For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
جئے جا رہا ہوں میں ۔ کلبِ احمد مانیؔ جائسی
۱
ہر غم کو یوں تو ضبط کئے جا رہا ہوں میں
اس غم کو کیا کروں کہ جئے جا رہا ہوں میں
۲
لو ساتھ دے چکی شب ہجراں کا زندگی
اب شامِ غم کو ساتھ لئے جا رہا ہوں میں
۳
ہاں آنکھ تر نہیں مگر آنسو کہاں سے آئیں
ہمراز خون دل تو پئے جا رہا ہوں میں
۴
کیسا سکوں کہ دل بھی تو ہے دفن میرے ساتھ
یہ سازِ اضطراب لئے جا رہا ہوں میں
۵
بھر بھر کے دے رہا ہے فلک تلخ جامِ غم
کیا ذوق ہے بلا کا پئے جا رہا ہوں میں
۶
ہاں پائے صبر تھک گئے لیکن ادھر تو دیکھ
اب سجدہ ہائے شکر کئے جا رہا ہوں میں
۷
مانیؔ بہ سوزنِ نفس و رشتۂ وفا
لب ہائے شکوہ سنج سیے جا رہا ہوں میں
जिये जा रहा हूँ मैं – कल्ब-ए अहमद मानी जा’एसी
१
हर ग़म को यूँ तो ज़ब्त किये जा रहा हूँ मैं
इस ग़म को क्या करूँ के जिये जा रहा हूँ मैं
२
लो साथ दे चुकी शब-ए हिज्राँ का ज़िंदगी
अब शाम-ए ग़म को साथ लिये जा रहा हूँ मैं
३
हाँ आँख तर नहीं मगर आँसू कहाँ से आएँ
हमराज़ ख़ून-ए दिल तो पिये जा रहा हूँ मैं
४
कैसा सुकूँ के दिल भी तो है दफ़्न मेरे साथ
ये साज़-ए इज़्तेराब लिये जा रहा हूँ मैं
५
भर भर के दे रहा है फ़लक तल्ख़ जाम-ए ग़म
क्या ज़ौक़ है बला का पिये जा रहा हूँ मैं
६
हाँ पा-ए सब्र थक गये लेकिन इधर तो देख
अब सज्दा-हा-ए शुक्र किये जा रहा हूँ मैं
७
मानी ब-सोज़न-ए नफ़स-ओ-रिश्ता-ए वफ़ा
लब-हा-ए शिक्वा-संज सिये जा रहा हूँ मैं
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. syed kalb-e ahmed maani jaa’esi (1885-1963), deoria, uttar pradesh. His father worked for the British government of India was transferred frequently. He received urdu and faarsi education at home and in local schools. By the time the opportunity to learn English at school came around, it was too late for him. He seems to have had, clerical and later office supervisory positions in local principalities and later worked as the editor of a magazine. He did get some patronage from raja mahmoodabad and a few others. It seems that in 1954 he was able to meet nehru and azad who granted a government pension to him. Two of his early collections were lost, and three later ones published.
1
har Gham ko yuN to zabt1 kiye jaa raha huN maiN
is Gham ko kya karuN keh jiye2 jaa raha huN maiN 1.tolerate, bear stoically/patiently 2.keep living
The poet patiently bears all sorrow that comes his way. That is the convention for true lovers. Bearing pain/sorrow stoically, ignoring it, seems to offer some relief. But his greatest sorrow seems to be that he continues to live. Bearing it will not offer any relief. Thus, he is caught in a vicious circle.
2
lo saath de chuki shab1-e hijraaN2 ka zindagi
ab shaam3-e Gham ko saath liye jaa raha huN maiN 1.night 2.separation 3.evening
This is a pathos filled lament. His life has been a long night of separation. ‘saath de chuki’ implies, it has been supportive this long but is now about to depart i.e., life has tolerated this long night of separation so far but is now about to end – the poet/lover is about to die. He is taking the evening of sorrow along with him to his grave. Perhaps he means that he will continue to suffer after death.
3
haaN aaNkh tar1 nahiN magar2 aaNsu kahaaN se aa’eN
hamraaz3 Khoon-e dil to piye jaa raha huN maiN 1.moist, tearful 2.but 3.confidant, friend
It appears that the friend has observed that his eyes are dry and he responds. You are right, my eyes are not tearful, but where can I get tears. I have been drinking the blood of my heart! It is this blood that is converted to tears or sometimes becomes tears of blood. ‘Khoon piina’ is a expression meaning bear all sorrow stoically. Thus, figuratively because he is bearing sorrow with patience, there are no tears and literally, because he is drinking his heart’s blood there are no tears.
4
kaisa sukooN1 keh dil bhi to hai dafn2 mere saath
ye saaz3-e izteraab4 liye jaa raha huN maiN 1.peace, tranquility 2.buried 3.instrument 4.restlessness
The heart has been the cause/instrument of restlessness throughout his life. In death too, he will not peace because his heart will be buried along with him and will continue to cause pain/sorrow.
