keh kuchh raat kaTe – maKhdoom

For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the “English” or “Notes” tab.

کہ کچھ رات کٹے ۔ مخدوم محی الدین

۱

عشق کے شعلے کو بھڑکاؤ کہ کچھ رات کٹے

دل کے انگارے کو دہکاؤ کہ کچھ رات کٹے

۲

ہجر میں ملنے شب ماہ کے غم آئے ہیں

چارہ سازوں کو بھی بلواؤ کہ کچھ رات کٹے

۳

کوئی جلتا ہی نہیں کوئی پگھلتا ہی نہیں

موم بن جاؤ پگھل جاؤ کہ کچھ رات کٹے

۴

چشم و رخسار کے اذکار کو جاری رکھو

پیار کے نامہ کو دہراؤ کہ کچھ رات کٹے

۵

آج ہو جانے دو ہر ایک کو بد مست و خراب

آج ایک ایک کو پلواؤ کہ کچھ رات کٹے

۶

کوہ غم اور گراں اور گراں اور گراں

غم زدو تیشے کو چمکاؤ کہ کچھ رات کٹے

के कुछ रात कटे – मख़्दूम मोहिउद्दीन

इश्क़ के शो’ले को भड़काओ के कुछ रात कटे

दिल के अँगारे को दहकाओ के कुछ रात कटे

हिज्र में मिलने शब-ए-माह के ग़म आए हैं

चारासाज़ों को भी बुलवाओ के कुछ रात कटे

कोई जलता ही नहीं कोई पिघलता ही नहीं

मोम बन जाओ पिघल जाओ के कुछ रात कटे

चश्म ओ रुख़्सार के अज़्कार को जारी रक्खो

प्यार के नामे को दोहराओ के कुछ रात कटे

आज हो जाने दो हर एक को बद-मस्त-ओ-ख़राब

आज एक एक को पिलवाओ के कुछ रात कटे

कोह-ए-ग़म और गिराँ और गिराँ और गिराँ

ग़म-ज़दो तीशे को चमकाओ के कुछ रात कटे

 

Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. maKhdoom mohiuddin (1908-1969), progressive, communist, freedom fighter, labour union leader/organizer, beloved of the city of hyderabad. This is one of three Ghazal of the same refrain. The other two, naazir kazimi and firaq gorarkhpuri are also posted. Here references, direct and indirect to the beloved use beloved as a metaphor for social/economic justice, night is the night of oppression and ishq is the zeal for revolution.
1
ishq ke sho’le1 ko bhaRkaao2 ki kuchh raat kaTe
dil ke aNgaare ko dahkaao3 ki kuchh raat kaTe  
1.flame 2.inflame 3.light
The poet/revolutionary are sitting together contemplating the dark night of oppression. There needs to be more zeal to bring about social justice. Light a fire of such a zeal, light up the glowing coals in your heart that this oppressive night may pass.

2
hijr1 meN milne shab-e-maah2 ke Gham aaye haiN
chaarasaazoN3 ko bhi bulvaao ki kuchh raat kaTe  
1.exile 2.full moon 3.healers
The poet/revolutionary is on the run, separated from the beloved. That is like being in exile. Romantic memories of meeting the beloved in the full moon crowd in and bring their own sorrow. Call the healers (comrades, helpers) that this night of oppression may pass.

3
koi jaltaa hi nahiN koi pighaltaa hi nahiN
mom ban jaao pighal jaao ki kuchh raat kaTe  
Becoming like wax/candle and burning to give light is like participating in a movement for change. No one is doing that now. He is calling upon comrades to step forward and set an example so that this night of oppression may pass.

4
chashm-o-ruKhsaar1 ke azkaar2 ko jaari rakkho
pyaar ke naame3 ko doharaao4 ki kuchh raat kaTe  
1.eyes and face i.e. beauty 2.narration (plural of zikr) 3.story 4.repeat
The beloved’s beauty is the just system that is coming. Keep talking of the beauty of the beloved (of the coming just order), keep repeating the story of love, that this oppressive night may pass.

