Recitation
خون پِھر خون ہے – ساحر لدھیانوی
ظلم پِھر ظلم ہے ، بڑھتا ہے تو مٹ جاتا ہے
خون پِھر خون ہے ، ٹپکے گا تو جم جائیگا
خاکِ صحرا پہ جمے یا کفِ قاتل پہ جمے
فرقِ انصاف پہ یا پا ۓ سلاسل پہ جمے
تیغِ بے داد پہ یا لاشۂ بسمل پہ جمے
خون پِھر خون ہے ٹپکے گا تو جم جائے گا
لاکھ بیٹھے کوئی چُھپ چُھپ كے کمیں گاہوں میں
خون خود دیتا ہے جلاّدوں كے مسکن کا سُراغ
سازشیں لاکھ اُڑھاتی رہیں ظلمت کا نقاب
لے كے ہر بوند نکلتی ہے ہتھیلی پہ چراغ
ظلم کی قسمت ناکارہ و رُسوا سے کہو
جبر کی حکمتِ پُرکار كی ایما سے کہو
محملِ مجلسِ اقوام کی لیلی سے کہو
خون دیوانہ ہے ، دامن پہ لپک سکتا ہے
شعلہ تند ہے ، خرمن پہ لپک سکتا ہے
تم نے جس خون کو مقتل میں چھپانا چاہا
آج وہ کوچہ و بازار میں آ نکلا ہے
کہیں شعلہ،کہیں نعرہ، کہیں پتھر بن كر
خون چلتا ہے تو رُکتا نہیں سنگینوں سے
سَر اُٹھتا ہے تو دبتا نہیں آ ئینوں سے
ظلم کی بات ہی کیا ، ظلم کی اوقات ہی کیا
ظلم بس ظلم ہے ، آغاز سے انجام تلک
خون پِھر خون ہے ، سو شکل بَدَل سکتا ہے
ایسی شکلیں كے مٹاؤ تو مٹائے نہ بنے
ایسے شعلے كے بجھاؤ تو بجھاۓ نہ بنے
ایسے نعرے كے دباؤ تو دبائے نہ بنے
ख़ून फिर ख़ून है – साहिर लुधियानवी
ज़ुल्म फिर ज़ुल्म है, बढ़ता है तो मिट जाता है
ख़ून फिर ख़ून है, टपकेगा तो जम जाएगा
ख़ाक-ए सेहरा पे जमे या कफ़-ए क़ातिल पे जमे
फ़र्क़-ए इंसाफ़ पे या पा-ए सलासल पे जमे
तेग़-ए बेदाद पे या लाशा-ए बिस्मिल पे जमे
ख़ून फिर ख़ून है टपकेगा तो जम जाएगा
लाख बैठे कोई छुप छुप के कमीं गाहौं में
ख़ून ख़ुद देता है जल्लादों के मस्कन का सुराग़
साज़िशें लाख उढ़ाती रहें ज़ुलमत का नक़ाब
ले के हर बूंद निकलती है हथेली पे चिराग़
ज़ुल्म कि क़िस्मत-ए नाकारा-ओ-रुसवा से कहो
जब्र कि हिकमत-ए पुरकार के ईमा से कहो
महमिल-ए मजलिस-ए अक़वाम कि लैला से कहो
ख़ून दीवाना है, दामन पे लपक सकता है
शोला-ए तुन्द है, ख़िरमन पे लपक सकता है
तुम ने जिस ख़ून को मक़तल में दबाना चाहा
आज वो कूचा-ओ-बाज़ार में आ निकला है
कहीं शोला कहीं नारा कहीं पत्थर बन कर
ख़ून चलता है तो रुकता नहीं संगीनो से
सर उठाता है तो दबता नहीं आईनों से
ज़ुल्म की बात ही क्या, ज़ुल्म की औक़ात ही क्या
ज़ुल्म बस ज़ुल्म है, आग़ाज़ से अंजाम तलक
ख़ून फिर ख़ून है, सौ शक्ल बदल सकता है
ऐसी शक्लें के मिटाओ तो मिटाए ना बने
ऐसे शोले के बुझाओ तो बुझाए ना बने
ऐसे नारे के दबाओ तो दबाए ना बने
Khoon phir Khoon hai – sahir ludhianavi
Click here for overall comments and on any passage for meanings and discussion. Sahir wrote this as a tribute to Patrice Lumumba upon his assassination. Also see maKhdoom’s tribute to Lumumba.
zulm phir zulm hai, baRhta hai to miT jaataa hai
Khoon phir Khoon hai, Tapkega to jam jaayega Sahir is comparing the (transient) power of oppression/injustice with the endurance of the “blood” of martyrs.
