For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
پڑ گیا دل کِس عذاب میں ۔ میر عثمان علی خاں
۱
اب تو گذر رہی ہے عجب اِضطراب میں
بیٹھے بٹھائے پڑ گیا دل کِس عذاب میں
۲
یہ حسن وہ نہیں ہے، رہے جو حجاب میں
رکھیں گے آپ چہرے کو کب تک نقاب میں
۳
اب تک نظر میں پھرتا ہے نقشہ وہ دلفریب
دیکھا تھا جلوہ رات کو ہم نےجو خواب میں
۴
ہم تو ہزار جان سے تم پر نثار ہیں
دل کا ہے کیا شمار، جگر کس حساب میں
۵
بادِ صبا جو چھیڑتی ہے اُس کو بار بار
برہم ہے زُلفِ یار بھی کس پیچ و تاب میں
۶
احوالِ شوق نامہ میں لکھ تو دیا مگر
کیا دیکھئے وہ لکھتے ہیں خط کے جواب میں
۷
عثماں فِراقِ یار میں کیا لُطفِ میکشی
لذّت نہیں رہی ہے کچھ اپنی شراب میں
पढ गया दिल अज़ाब में – मीर उस्मान अली ख़ां
१
अब तो गुज़र रही है अजब इज़्तेराब में
बैठे बीठाये पढ गया दिल किस अज़ाब में
२
ये हुस्न वो नहीं है, रहे जो हिजाब में
रखेंगे आप चेहरे को कब तक नक़ाब में
३
अब तक नज़र में फिरता है नक़्शा वो दिलफ़रेब
देखा था जल्वा रात को हम ने जो ख़्वाब में
४
हम तो हज़ार जान से तुम पर निसार हैं
दिल का है क्या शुमार, जिगर किस हिसाब में
५
बाद-ए सबा जो छेढती है उस को बार बार
बरहम है ज़ुल्फ़-ए यार भी किस पेच ओ ताब में
६
अहवाल-ए शौक़ नामे मैं लिख तो दिया मगर
क्या देखिये वो लिखते हैं ख़त के जवाब में
७
उस्मां फ़िराक़-ए यार में क्या लुत्फ़-ए मयकशी
लज़्ज़त नहीं रही है कुछ अपनी शराब में
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. osman ali KhaaN (1886-1967), the erstwhile ruler of hyderabad was a prolific poet of considerable literary capability. His diivaan was collected and published posthumously in eight fair sized volumes. Considering the life-span of the poet and historical and legacy events of Ghalib, I place this Ghazal (one of two that the poet composed) modeled after Ghalib’s “saaqi ne kuchh mila na diya ho sharaab meN” in 1919. Also, I do not want to fail to remind the reader that a man reputed to have a 100 concubines suffers agony because of the beloved’s indifference!
1
ab to guzar1 rahi hai ajab2 izteraab3 meN
baiThe-biThaaye4 paR gaya dil kis azaab5 meN 1.passing 2.unusual 3.restlessness 4.unnecessarily 5.agony, torture
The poet/lover has fallen in love and the beloved does not respond. Now life passes in unusual/extreme restlessness. Entirely unnessarily fallen prey to this agony (of unrequited love).
2
ye husn1 vo nahiN hai, rahe jo hijaab2 meN
rakkheNge aap chehre ko kab tak naqaab3 meN 1.beauty 2.veiled, hidden 3.veil
This is not the kind of beauty that can be kept under covers. How long can you keep it behind a veil!
3
ab tak nazar1 meN phirta hai naqsha2 vo dilfareb3
dekha tha jalva4 raat ko hum ne jo Khwaab meN 1.eyes 2.image, picture 3.heart stealing/conquering 4.glory, beauty
Even now that heart-stealing image is before my eyes. The glorious image that I had seen last night in my dream.
4
hum to hazaar jaan se tum par nisaar1 haiN
dil ka hai kya shumaar2, jigar3 kis hisaab4 meN 1.sacrificial offering 2.reckoning 3.liver – the seat of fortitude 4.counting, measure
I offer myself as a sacrificial offering to your beauty, a thousand times. The heart (seat of emotions) is not in the reckoning, the liver (fortitude) cannot measure up.
