For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
abida parveen
shimona biswas
کوئی ہمیں ستائے کیوں – مرزا غالبؔ
١
دل ہی تو ہے نہ سنگ و خشت درد سے بھر نہ آئے کیوں
روئینگے ہم ہزار بار کوئی ہمیں ستائے کیوں
٢
دیر نہیں حرم نہیں در نہیں آستاں نہیں
بیٹھے ہیں رہ گزر پہ ہم غیر ہمیں اٹھائے کیوں
٣
جب وہ جمالِ دل فروز صورتِ مہرِ نیم روز
آپ ہی ہو نظارہ سوز پردے میں منہ چھپائے کیوں
٤
دشنۂ غمزہ جاں ستاں ناوکِ ناز بے پناہ
تیرا ہی عکسِ رخ سہی سامنے تیرے آئے کیوں
٥
قیدِ حیات و بندِ غم اصل میں دونوں ایک ہیں
موت سے پہلے آدمی غم سے نجات پائے کیوں
٦
حسن اور اس پہ حسنِ ظنّ رہ گئی بو ال ہوس کی شرم
اپنے پہ اعتماد ہے اور کو آزمائے کیوں
٧
واں وہ غرورِ عزّ و ناز یاں یہ حجابِ پاسِ وضع
راہ میں ہم ملیں کہاں بزم میں وہ بلائے کیوں
٨
ہاں وہ نہیں خدا پرست جاؤ وہ بیوفاسہی
جس کو ہو دین و دل عزیز اس کی گلی میں جائے کیوں
٩
غالبِؔ خستہ کے بغیر کون سے کام بند ہیں
روئیے زار زار کیا کیجیے ہاے ہاے کیوں
कोई हमें सताए क्यूं – मिर्ज़ा ग़ालिब
१
दिल ही तो है न संग-ओ-ख़िश्त दर्द से भर न आए क्यूं
रोएंगे हम हज़ार बार कोई हमें सताए क्यूं
२
दैर नहीं हरम नहीं दर नहीं आसतां नहीं
बैठे हैं रह-गुज़र पह हम ग़ैर हमें उठाए क्यूं
३
जब वो जमाल-ए दिल-फ़ुरोज़ सूरत-ए महर-ए नीम-रोज़
आप हि हो नज़ारा-सोज़ परदे में मुंह छुपाए क्यूं
४
दशना-ए ग़म्ज़ा जां-सितां नावक-ए नाज़ बे-पनाह
तेरा हि अकस-ए रुख़ सही सामने तेरे आए क्यूं
५
क़ैद-ए हयात-ओ-बंद-ए ग़म अस्ल में दोनों एक हैं
मौत से पहले आदमी ग़म से नजात पाए क्यूं
६
हुस्न और उस पे हुस्न-ए ज़न्न रह गई बु-अल-हवस की शर्म
अपने पे एतमाद है और को आज़्माए क्यूं
७
वां वो ग़ुरूर-ए इज़्ज़-ओ-नाज़ यां ये हिजाब-ए पास-ए वज़`अ
राह में हम मिलें कहां बज़्म में वो बुलाए क्यूं
८
हां वो नहीं ख़ुदा-परस्त जाओ वा बेवफ़ा सही
जिस को हो दीन-ओ-दिल अज़ीज़ उस की गली में जाए क्यूं
९
ग़ालिब-ए ख़स्ता के बग़ैर कौन-से काम बंद हैं
रोइये ज़ार ज़ार क्या कीजिये हाय हाय क्यूं
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. mirza asadullah KhaaN Ghalib (1797-1869). I dare not write any introduction. On more than one occasion Ghalib has warned his readers that he needs no introduction or even address. I humbly comply. badri raina, retired professor of English, dehli University, poet, writer, columnist and a dear friend has translated several Ghalib Ghazal and published them as a book. There are also a number of Ghazal composed in this zamin linked together under Ghalib naqsh-e qadam.
1
dil hii to hai na saNg-o-Khisht1 dard se bhar2 na aae kyuN
ro’eNge hum hazaar baar koii hameN sataae kyuN 1.rock and brick 2.“bhar aana” is to well up with sorrow
The tradition of urdu poetry of the age is to portray the beloved as hard hearted and causing great pain to the lover (which he is supposed to relish, even if he complains about it). Here he complains – after all it is my heart not a brick or stone. Surely, it will well up with pain and I will cry a thousand times if you tease me. But then, the “koii” could be anybody, or even the whole world.
2
dair1 nahiiN haram2 nahiiN dar3 nahiiN aastaaN4 nahiiN
baiThe haiN rah-guzar5 pe hum Ghair6 hameN uThaae kyuN 1.temple 2.Ka’aba/mosque 3.door/house 4.threshold/doorway 5.roadway 6.“other”, rival
The lover is sitting not at the temple or mosque, nor at anyone’s (beloved’s) house or doorway. Why should the “other” then make him get up. Perhaps this has happened before when the lover was sitting at the four other places. Now he is either defiant or mournful and is wishing to be left alone.