Oppression, after all is just that – when it increases it is eventually vanquished. The blood of martyrs leaves a mark when it is spilled, it endures, it tells its story forever. “jam jaana” is also used for “determined” thus – spilled blood is determined to resist injustice.
Khaak-e sehra1 pe jame yaa kaf2-e qaatil3 pe jame
farq4-e insaaf pe yaa paa5-e salaasal6 pe jame
teGh7-e bedaad8 pe yaa laasha9-e bismil10 pe jame
Khoon phir Khoon hai Tapkega to jam jaayega 1. sands of the desert 2. hand, fist 3. killer 4. face, brow 5. feet 6. fetters, chains 7. sword 8. tyranny, oppression 9. corpse 10. sacrificial (animal), victim
Compare with faiz’s “lahu ka suraaGh”. The blood of the martyr will congeal either on the sands of the desert or on the hand of the killer. It will congeal either on the brow of Justice or on the fettered feet (of the victim), on the sword of tyranny or on the sacrificed body. Blood, after all is blood, if it is spilled it will congeal (and show the unjust act for the world to see).
laakh baiThe koi chhup chhup ke kameeN-gaahoN1 meiN
Khoon Khud deta hai jallaadoN2 ke maskan3 ka suraaGh4
saazisheN5 laaKh uRhaati6 raheN zulmat7 ka naqaab8
le ke har booNd9 nikalti hai hatheli10 pe chiraaGh 1. hideout for ambush 2. executioner 3. home, hiding place 4. clue 5. conspiracies 6. cover up 7. darkness 8. veil 9. drop 10. palm
Try as you might, to hide in places of ambush, blood will always reveal the clue of the executioner. Conspiracies may try a cover it with a dark veil, but every drop of blood will emerge carrying a lighted lamp on its palm.
zulm1 ki qismat2-e nakaarah-o-rusvaa3 se kaho
jabr4 ki hikmat-e purkaar5 ki eema6 se kaho
mahmil7-e majlis-e aqwaam8 ki laila se kaho
Khoon diiwana hai, daaman9 pe lapak sakta hai 1. cruelty 2. fate 3. unsuccessful and disgraced 4. oppression 5. loaded cunning strategy (of oppression) 6. intention/design 7. palanquin in which Laila rides 8. union of communities, United Nations (personified here as Laila – trying to play the beloved) 9. apron, hem – to get the apron/hem stained is to acquire a bad reputation
It is the fate of all oppression to ultimately fail and be disgraced. Oppression may have many cunning schemes which it intends to carry out but warn Laila (UN sarcastically personified as the delicate, weak Laila) that blood is mad/angry and it can stain its hem/apron, it can besmirch its reputation.
shola-e tuNd1 hai, Khirman2 pe lapak sakta hai
tum ne jis Khoon ko maqtal3 meN dabaanaa chaaha
aaj vo koocha4-o-bazaar meN aa nikla hai
kahiiN shola, kahiiN na’arah5, kahiiN patthar ban kar 1. fast moving flame 2. harvest 3. slaughter house 4. street 5. shout, rallying cry
Spilled blood is a fast moving flame which can engulf the harvest. The blood that you tried to hide/suppress in the slaughter house has come out in the streets and the bazaar, here as a flame, there as a rallying cry and as rocks that can be cast on you.
Khoon chalta hai to rukta nahiiN sangeenauN1 se
sar uThtaa hai to dabtaa nahiiN aa’eenauN2 se
zulm ki baat hi kya, zulm ki auqaat3 hi kya
zulm bas zulm hai, aaGhaaz4 se anjaam5 talak 1. bayonets 2. laws/constitution 3. (times – used here in the sense of) stature, postion 4. beginning 5. end
Blood, once it starts flowing cannot be stopped with bayonets. When it raises its head, it cannot be suppressed with (brutal) laws. What stature does oppression have, how can it count for anything. Oppression after all is just oppression from beginning to end.
Khoon phir Khoon hai, sau shakl1 badal sakta hai
aisi shakleiN ke miTaao to miTaaye na bane
aise shole ke bujhaao to bujhaaye na bane
aise na’are2 ke dabaao to dabaaye na bane 1. face, appearance, shape 2. rallying cry
Blood is powerful, it can change its appearance into a thousand shapes – shapes that however much you try, you will not be able to obliterate, such flames that you will never be able to put out, rallying cries that you will never be able to suppress.
