent depiction of spiritual yearning and emotional dependency.
9
voh ek sho’la1 ‘ataa2 ho keh dil ki aag bujhe
naseer3 vaqf4-e Gham-o-izteraab5 hai saaqi
1.flame 2.grant 3.naseer (the poet) 4.exclusively engaged in 5.grief and restlessness
Grant me that one special flame (the flame of divine/universal love) to quench the fire (passion for union with the divine/beloved) of my heart; for naseer is consumed by grief and turmoil, O saaqi.