5
bhar bhar ke de raha hai falak1 talKh2 jaam3-e Gham
kya zauq4 hai bala5 ka piye jaa raha huN maiN 1.sky, fate 2.bitter 3.cup 4.taste, desire 5.calamity
Fate serves up cup after cup brimming with sorrow. Look at my taste for calamity, I keep drinking it.
6
haaN paa1-e sabr2 thak3 gaye laikin idhar to dekh
ab sajda4-ha-e shukr5 kiye jaa raha huN maiN 1.feet 2.patience 3.tired 4.ritual prostration 5.thanks, gratitude
Yes, the feet of patience are tired, but look at me, now I keep prostrating/bowing down in thanks (because of the sorrow that I have been granted).
7
maani1 ba-sozan2-e nafas3-o-rishta4-e vafa5
lab6-ha-e shikva-sanj7 siye8 jaa raha huN maiN 1.pen-name of the poet 2.burning, painful 3.breath 4.relationship 5.fidelity, promise 6.lips 7.experts in complaining 8.stitch, sew
O maani, with breath on fire and this painful relationship with (lack of) fidelity, causes me to sew up my lips that are otherwise fully capable of complaining i.e., I bear my pain in silence.
syed kalb-e ahmed maani jaa’esi (1885-1963), deoria, uttar pradesh. His father worked for the British government of India was transferred frequently. He received urdu and faarsi education at home and in local schools. By the time the opportunity to learn English at school came around, it was too late for him. He seems to have had, clerical and later office supervisory positions in local principalities and later worked as the editor of a magazine. He did get some patronage from raja mahmoodabad and a few others. It seems that in 1954 he was able to meet nehru and azad who granted a government pension to him. Two of his early collections were lost, and three later ones published.
1
har Gham ko yuN to zabt1 kiye jaa raha huN maiN
is Gham ko kya karuN keh jiye2 jaa raha huN maiN
1.tolerate, bear stoically/patiently 2.keep living
The poet patiently bears all sorrow that comes his way. That is the convention for true lovers. Bearing pain/sorrow stoically, ignoring it, seems to offer some relief. But his greatest sorrow seems to be that he continues to live. Bearing it will not offer any relief. Thus, he is caught in a vicious circle.
2
lo saath de chuki shab1-e hijraaN2 ka zindagi
ab shaam3-e Gham ko saath liye jaa raha huN maiN
1.night 2.separation 3.evening
This is a pathos filled lament. His life has been a long night of separation. ‘saath de chuki’ implies, it has been supportive this long but is now about to depart i.e., life has tolerated this long night of separation so far but is now about to end – the poet/lover is about to die. He is taking the evening of sorrow along with him to his grave. Perhaps he means that he will continue to suffer after death.
3
haaN aaNkh tar1 nahiN magar2 aaNsu kahaaN se aa’eN
hamraaz3 Khoon-e dil to piye jaa raha huN maiN
1.moist, tearful 2.but 3.confidant, friend
It appears that the friend has observed that his eyes are dry and he responds. You are right, my eyes are not tearful, but where can I get tears. I have been drinking the blood of my heart! It is this blood that is converted to tears or sometimes becomes tears of blood. ‘Khoon piina’ is a expression meaning bear all sorrow stoically. Thus, figuratively because he is bearing sorrow with patience, there are no tears and literally, because he is drinking his heart’s blood there are no tears.
4
kaisa sukooN1 keh dil bhi to hai dafn2 mere saath
ye saaz3-e izteraab4 liye jaa raha huN maiN
1.peace, tranquility 2.buried 3.instrument 4.restlessness
The heart has been the cause/instrument of restlessness throughout his life. In death too, he will not peace because his heart will be buried along with him and will continue to cause pain/sorrow.
5
bhar bhar ke de raha hai falak1 talKh2 jaam3-e Gham
kya zauq4 hai bala5 ka piye jaa raha huN maiN
1.sky, fate 2.bitter 3.cup 4.taste, desire 5.calamity
Fate serves up cup after cup brimming with sorrow. Look at my taste for calamity, I keep drinking it.
6
haaN paa1-e sabr2 thak3 gaye laikin idhar to dekh
ab sajda4-ha-e shukr5 kiye jaa raha huN maiN
1.feet 2.patience 3.tired 4.ritual prostration 5.thanks, gratitude
Yes, the feet of patience are tired, but look at me, now I keep prostrating/bowing down in thanks (because of the sorrow that I have been granted).
7
maani1 ba-sozan2-e nafas3-o-rishta4-e vafa5
lab6-ha-e shikva-sanj7 siye8 jaa raha huN maiN
1.pen-name of the poet 2.burning, painful 3.breath 4.relationship 5.fidelity, promise 6.lips 7.experts in complaining 8.stitch, sew
O maani, with breath on fire and this painful relationship with (lack of) fidelity, causes me to sew up my lips that are otherwise fully capable of complaining i.e., I bear my pain in silence.