Khoon phir Khoon hai – sahir ludhianavi
Sahir wrote this as a tribute to Patrice Lumumba upon his assassination. Also see maKhdoom’s tribute to Lumumba.
zulm phir zulm hai, baRhta hai to miT jaataa hai
Khoon phir Khoon hai, Tapkega to jam jaayega
Sahir is comparing the (transient) power of oppression/injustice with the endurance of the “blood” of martyrs. Oppression, after all is just that – when it increases it is eventually vanquished. The blood of martyrs leaves a mark when it is spilled, it endures, it tells its story forever. “jam jaana” is also used for “determined” thus – spilled blood is determined to resist injustice.
Khaak-e sehra1 pe jame yaa kaf2-e qaatil3 pe jame
farq4-e insaaf pe yaa paa5-e salaasal6 pe jame
teGh7-e bedaad8 pe yaa laasha9-e bismil10 pe jame
Khoon phir Khoon hai Tapkega to jam jaayega
1. sands of the desert 2. hand, fist 3. killer 4. face, brow 5. feet 6. fetters, chains 7. sword 8. tyranny, oppression 9. corpse 10. sacrificial (animal), victim
Compare with faiz’s “lahu ka suraaGh”. The blood of the martyr will congeal either on the sands of the desert or on the hand of the killer. It will congeal either on the brow of Justice or on the fettered feet (of the victim), on the sword of tyranny or on the sacrificed body. Blood, after all is blood, if it is spilled it will congeal (and show the unjust act for the world to see).
laakh baiThe koi chhup chhup ke kameeN-gaahoN1 meiN
Khoon Khud deta hai jallaadoN2 ke maskan3 ka suraaGh4
saazisheN5 laaKh uRhaati6 raheN zulmat7 ka naqaab8
le ke har booNd9 nikalti hai hatheli10 pe chiraaGh
1. hideout for ambush 2. executioner 3. home, hiding place 4. clue 5. conspiracies 6. cover up 7. darkness 8. veil 9. drop 10. palm
Try as you might, to hide in places of ambush, blood will always reveal the clue of the executioner. Conspiracies may try a cover it with a dark veil, but every drop of blood will emerge carrying a lighted lamp on its palm.
zulm1 ki qismat2-e nakaarah-o-rusvaa3 se kaho
jabr4 ki hikmat-e purkaar5 ki eema6 se kaho
mahmil7-e majlis-e aqwaam8 ki laila se kaho
Khoon diiwana hai, daaman9 pe lapak sakta hai
1. cruelty 2. fate 3. unsuccessful and disgraced 4. oppression 5. loaded cunning strategy (of oppression) 6. intention/design 7. palanquin in which Laila rides 8. union of communities, United Nations (personified here as Laila – trying to play the beloved) 9. apron, hem – to get the apron/hem stained is to acquire a bad reputation
It is the fate of all oppression to ultimately fail and be disgraced. Oppression may have many cunning schemes which it intends to carry out but warn Laila (UN sarcastically personified as the delicate, weak Laila) that blood is mad/angry and it can stain its hem/apron, it can besmirch its reputation.
shola-e tuNd1 hai, Khirman2 pe lapak sakta hai
tum ne jis Khoon ko maqtal3 meN dabaanaa chaaha
aaj vo koocha4-o-bazaar meN aa nikla hai
kahiiN shola, kahiiN na’arah5, kahiiN patthar ban kar
1. fast moving flame 2. harvest 3. slaughter house 4. street 5. shout, rallying cry
Spilled blood is a fast moving flame which can engulf the harvest. The blood that you tried to hide/suppress in the slaughter house has come out in the streets and the bazaar, here as a flame, there as a rallying cry and as rocks that can be cast on you.
Khoon chalta hai to rukta nahiiN sangeenauN1 se
sar uThtaa hai to dabtaa nahiiN aa’eenauN2 se
zulm ki baat hi kya, zulm ki auqaat3 hi kya
zulm bas zulm hai, aaGhaaz4 se anjaam5 talak
1. bayonets 2. laws/constitution 3. (times – used here in the sense of) stature, postion 4. beginning 5. end
Blood, once it starts flowing cannot be stopped with bayonets. When it raises its head, it cannot be suppressed with (brutal) laws. What stature does oppression have, how can it count for anything. Oppression after all is just oppression from beginning to end.
Khoon phir Khoon hai, sau shakl1 badal sakta hai
aisi shakleiN ke miTaao to miTaaye na bane
aise shole ke bujhaao to bujhaaye na bane
aise na’are2 ke dabaao to dabaaye na bane
1. face, appearance, shape 2. rallying cry
Blood is powerful, it can change its appearance into a thousand shapes – shapes that however much you try, you will not be able to obliterate, such flames that you will never be able to put out, rallying cries that you will never be able to suppress.