5
aaj ho jaane do har ek ko bad-mast-o-Kharaab1
aaj ek ek ko pilvaao ki kuchh raat kaTe  
1.drunk, stone drunk
Let everyone be stone-drunk today. Give everyone wine to drink so that this oppressive night may pass.

6
koh-e-Gham1 aur giraaN2 aur giraaN aur giraaN
Gham-zado3 teeshe4 ko chamkaao ki kuchh raat kaTe  
1.mountain of sorrow 2.heavy 3.grief-stricken, oppressed 4.pick-axe (hammer & sickle)
farhaad of the story of shiriN-farhaad used a pickaxe to cut a path through a mountain for a river to flow. This is attributed to the intensity of his passion. Thus, the mountain of sorrow sits heavy and heavier. O, oppressed comrades, sharpen your pick-axe/sickle that this oppressive night may pass.

maKhdoom mohiuddin (1908-1969), progressive, communist, freedom fighter, labour union leader/organizer, beloved of the city of hyderabad.  This is one of three Ghazal of the same refrain.  The other two, naazir kazimi and firaq gorarkhpuri are also posted.  Here references, direct and indirect to the beloved use beloved as a metaphor for social/economic justice, night is the night of oppression and ishq is the zeal for revolution.
1
ishq ke sho’le1 ko bhaRkaao2 ki kuchh raat kaTe
dil ke aNgaare ko dahkaao3 ki kuchh raat kaTe

1.flame 2.inflame 3.light

The poet/revolutionary are sitting together contemplating the dark night of oppression.  There needs to be more zeal to bring about social justice.  Light a fire of such a zeal, light up the glowing coals in your heart that this oppressive night may pass.
2
hijr1 meN milne shab-e-maah2 ke Gham aaye haiN
chaarasaazoN3 ko bhi bulvaao ki kuchh raat kaTe

1.exile 2.full moon 3.healers

The poet/revolutionary is on the run, separated from the beloved.  That is like being in exile.  Romantic memories of meeting the beloved in the full moon crowd in and bring their own sorrow.  Call the healers (comrades, helpers) that this night of oppression may pass.
3
koi jaltaa hi nahiN koi pighaltaa hi nahiN
mom ban jaao pighal jaao ki kuchh raat kaTe

Becoming like wax/candle and burning to give light is like participating in a movement for change.  No one is doing that now.  He is calling upon comrades to step forward and set an example so that this night of oppression may pass.
4
chashm-o-ruKhsaar1 ke azkaar2 ko jaari rakkho
pyaar ke naame3 ko doharaao4 ki kuchh raat kaTe

1.eyes and face i.e. beauty 2.narration (plural of zikr) 3.story 4.repeat

The beloved’s beauty is the just system that is coming.  Keep talking of the  beauty of the beloved (of the coming just order), keep repeating the story of love, that this oppressive night may pass.
5
aaj ho jaane do har ek ko bad-mast-o-Kharaab1
aaj ek ek ko pilvaao ki kuchh raat kaTe

1.drunk, stone drunk

Let everyone be stone-drunk today.  Give everyone wine to drink so that this oppressive night may pass.
6
koh-e-Gham1 aur giraaN2 aur giraaN aur giraaN
Gham-zado3 teeshe4 ko chamkaao ki kuchh raat kaTe

1.mountain of sorrow 2.heavy 3.grief-stricken, oppressed 4.pick-axe (hammer & sickle)

farhaad of the story of shiriN-farhaad used a pickaxe to cut a path through a mountain for a river to flow.  This is attributed to the intensity of his passion.  Thus, the mountain of sorrow sits heavy and heavier.  O, oppressed comrades, sharpen your pick-axe/sickle that this oppressive night may pass.

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