For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
عنایت کبھی کبھی ۔ ساحر لدھیانوی
۱
ملتی ہے زندگی میں محبت کبھی کبھی
ہوتی ہے دلبروں کی عنایت کبھی کبھی
۲
شرما کے منہ نہ پھیر نظر کے سوال پر
لاتی ہے ایسے موڑ پہ قسمت کبھی کبھی
۳
کُھلتے نہیں ہیں روز دریچے بہار کے
آتی ہے جانِ من یہ قیامت کبھی کبھی
۴
تنہا نہ کٹ سکیں گے جوانی کے راستے
پیش آئے گی کسی کی ضرورت کبھی کبھی
۵
پھر کھو نہ جائیں ہم کہیں دنیا کی بھیڑ میں
ملتی ہے پاس آنے کی مہلت کبھی کبھی
इना’एत कभी कभी – साहेर लुधियानवी
१
मिलती है ज़िंदगी में मोहब्बत कभी कभी
होती है दिलबरों की इना’एत कभी कभी
२
शर्मा के मुँह न फेर नज़र के सवाल पर
लाती है ऐसे मोढ पे क़िस्मत कभी कभी
३
खुलते नहीं हैं रोज़ दरीचे बहार के
आती है जान-ए मन ये क़यामत कभी कभी
४
तन्हा न कट सकेंगे जवानी के रास्ते
पेश आएगी किसी की ज़रूरत कभी कभी
५
फिर खो न जाएँ हम कहीं दुनिया की भीड़ में
मिलती है पास आने की मोहलत कभी कभी
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. sahir ludhianavi (1921-1980) progressive poet writing in chaste yet relatively easily understood urdu. He brought the quality of urdu nazm to movie songs and raised the standards to a high level. Supported labour movements. This nazm, adhering to the format of Ghazal, appears to be purely romantic, cautioning not to loose opportunities to consolidate relationships.
1
milti hai zindagi meN mohabbat kabhi kabhi
hoti hai dilbaroN1 ki inaayat2 kabhi kabhi 1.lovers 2.kindness, benevolence
You get real love in life only rarely. Seldom do lovers bestow real love.
2
sharma ke muNh na pher nazar1 ke savaal2 par
laati hai aise moR pe qismat kabhi kabhi 1.sight, eyes 2.question, asking
Do not turn away in coyness from the glance of the lover that begs you to reciprocate his love. You come to such a turn in life only rarely.
3
khulte nahiN haiN roz dariiche1 bahaar2 ke
aati hai jaan-e-man3 ye qayaamat4 kabhi kabhi 1.windows 2.spring/happiness 3.O my beloved 4.literally – doomsday but used as an expression to mean – something awesome (or sometimes the exact opposite i.e., something devastating)
Windows to spring/happiness, do not open every day. O my beloved, such an awesome thing happens only rarely.
4
tanha1 na kaT sakeNge javaani ke raaste
pesh2 aa’egi kisi ki zaruurat3 kabhi kabhi 1.alone 2.come across, confront 3.need
Pathways of life through youth may not be easy to traverse by yourself. You will face the need to be with someone, sometime or another.
5
phir kho na jaa’eN ham kahiN duniya ki bhiiR meN
milti hai paas aane ki mohlat1 kabhi kabhi 1.occasion, permission, opportunity
I am afraid we may get lost again in the jostling crowds of this world. Only rarely do we get the opportunity to be near each other.
sahir ludhianavi (1921-1980) progressive poet writing in chaste yet relatively easily understood urdu. He brought the quality of urdu nazm to movie songs and raised the standards to a high level. Supported labour movements. This nazm, adhering to the format of Ghazal, appears to be purely romantic, cautioning not to loose opportunities to consolidate relationships.
1
milti hai zindagi meN mohabbat kabhi kabhi
hoti hai dilbaroN1 ki inaayat2 kabhi kabhi
1.lovers 2.kindness, benevolence
You get real love in life only rarely. Seldom do lovers bestow real love.
2
sharma ke muNh na pher nazar1 ke savaal2 par
laati hai aise moR pe qismat kabhi kabhi
1.sight, eyes 2.question, asking
Do not turn away in coyness from the glance of the lover that begs you to reciprocate his love. You come to such a turn in life only rarely.
3
khulte nahiN haiN roz dariiche1 bahaar2 ke
aati hai jaan-e-man3 ye qayaamat4 kabhi kabhi
1.windows 2.spring/happiness 3.O my beloved 4.literally – doomsday but used as an expression to mean – something awesome (or sometimes the exact opposite i.e., something devastating)
Windows to spring/happiness, do not open every day. O my beloved, such an awesome thing happens only rarely.
4
tanha1 na kaT sakeNge javaani ke raaste
pesh2 aa’egi kisi ki zaruurat3 kabhi kabhi
1.alone 2.come across, confront 3.need
Pathways of life through youth may not be easy to traverse by yourself. You will face the need to be with someone, sometime or another.
5
phir kho na jaa’eN ham kahiN duniya ki bhiiR meN
milti hai paas aane ki mohlat1 kabhi kabhi
1.occasion, permission, opportunity
I am afraid we may get lost again in the jostling crowds of this world. Only rarely do we get the opportunity to be near each other.