5
baad1-e saba2 jo chheRti hai us ko baar baar
barham3 hai zulf4-e yaar5 bhi kis pech-o-taab6 meN 1.breeze 2.morning 3.disheveled, annoyed 4.hair 5.beloved 6.hesitation, back and forth
The morning breeze teases it again and again. The beloved’s hair gets disheveled, she re-arranges it and the breeze blows it again. She gets annoyed with this back and forth.
6
ahvaal1-e shauq2 naame3 meN likh to diya magar
kya dekhiye vo likhte haiN Khat ke javaab meN 1.conditions, description 2.desire, love 3.message
I have described my condition in love in my message. Now let us see what she writes in answer to my letter.
7
usmaaN1 firaaq2-e yaar3 meN kya lutf4-e maikashi5
lazzat6 nahiN rahi hai kuchh apni sharaab meN 1.pen-name of the poet 2.separation 3.beloved 4.enjoyment 5.drinking wine 6.pleasure, taste
O, usmaan, in separation from the beloved, how can there be any joy in drinking wine. There is no longer any taste left in my wine.
osman ali KhaaN (1886-1967), the erstwhile ruler of hyderabad was a prolific poet of considerable literary capability. His diivaan was collected and published posthumously in eight fair sized volumes. Considering the life-span of the poet and historical and legacy events of Ghalib, I place this Ghazal (one of two that the poet composed) modeled after Ghalib’s “saaqi ne kuchh mila na diya ho sharaab meN” in 1919. Also, I do not want to fail to remind the reader that a man reputed to have a 100 concubines suffers agony because of the beloved’s indifference!
1
ab to guzar1 rahi hai ajab2 izteraab3 meN
baiThe-biThaaye4 paR gaya dil kis azaab5 meN
1.passing 2.unusual 3.restlessness 4.unnecessarily 5.agony, torture
The poet/lover has fallen in love and the beloved does not respond. Now life passes in unusual/extreme restlessness. Entirely unnessarily fallen prey to this agony (of unrequited love).
2
ye husn1 vo nahiN hai, rahe jo hijaab2 meN
rakkheNge aap chehre ko kab tak naqaab3 meN
1.beauty 2.veiled, hidden 3.veil
This is not the kind of beauty that can be kept under covers. How long can you keep it behind a veil!
3
ab tak nazar1 meN phirta hai naqsha2 vo dilfareb3
dekha tha jalva4 raat ko hum ne jo Khwaab meN
1.eyes 2.image, picture 3.heart stealing/conquering 4.glory, beauty
Even now that heart-stealing image is before my eyes. The glorious image that I had seen last night in my dream.
4
hum to hazaar jaan se tum par nisaar1 haiN
dil ka hai kya shumaar2, jigar3 kis hisaab4 meN
1.sacrificial offering 2.reckoning 3.liver – the seat of fortitude 4.counting, measure
I offer myself as a sacrificial offering to your beauty, a thousand times. The heart (seat of emotions) is not in the reckoning, the liver (fortitude) cannot measure up.
5
baad1-e saba2 jo chheRti hai us ko baar baar
barham3 hai zulf4-e yaar5 bhi kis pech-o-taab6 meN
1.breeze 2.morning 3.disheveled, annoyed 4.hair 5.beloved 6.hesitation, back and forth
The morning breeze teases it again and again. The beloved’s hair gets disheveled, she re-arranges it and the breeze blows it again. She gets annoyed with this back and forth.
6
ahvaal1-e shauq2 naame3 meN likh to diya magar
kya dekhiye vo likhte haiN Khat ke javaab meN
1.conditions, description 2.desire, love 3.message
I have described my condition in love in my message. Now let us see what she writes in answer to my letter.
7
usmaaN1 firaaq2-e yaar3 meN kya lutf4-e maikashi5
lazzat6 nahiN rahi hai kuchh apni sharaab meN
1.pen-name of the poet 2.separation 3.beloved 4.enjoyment 5.drinking wine 6.pleasure, taste
O, usmaan, in separation from the beloved, how can there be any joy in drinking wine. There is no longer any taste left in my wine.
