For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
لفظِ معنی خیز ہے ساقی ۔ نذیر حسین صدیقی جنونؔ
۱
صدائے سازِ غم بھی اب سرور انگیز ہے ساقی
نشہ تیری محبت کا یہاں تک تیز ہے ساقی
۲
مے و مینا کے پردے چُھوٹتے ہیں کیفِ مستی سے
بہارِ لالہ و گل موجِِ بادہ ریز ہے ساقی
۳
ہزاروں رازِ مستوری عیاں ہیں تیری آنکھوں سے
ہر اِک جنبش نظر کی لفظِ معنی خیز ہے ساقی
۴
بتوں کے جلوے اور گھیرے ہوئے ہوں کعبۂ دل کو
فروغِِ حسنِ ایماں کافری آمیز ہے ساقی
۵
خزاں سے ہو چکا پیوند دامن موسمِ گل کا
مگر رفتار نبضِ دل کی اب بھی تیز ہے ساقی
۶
ترے ساغر سے چھلکی پڑتی ہے عشرت کی سرمستی
مرا پیمانۂ دل درد سے لبریز ہے ساقی
۷
مرے نالوں نے آہنگِ طرب کی طرح ڈالی ہے
نوائے غم کا ہر لہجہ نقاط انگیز ہے ساقی
۸
گدائے کوئے اُلفت ہوں مجھے کیا کام شاہی سے
متاعِِ عشق مجھ کو دولتِ پرویز ہے ساقی
۹
فریبِ زندگی کھایا ہوا ہوں زندگی کیسی
مری ہستی کا ہر اک نقش رنگ آمیز ہے ساقی
۱۰
جنوںؔ کی گوشہ گیری پر گمانِ ترکِ مستی کیوں
طبیعت اس کی پہلے ہی سے کم آمیز ہے ساقی
लफ़्ज़-ए मा’नी-ख़ेज़ है साक़ी – नज़ीर हुसैन सिद्दीक़ी जुनून
१
सदा-ए साज़-ए ग़म भी अब सुरूर-अंगेज़ है साक़ी
नशा तेरी मोहब्बत का यहाँ तक तेज़ है साक़ी
२
मय-ओ-मीना के पर्दे छूटते हैं कैफ़-ए मस्ती से
बहार-ए लाला-ओ-गुल मौज-ए बादा-रेज़ है साक़ी
३
हज़ारों राज़-ए मस्तूरी अयाँ हैं तेरी आँखों से
हर एक जुम्बिश नज़र की लफ़्ज़-ए मा’नी-ख़ेज़ है साक़ी
४
बुतों के जल्वे और घेरे हुए हों काबा-ए दिल को
फ़रोग़-ए हुस्न-ए ईमाँ काफ़ेरी-आमेज़ है साक़ी
५
ख़िज़ाँ से हो चुका पैवंद दामन मौसम-ए गुल का
मगर रफ़्तार नब्ज़-ए दिल की अब भी तेज़ है साक़ी
६
तेरे साग़र से छलकी पढती है इश्रत की सरमस्ती
मेरा पैमाना-ए दिल दर्द से लब्रेज़ है साक़ी
७
मेरे नालों ने आहंग-ए तरब की तरह डाली है
नवा-ए ग़म का हर लहजा नुक़ात-अंगेज़ है साक़ी
८
गदा-ए कू-ए उल्फ़त हूँ, मुझे क्या काम शाही से
मता’-ए इश्क़ मुझ को दौलत-ए परवेज़ है साक़ी
९
फ़रेब-ए ज़िंदगी खाया हुआ हूँ, ज़िंदगी कैसी
मेरी हस्ती का हर एक नक़्श रंग-आमेज़ है साक़ी
१०
जुनूं की गोशा-गीरी पर गुमान-ए तर्क-ए मस्ती क्यूँ
तबी’यत उस की पहले ही से कम-आमेज़ है साक़ी
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. nazeer hussain siddiqui (1891-1956) kaakori (near lukhnau) and hyderabad. Early education in arabi and faarsi as well as urdu, was traditional and at home. Orphaned early, he was brought up by an uncle who also passed away. He trained in accountancy and moved to hyderabad with the encouragement of his brother; progressed steadily to become Assistant Financial Secretary. With the early passing of his wife, he devoted himself to his children and their education and expressed his creative talent in writing urdu poetry. His Ghazal have layers of mystic/sufi thought intertwined with romantic and religious themes. After his passing in 1956 but his diivaan remained in the family for a long time, only as a collection organized by radeef. in his own handwriting. This collection was finally published in 2022 after four years of loving work by his grandchildren. This Ghazal is linked to other ham-radeef Ghazal on the Refrain Index page.
