For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
کوئی فغاں سنتے ۔ معین اِحسن جذبیؔ
۱
چمن میں تھے جو چمن ہی کی داستان سنتے
کوئی نوا، کوئی نغمہ، کوئی فغاں سنتے
۲
قدم نہ چھوڑتے راہوں کو تا بہ منزلِ شوق
ہماری بات جو یہ اہلِ کارواں سنتے
۳
ترے قلم سے تو گلزار بے نوا کا قفس
تری زباں سے بھی کچھ حالِ بے زباں سنتے
۴
ہمارے درد کا طوفاں کہاں کہاں نہ اُٹھا
یہ شور آپ جہاں چاہتے وہاں سنتے
۵
اک عمر اپنی بھی گزری ہے اے چمن والو
گلوں کے کنج میں اندیشۂ خزاں سنتے
۶
کسی کا رنج کسی کا الم کسی کا ملال
اب اور کیا تھا جو ہم زیرِ آسماں سنتے
۷
گلوں سے بچ کے چلے بلبلوں سے کترائے
وہ میرا قصۂ خونیں کہاں کہاں سنتے
۸
کچھ اس میں اپنا بھی سوزِ بیاں تھا اے جذبیؔ
وگرنہ لوگ کب افسانۂ جہاں سنتے
कोई फ़ोग़ाँ सुनते – मोईन एहसन जज़्बी
१
चमन में थे जो चमन ही की दास्तां सुनते
कोई नवा, कोई नग़्मा, कोई फ़ोग़ाँ सुनते
२
क़दम न छोड़ते राहौं को ता-बा-मंज़िल-ए शौक़
हमारी बात जो ये अहल-ए कारवाँ सुनते
३
तेरे क़लम से तो गुल्ज़ार बे-नवा का क़फ़स
तेरी ज़बाँ से भी कुछ हाल-ए बे-ज़बाँ सुनते
४
हमारे दर्द का तूफ़ाँ कहाँ कहाँ न उठा
ये शोर आप जहाँ चाहते वहाँ सुनते
५
एक उम्र अपनी भी गुज़्री है अए चमन वालो
गुलौं के कुंज में अँदेशा-ए ख़िज़ाँ सुनते
६
किसी का रंज किसी का अलम किसी का मलाल
अब और क्या था जो हम ज़ेर-ए आसमाँ सुनते
७
गुलों से बच के चले बुलबुलों से कतराए
वो मेरा क़िस्सा-ए ख़ूनीं कहाँ कहाँ सुनते
८
कुछ इस में अपना भी सोज़-ए बयाँ था अए जज़्बी
वगरना लोग कब अफ़्साना-ए जहाँ सुनते
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. moin ehsan jazbi (1912-2005) born in aazamgaRh and educated, taught and lived in aligaRh. Member of the Progressive Writers’ Association. He worked as an assistant editor of ‘aajkal’ of which josh malihabadi was also the chief editor. I am not sure if they overlapped but he was close to majaz, faani, sardar jafri and sibt-e hasan. He did his MA from aligaRh and later joined the faculty teaching there until his retirement. He also completed his PhD while teaching and published several collections of poetry.
1
chaman meN the jo chaman hi ki daastaN1 sunte
koi navaa2 koi naGhma3 koi fuGhaaN4 sunte 1.story 2.cry 3.song 4.wail, appeal
Those who were in the garden, at least they could have heard the story of the garden. At least they could have paid attention to some cry, some song or some wailing. This could be the political leadership of the country. The poet seems to imply that they have not been paying attention to the cry of the people (of the garden).
2
qadam1 na chhoRte raahoN2 ko taa-ba3 manzil4-e shauq5
hamaari baat jo ye ahl6-e kaarvaaN sunte 1.steps 2.pathway 3.until 4.destination, goal 5.desire 6.people of
The people of the caravan/the leadership/guides have not been listening to the poet (and/or others like him). If they had listened, then their feet would not have left the pathway until after they reached their desired goal.
3
tere qalam se to gulzaar1 be-navaa2 ka qafas3
teri zabaaN se bhi kuchh haal-e be-zabaaN sunte 1.garden blooming with flowers 2.voiceless 3.nest
The poet/revolutionary writes about the conditions of the voiceless. His writing makes their nests/hovels look like a blooming garden. If only they (the leadership) had listened to the condition of the voiceless from my tongue (voice).
4
hamaare dard ka tufaaN kahaaN kahaaN na uThaa
ye shor aap jahaaN chaahte vahaaN sunte The storm of our pain rose in every direction. You could have heard its roar wherever you wanted (but you chose to ignore it). This is both for the conventional beloved and for people in power.
5
5
ek umr1 apni bhi guzri2 hai aye chaman vaalo
guloN ke kunj3 meN andesha4-e KhizaaN5 sunte 1.lifetime 2.spent, passed 3.corner 4.fear, apprehension 5.wintry dry weather, fall
O, people of the garden, I have spent a lifetime listening to flowers in the corners express their apprehension of the arrival of dry weather … when they will no longer be in bloom … the poet revolutionary listening to the apprehensions of the downtrodden.