3
jab vo jamaal1-e-dil-faroz2 suurat3-e mahr4-e-niim-roz5
aap hi ho nazaara-soz6 parde meN muNh chhupaae kyuN 1.beauty 2.heart illuminating, heart pleasing 3.similar to, like 4.sun 5.half-day, mid-day 6.sight burning (setting eyes on fire)
She is very beautiful and shines bright like the mid-day sun. Anyone looking at her would have their eyes burnt, just like staring at the mid-day sun. Why then does she need to wear a veil – no one dares look at her anyway.
4
dashna1-e Ghamza2 jaaN-sitaaN3 naavak4-e-naaz5 be-panaah6
teraa hii aks7-e-ruKh8 sahii9 saamne tere aae kyuN 1.dagger 2.playful/teasing side-long glance 3.life-taking, killing 4.arrow 5.coquetry, style 6.without refuge 7.reflection, image 9.it may be so
Her glances are like daggers. There is no refuge from arrows of her coquettish style. Anyone looking at her would get killed. When a mirror is placed before her, even her reflection would not dare look back at her for fear of death. How does this happen? Does the mirror crack and crumble?
5
qaid-e-hayaat1-o-band-e-Gham2 asl3 meN donoN ek haiN
maut se pahle aadmii Gham se nijaat4 paae kyuN 1.imprisonment of life 2.bondage/encirclement of sorrow 3.reality 4.deliverance
In reality imprisonment in life (this world) is necessarily the same as being surrounded by sorrow. As long as you live you will have sorrow. Why should you expect deliverance from pain before death? Stop complaining and accept pain as a part of life.
6
husn1 aur us pe husn-e-zann2 rah gaii3 bu-al-havas4 kii sharm5
apne pe etemaad6 hai aur ko aazmaae7 kyuN 1.beauty 2.beauty of thought/imagination, thinking of herself as beautiful 3.preserved, saved 4.lustful lecher 5.shame, honor 6.trust 7.put through a trial
She is beautiful and is confident that she is beautiful. She is so confident that she did not put the lecherous rival through a test of true love. This saved the rival’s honour. But at the same time the lover/poet wishes that he should have been tested. He claims (implicitly) that he is not a lecher but a true lover.
7
vaaN1 vo Ghuroor-e-izz-o-naaz2 yaaN3 ye hijaab5-e-paas-e vaz’a6
raah7 meN hum mileN kahaaN8 bazm9 meN vo bulaae kyuN 1.there (at her place) 2.pride of respect and style/coquetry 3.here (at the lover’s place – the street) 5.shame, modesty, veil 6.regard/consideration for dignity/tradition 7.wayside, street 8.here used to mean “how can this happen” 9.gathering
Both the beloved and the poet/lover are bound by their limitations – she by her pride and he by his modesty and regard. So she will not call him to her gathering and he will not talk to her on the street, because of respect for tradition and for fear of her disrepute.
8
haaN vo nahiiN Khuda-parast1 jaao vo bevafaa2 sahii3
jis ko ho diin-o-dil4 aziiz5 us kii galii meN jaae kyuN 1.god worshipping, god fearing 2.unfaithful 3.may be 4.faith and heart i.e.life/body and soul 5.dear
Friends warn the poet/lover that the beloved is neither god fearing nor faithful, and warn him to stay away from her. He agrees that she may be so. Those who want to keep their body and soul should not go to her street. He, the poet/lover is willing to risk all and will surely go.
9
Ghalib-e Khasta1 ke baGhair2 kaun-se kaam band haiN
roiye zaar zaar kyaa keejiye haay haay kyuN 1.tired, weak 2.without 3.bitterly, (weeping) a lot
With Ghalib gone (dead) nothing has stopped. What then is the point of lament. This could also be sarcasm and he really means that there will be a lot of lamenting after Ghalib is gone, similar to …
hum kahaaN ke daana the, kis hunar meN yakta the
be-sabab hua Ghalib, dushman aasmaaN apna
mirza asadullah KhaaN Ghalib (1797-1869). I dare not write any introduction. On more than one occasion Ghalib has warned his readers that he needs no introduction or even address. I humbly comply. badri raina, retired professor of English, dehli University, poet, writer, columnist and a dear friend has translated several Ghalib Ghazal and published them as a book. There are also a number of Ghazal composed in this zamin linked together under Ghalib naqsh-e qadam.
1
dil hii to hai na saNg-o-Khisht1 dard se bhar2 na aae kyuN
ro’eNge hum hazaar baar koii hameN sataae kyuN
1.rock and brick 2.“bhar aana” is to well up with sorrow
The tradition of urdu poetry of the age is to portray the beloved as hard hearted and causing great pain to the lover (which he is supposed to relish, even if he complains about it). Here he complains – after all it is my heart not a brick or stone. Surely, it will well up with pain and I will cry a thousand times if you tease me. But then, the “koii” could be anybody, or even the whole world.
2
dair1 nahiiN haram2 nahiiN dar3 nahiiN aastaaN4 nahiiN
baiThe haiN rah-guzar5 pe hum Ghair6 hameN uThaae kyuN
1.temple 2.Ka’aba/mosque 3.door/house 4.threshold/doorway 5.roadway 6.“other”, rival
The lover is sitting not at the temple or mosque, nor at anyone’s (beloved’s) house or doorway. Why should the “other” then make him get up. Perhaps this has happened before when the lover was sitting at the four other places. Now he is either defiant or mournful and is wishing to be left alone.