1
sadaa1-e saaz2-e Gham bhi ab suroor-aNgez3 hai saaqi
nashaa4 teri mohabbat ka yahaaN tak tez5 hai saaqi 1.sound 2.musical instrument, lute 3.urging/inciting ecstasy 4.intoxication 5.strong
The sound of the instrument/music of sorrow, once associated with pain, now inspires ecstasy. The intoxication of the beloved’s love is so overpowering that even grief becomes a source of pleasure. Of course, the beloved could be the divine.
2
mai-o-meena1 ke pard’e chhooTt’e2 haiN kaif3-e masti4 se
bahaar5-e laala-o-gul6 mauj7-e baada-rez8 hai saaqi 1.wine and goblet 2.veils fall away, unveiling of secrets, removal of illusions 3.exhilaration 4.intoxication 5.blossoming 6.tulip and rose 7.wave 8.wine spreading
Because of the exhilarating intoxication of mystical wine the veils of illusion have been lifted. It is as if the blossoming of flowers is spreading waves of mystical wine. The sufi mystic, sees the divine in the beauty of nature (which causes him to get drunk with mystical wine). The beauty of nature is represented here by the blossoming tulip and rose.
3
hazaaroN raaz1-e mastoori2 a’yaaN3 haiN teri aaNkhoN se
har ek jumbish4 nazar5 ki lafz6-e mu’aani-Khez7 hai saaqi 1.secrets 2.hidden 3.revealed 4.movement 5.glance 6.word 7.meaning raising/enriching
Thousands of hidden secrets are revealed through your eyes. Every glance of yours is like a word rich in meaning, O saaqi. Thus the poet/seeker communicates through the eyes of the saaqi … the beloved, the mentor or god.
4
butoN1 ke jalve2 aur gher’e3 hu’e hoN k’aaba-e dil ko
faroGh4-e husn5-e iimaaN6 kaafiri-aamez7 hai saaqi 1.idols, beauties 2.images, forms 3.surrounding 4.radiance, splendour 5.beauty 6.faith 7.blended/mixed with non-faith/infidelity
When idols surround the heart’s k’aaba, the radiance of faith’s beauty contains shades of infidelity/temptations of love. This paradox plays on the conflict between divine love (iimaan) and love of worldly beauty (but-parasti) – material temptations. The poet questions the purity of faith when even spirituality is tinged with the beauty of blasphemy.
5
KhizaaN1 se ho chuka paivand2 daaman3 mausam-e-gul4 ka
magar raftaar5 nabz6-e dil ki ab bhi tez7 hai saaqi 1.autumn 2.patched, stitched 3.hem of the garment 4.season of flowers, spring 5.speed, rate 6.pulse, beating 7.fast, rapid
The hem of spring is now stitched to autumn, re-juventation and decay are bound together. Spring is coming to an end and stitched to it autmn/decay is about to arrive. Yet, the beating heart still races, as if it is early spring. This can be interpreted in any number of ways including the aging poet suggesting that he is past his peak but his youth still beckons with a beating heart.
6
tere saaGhar1 se chhalki2 paRti hai ishrat3 ki sarmasti4
mera paimaana5-e dil dard6 se labrez7 hai saaqi 1.cup, goblet 2.spilling, overflowing 3.pleasure, joy 4.intoxication 5.cup 6.pain 7.brimming
Your goblet overflows with indulgent delight, but my cup-like heart is brimming with pain. The poet draws a contrast between the outer world’s pleasures and his inner suffering. The world offers pleasures but the sufi/seeker’s heart longs for union with the beloved/divine and is brimming with the pain of separation.
7
mere naaloN1 ne aahaNg2-e tarab3 ki tarah4 Daali hai
navaa5-e Gham6 ka har lahja7 nuqaat-aNgez8 hai saaqi 1.laments 2.melody 3.joy, celebration 4.way, method, foundation 5.sound 6.sorrow 7.accent, tone 8.raising points (of view)
My laments lay the foundation of joyous melodies; every note of the sound of sorrow raises profound nuances. This is similar to she’r 4 in which faroGh-e iimaaN is mixed with kaafiri.
