Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. amir minaaii (1829-1900) was contemporary of daaGh dehlavi and much like him received patronage in rampur and later in hyderabad, where he died and is buried. This is one of three Ghazal that amir minaaii composed in the style of Ghalib’s ‘saaqi ne kuchh mila na diya ho sharaab meN’. All three are linked to ‘Ghalib naqsh-e qadam’.
1
jab Khoob-ruu¹ chhupaate haiN aariz² naqaab³ meN
kahta hai husn⁴ maiN na rahuuNga hijaab⁵ meN    1.beautiful faces, beloved and her ilk 2.face 3.veil 4.beauty 5.veiled, hiding
When beautiful ones hide their faces behind the veil, Beauty protests and says – I will not remain hidden i.e., it filters through the veil and is evident to all.
2
be-qasd¹ likh diya hai gila² izteraab³ meN
dekhuN keh kya vo likhte haiN Khat⁴ ke javaab⁵ meN    1.without intention 2.complaint 3.restlessness 4.letter 5.answer
Normally, the poet/lover is strong enough to control his longing and not complain to or about the beloved, stoically hiding his pain. But this time, without any intention, because of excess of eager restlessness, he complained to the beloved and sent his message. Let us see what she sends back in answer to my letter. He is afraid that she will be more than normally annoyed.
3
bijli chamak rahi hai falak¹ par sahaab² meN
ab duKht³-e riz⁴ ko chain⁵ kahaaN hai hijaab⁶ meN    1.skies 2.clouds 3.daughter of 4.grape 5.comfort, peace of mind 6.veiled, hiding
In urdu poetic tradition rainy season (usually, the beginning of spring) is considered a time of celebration which includes wine drinking. Thus, lightning flashes among the clouds in the skies. How can the ‘daughter of grape’ – wine – remain hidden now.
4
allah re mere dil ki taRap¹ izteraab² meN
ghabra³ ke karvaTeN⁴ lage lene vo Khwaab⁵ meN   1.writhing/thrashing in pain 2.restlessness 3.startled, worried 4.tossing and turning 5.sleep
On this side, the poet/lover restless and eager for union in his separation from the beloved, is thrashing about in pain. By god, look at the effect of his pain, over there the beloved is tossing and turning in her sleep.
5
mehmaaN¹ ke saath khaane ka hota nahiN hisaab²
ham tum kabaab khaa’eN Dubo³ kar sharaab meN   1.guest 2.keeping count 3.dip
The tradition is that we are open hearted in serving our guests. We do not keep track of what or how much he/she eats. With this tradition in mind, let us eat as much kabaab as we want, dipping it in wine. This is clearly a figurative expression of luxurious eating, rather than a taste preference.
6
aye barq¹ tuu zara kabhi taRpi² Thahr gaii
yaaN umr kaT gaii hai isi izteraab³ meN    1.lightning 2.thrash/writhe in pain 3.restlessness
O lightning sometimes you writhe in pain for a moment and then stop. Here, I have spent my whole life in this restlessness (because of separation from the beloved).
7
qaasid¹ hai qaul² o f’aal³ ka kya un ke e’tebaar⁴
paiGhaam⁵ kuchh kaha hai, likha kuchh javaab⁶ meN    1.messenger 2.word 3.action 4.trust, reliance 5.message 6.answer
O messenger, how can one rely on the consistency of word and action; she sends one message orally and writes something else in answer to my letter.
8
tarGheeb¹ mere qatl² ki do un ko hamdamo³
hai kaar-e-Khair⁴, tum bhi ho daaKhil⁵ savaab⁶ meN   1.urge, encourage 2.killing 3.friends 4.good deed 5.enter, participate 6.virtue
O friends, urge/encourage her to kill me. After all, this is a good deed and you can participate in receiving reward for this virtue.
9
samjhe haiN dil meN kya jo ye gul-ruu¹ hava² meN haiN
mehmaan³ chaar din ka hai joban⁴ shabaab⁵ meN   1.flower faced 2.‘flying the air without support’ i.e., ‘full of hot air’, wishful thinking 3.guest 4.youth, body, breasts, beauty 5.youth
What do these beautiful flower-faced ones think of themselves in their heart of hearts. Don’t they realize that their beauty is but a fleeting condition of ‘four days’ of youth.
10
daaman¹ meN un ke Khoon ke chheeNTe² paReN amiir³
bismil⁴ se paas⁵ ho na saka izteraab⁶ meN    1.hem of the robe 2.drops, stains 3.pen-name of the poet 4.sacrificial offering 5.consideration, mindfulness, respect 6.eagerness, restlessness
O amiir, the hem of her robe is soiled with blood stains from the sacrifice of the lover. In his eagerness/restlessness the sacrificial offering i.e., the lover, must not have been mindful of the reputation of the beloved.