3
jab vo jamaal1-e-dil-faroz2 suurat3-e mahr4-e-niim-roz5
aap hi ho nazaara-soz6 parde meN muNh chhupaae kyuN
1.beauty 2.heart illuminating, heart pleasing 3.similar to, like 4.sun 5.half-day, mid-day 6.sight burning (setting eyes on fire)
She is very beautiful and shines bright like the mid-day sun. Anyone looking at her would have their eyes burnt, just like staring at the mid-day sun. Why then does she need to wear a veil – no one dares look at her anyway.
4
dashna1-e Ghamza2 jaaN-sitaaN3 naavak4-e-naaz5 be-panaah6
teraa hii aks7-e-ruKh8 sahii9 saamne tere aae kyuN
1.dagger 2.playful/teasing side-long glance 3.life-taking, killing 4.arrow 5.coquetry, style 6.without refuge 7.reflection, image 9.it may be so
Her glances are like daggers. There is no refuge from arrows of her coquettish style. Anyone looking at her would get killed. When a mirror is placed before her, even her reflection would not dare look back at her for fear of death. How does this happen? Does the mirror crack and crumble?
5
qaid-e-hayaat1-o-band-e-Gham2 asl3 meN donoN ek haiN
maut se pahle aadmii Gham se nijaat4 paae kyuN
1.imprisonment of life 2.bondage/encirclement of sorrow 3.reality 4.deliverance
In reality imprisonment in life (this world) is necessarily the same as being surrounded by sorrow. As long as you live you will have sorrow. Why should you expect deliverance from pain before death? Stop complaining and accept pain as a part of life.
6
husn1 aur us pe husn-e-zann2 rah gaii3 bu-al-havas4 kii sharm5
apne pe etemaad6 hai aur ko aazmaae7 kyuN
1.beauty 2.beauty of thought/imagination, thinking of herself as beautiful 3.preserved, saved 4.lustful lecher 5.shame, honor 6.trust 7.put through a trial
She is beautiful and is confident that she is beautiful. She is so confident that she did not put the lecherous rival through a test of true love. This saved the rival’s honour. But at the same time the lover/poet wishes that he should have been tested. He claims (implicitly) that he is not a lecher but a true lover.
7
vaaN1 vo Ghuroor-e-izz-o-naaz2 yaaN3 ye hijaab5-e-paas-e vaz’a6
raah7 meN hum mileN kahaaN8 bazm9 meN vo bulaae kyuN
1.there (at her place) 2.pride of respect and style/coquetry 3.here (at the lover’s place – the street) 5.shame, modesty, veil 6.regard/consideration for dignity/tradition 7.wayside, street 8.here used to mean “how can this happen” 9.gathering
Both the beloved and the poet/lover are bound by their limitations – she by her pride and he by his modesty and regard. So she will not call him to her gathering and he will not talk to her on the street, because of respect for tradition and for fear of her disrepute.
8
haaN vo nahiiN Khuda-parast1 jaao vo bevafaa2 sahii3
jis ko ho diin-o-dil4 aziiz5 us kii galii meN jaae kyuN
1.god worshipping, god fearing 2.unfaithful 3.may be 4.faith and heart i.e.life/body and soul 5.dear
Friends warn the poet/lover that the beloved is neither god fearing nor faithful, and warn him to stay away from her. He agrees that she may be so. Those who want to keep their body and soul should not go to her street. He, the poet/lover is willing to risk all and will surely go.
9
Ghalib-e Khasta1 ke baGhair2 kaun-se kaam band haiN
roiye zaar zaar kyaa keejiye haay haay kyuN
1.tired, weak 2.without 3.bitterly, (weeping) a lot
With Ghalib gone (dead) nothing has stopped. What then is the point of lament. This could also be sarcasm and he really means that there will be a lot of lamenting after Ghalib is gone, similar to …
hum kahaaN ke daana the, kis hunar meN yakta the
be-sabab hua Ghalib, dushman aasmaaN apna
koii hameN sataae kyuN – Raina’s Rendition
1
What is to keep the heart, no stone, from welling up with pain?
O, I shall weep a thousand tears, if you must tease again
2
No house or friend or foe, or god, where I abandoned lie
O, it is the untenanted road, why uproot me then, oh why?
3
Her splendour shames the mid-day sun, impossible to espy
What needs she then the flimsy veil to hide it from the eyes
4
The rapier of your beauty’s edge must kill without a qualm
Why then should even your mirror’s face confront your mortal charm
5
Suffering is synonymous with the process that is life
Nor may one, ere the final hour, eliminate the strife
6
So certain of her magic grace, irresistible to man
The fickle fear no test of faith, for she needs procure no fan
8
Agreed she sins in man and god, and loves not earnestly
Then those that care for love and god, why visit her alley
9
Ghalib excepted, the world of men moves on relentlessly
Then what is there to shout about, or justify a plea