8
gadaa1-e kuu2-e ulfat3 huN mujhe kya kaam shaahi4 se
mataa5-e ishq mujh ko daulat6-e parvez7 hai saaqi 1.beggar 2.street 3.love 4.kingship, kingdom 5.possessions 6.wealth 7.legendary Persian monarch known for his immense wealth
I am a beggar in the street of love, what use have I for kingship? The coveted possession of love, for me, is like the royal treasury of parvez, O saaqi. pervez is the same king that is featured in the shiiriiN-farhaad legend.
9
fareb1-e zindagi khaaya hua huN zindagi kaisi
meri hasti2 ka har ek naqsh3 raNg-aamez4 hai saaqi 1.deception 2.existence, life 3.mark, image, sign 4.mixed with colour/illusion
The sufi/seeker distinguishes between real life haqiiqi and majaazi – the life of illusion. He has been deceived by the illusion of life, where is the haqiiqi life that he longs to experience. Every image of life that he forms with colors/illusions. He is looking for union with the divine beloved to experience haqiiqi life.
10
junooN1 ki gosha-giiri2 par gumaan3-e tark4-e masti5 kyuN
tabi’at6 us ki pahle hii se kam-aamez7 hai saaqi 1.pen-name 2.seclusion, asceticism, withdrawal 3.suspicion 4.quitting, renouncing 5.intoxication 6.nature, temperament 7.disinclined to mingle, prefering solitude
O saaqi, just because junoon has secluded himself, do not suspect him renouncing intoxication. His temperament has always been somewhat aloof/prefering solitude. The saaqi could be serving mystical wine and the sufi seeker does not want to miss out on that. He wants to experience both his solitude and mystical trance.
nazeer hussain siddiqui (1891-1956) kaakori (near lukhnau) and hyderabad. Early education in arabi and faarsi as well as urdu, was traditional and at home. Orphaned early, he was brought up by an uncle who also passed away. He trained in accountancy and moved to hyderabad with the encouragement of his brother; progressed steadily to become Assistant Financial Secretary. With the early passing of his wife, he devoted himself to his children and their education and expressed his creative talent in writing urdu poetry. His Ghazal have layers of mystic/sufi thought intertwined with romantic and religious themes. After his passing in 1956 but his diivaan remained in the family for a long time, only as a collection organized by radeef. in his own handwriting. This collection was finally published in 2022 after four years of loving work by his grandchildren. This Ghazal is linked to other ham-radeef Ghazal on the Refrain Index page.
1
sadaa1-e saaz2-e Gham bhi ab suroor-aNgez3 hai saaqi
nashaa4 teri mohabbat ka yahaaN tak tez5 hai saaqi
1.sound 2.musical instrument, lute 3.urging/inciting ecstasy 4.intoxication 5.strong
The sound of the instrument/music of sorrow, once associated with pain, now inspires ecstasy. The intoxication of the beloved’s love is so overpowering that even grief becomes a source of pleasure. Of course, the beloved could be the divine.
2
mai-o-meena1 ke pard’e chhooTt’e2 haiN kaif3-e masti4 se
bahaar5-e laala-o-gul6 mauj7-e baada-rez8 hai saaqi
1.wine and goblet 2.veils fall away, unveiling of secrets, removal of illusions 3.exhilaration 4.intoxication 5.blossoming 6.tulip and rose 7.wave 8.wine spreading
Because of the exhilarating intoxication of mystical wine the veils of illusion have been lifted. It is as if the blossoming of flowers is spreading waves of mystical wine. The sufi mystic, sees the divine in the beauty of nature (which causes him to get drunk with mystical wine). The beauty of nature is represented here by the blossoming tulip and rose.
3
hazaaroN raaz1-e mastoori2 a’yaaN3 haiN teri aaNkhoN se
har ek jumbish4 nazar5 ki lafz6-e mu’aani-Khez7 hai saaqi
1.secrets 2.hidden 3.revealed 4.movement 5.glance 6.word 7.meaning raising/enriching
Thousands of hidden secrets are revealed through your eyes. Every glance of yours is like a word rich in meaning, O saaqi. Thus the poet/seeker communicates through the eyes of the saaqi … the beloved, the mentor or god.