6
kisi ka raNj1 kisi ka alam2 kisi ka malaal3
ab aur kya tha jo hum zer4-e aasmaaN sunte 1.sorrow 2.suffering 3.pain 4.under
We (poets/revolutionaries) have heard someone’s sorrow, someone’s suffering and someone’s pain. What is it under the sky that we have not heard (therefore, you leaders should pay attention to what poets write/speak).
7
guloN se bach ke chale bulbuloN se katraae1
vo meraa qissa2-e KhuniN3 kahaaN kahaaN sunte 1.avoid 2.story 3.bloody
They walked past flowers, avoided the song of the bulbul. How long could they bear to hear my blood soaked story of pain. Once again, this could be about the beloved for the power structure.
8
kuchh is meN apna bhi soz1-e bayaaN2 tha aye jazbi
vagarna3 log kab afsaana4-e jahaaN5 sunte 1.fire, pain 2.voice, words, story 3.otherwise 4.story 5.world
A general story of the condition of the world by itself is not interesting. I rendered it with the fire/pain of my own words. Othewise they would not have been able to listen to it for long.
moin ehsan jazbi (1912-2005) born in aazamgaRh and educated, taught and lived in aligaRh. Member of the Progressive Writers’ Association. He worked as an assistant editor of ‘aajkal’ of which josh malihabadi was also the chief editor. I am not sure if they overlapped but he was close to majaz, faani, sardar jafri and sibt-e hasan. He did his MA from aligaRh and later joined the faculty teaching there until his retirement. He also completed his PhD while teaching and published several collections of poetry.
1
chaman meN the jo chaman hi ki daastaN1 sunte
koi navaa2 koi naGhma3 koi fuGhaaN4 sunte
1.story 2.cry 3.song 4.wail, appeal
Those who were in the garden, at least they could have heard the story of the garden. At least they could have paid attention to some cry, some song or some wailing. This could be about the political leadership of the country. The poet seems to imply that they have not been paying attention to the cry of the people (of the garden).
2
qadam1 na chhoRte raahoN2 ko taa-ba3 manzil4-e shauq5
hamaari baat jo ye ahl6-e kaarvaaN sunte
1.steps 2.pathway 3.until 4.destination, goal 5.desire 6.people of
The people of the caravan/the leadership/guides have not been listening to the poet (and/or others like him). If they had listened, then their feet would not have left the pathway until after they reached their desired goal.
3
tere qalam se to gulzaar1 be-navaa2 ka qafas3
teri zabaaN se bhi kuchh haal-e be-zabaaN sunte
1.garden blooming with flowers 2.voiceless 3.nest
The poet/revolutionary writes about the conditions of the voiceless. His writing makes their nests/hovels look like a blooming garden. If only they (the leadership) had listened to the condition of the voiceless from my tongue (voice).
4
hamaare dard ka tufaaN kahaaN kahaaN na uThaa
ye shor aap jahaaN chaahte vahaaN sunte
The storm of our pain rose in every direction. You could have heard its roar wherever you wanted (but you chose to ignore it). This is both for the conventional beloved and for people in power.
5
ek umr1 apni bhi guzri2 hai aye chaman vaalo
guloN ke kunj3 meN andesha4-e KhizaaN5 sunte
1.lifetime 2.spent, passed 3.corner 4.fear, apprehension 5.wintry dry weather, fall
O, people of the garden, I have spent a lifetime listening to flowers in the corners express their apprehension of the arrival of dry weather … when they will no longer be in bloom … the poet revolutionary listening to the apprehensions of the downtrodden.
6
kisi ka raNj1 kisi ka alam2 kisi ka malaal3
ab aur kya tha jo hum zer4-e aasmaaN sunte
1.sorrow 2.suffering 3.pain 4.under
We (poets/revolutionaries) have heard someone’s sorrow, someone’s suffering and someone’s pain. What is it under the sky that we have not heard (therefore, you leaders should pay attention to what poets write/speak).
7
guloN se bach ke chale bulbuloN se katraae1
vo meraa qissa2-e KhuniN3 kahaaN kahaaN sunte
1.avoid 2.story 3.bloody
They walked past flowers, avoided the song of the bulbul. How long could they bear to hear my blood soaked story of pain. Once again, this could be about the beloved for the power structure.
8
kuchh is meN apna bhi soz1-e bayaaN2 tha aye jazbi
vagarna3 log kab afsaana4-e jahaaN5 sunte
1.fire, pain 2.voice, words, story 3.otherwise 4.story 5.world
A general story of the condition of the world by itself is not interesting. I rendered it with the fire/pain of my own words. Othewise they would not have been able to listen to it for long.