4
butoN1 ke jalve2 aur gher’e3 hu’e hoN k’aaba-e dil ko
faroGh4-e husn5-e iimaaN6 kaafiri-aamez7 hai saaqi
1.idols, beauties 2.images, forms 3.surrounding 4.radiance, splendour 5.beauty 6.faith 7.blended/mixed with non-faith/infidelity
When idols surround the heart’s k’aaba, the radiance of faith’s beauty contains shades of infidelity/temptations of love. This paradox plays on the conflict between divine love (iimaan) and love of worldly beauty (but-parasti) – material temptations. The poet questions the purity of faith when even spirituality is tinged with the beauty of blasphemy.
5
KhizaaN1 se ho chuka paivand2 daaman3 mausam-e-gul4 ka
magar raftaar5 nabz6-e dil ki ab bhi tez7 hai saaqi
1.autumn 2.patched, stitched 3.hem of the garment 4.season of flowers, spring 5.speed, rate 6.pulse, beating 7.fast, rapid
The hem of spring is now stitched to autumn, re-juventation and decay are bound together. Spring is coming to an end and stitched to it autmn/decay is about to arrive. Yet, the beating heart still races, as if it is early spring. This can be interpreted in any number of ways including the aging poet suggesting that he is past his peak but his youth still beckons with a beating heart.
6
tere saaGhar1 se chhalki2 paRti hai ishrat3 ki sarmasti4
mera paimaana5-e dil dard6 se labrez7 hai saaqi
1.cup, goblet 2.spilling, overflowing 3.pleasure, joy 4.intoxication 5.cup 6.pain 7.brimming
Your goblet overflows with indulgent delight, but my cup-like heart is brimming with pain. The poet draws a contrast between the outer world’s pleasures and his inner suffering. The world offers pleasures but the sufi/seeker’s heart longs for union with the beloved/divine and is brimming with the pain of separation.
7
mere naaloN1 ne aahaNg2-e tarab3 ki tarah4 Daali hai
navaa5-e Gham6 ka har lahja7 nuqaat-aNgez8 hai saaqi
1.laments 2.melody 3.joy, celebration 4.way, method, foundation 5.sound 6.sorrow 7.accent, tone 8.raising points (of view)
My laments lay the foundation of joyous melodies; every note of the sound of sorrow raises profound nuances. This is similar to she’r 4 in which faroGh-e iimaaN is mixed with kaafiri.
8
gadaa1-e kuu2-e ulfat3 huN mujhe kya kaam shaahi4 se
mataa5-e ishq mujh ko daulat6-e parvez7 hai saaqi
1.beggar 2.street 3.love 4.kingship, kingdom 5.possessions 6.wealth 7.legendary Persian monarch known for his immense wealth
I am a beggar in the street of love, what use have I for kingship? The coveted possession of love, for me, is like the royal treasury of parvez, O saaqi. pervez is the same king that is featured in the shiiriiN-farhaad legend.
9
fareb1-e zindagi khaaya hua huN zindagi kaisi
meri hasti2 ka har ek naqsh3 raNg-aamez4 hai saaqi
1.deception 2.existence, life 3.mark, image, sign 4.mixed with colour/illusion
The sufi/seeker distinguishes between real life haqiiqi and majaazi – the life of illusion. He has been deceived by the illusion of life, where is the haqiiqi life that he longs to experience. Every image of life that he forms with colors/illusions. He is looking for union with the divine beloved to experience haqiiqi life.
10
junooN1 ki gosha-giiri2 par gumaan3-e tark4-e masti5 kyuN
tabi’at6 us ki pahle hii se kam-aamez7 hai saaqi
1.pen-name 2.seclusion, asceticism, withdrawal 3.suspicion 4.quitting, renouncing 5.intoxication 6.nature, temperament 7.disinclined to mingle, prefering solitude
O saaqi, just because junoon has secluded himself, do not suspect him renouncing intoxication. His temperament has always been somewhat aloof/prefering solitude. The saaqi could be serving mystical wine and the sufi seeker does not want to miss out on that. He wants to experience both his solitude and mystical trance.
