For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
مرگِ ناگہاں کی طرح ۔ فیض احمد فیض
۱
یک بیک شورشِ فغاں کی طرح
فصلِ گلِ آئی امتحاں کی طرح
۲
صحنِ گلشن میں بہرِ مشتاقاں
ہر روش کھنچ گئی کماں کی طرح
۳
پھر لہو سے ہر ایک کاسۂ داغ
پُر ہوا جامِ ارغواں کی طرح
۴
یاد آیا جنونِ گم گشتہ
بے طلب قرضِ دوستاں کی طرح
۵
جانے کس پر ہو مہرباں قاتل
بے سبب مرگ ناگہاں کی طرح
۶
ہر صدا پر لگے ہیں کان یہاں
دل سنبھالے رہو زباں کی طرح
मर्ग-ए ना-गहाँ कि तरह – फ़ैज़ अहमद फ़ैज़
१
यक-ब-यक शोरिश-ए फ़ुग़ाँ कि तरह
फ़स्ल-ए गुल आई इम्तहाँ कि तरह
२
सहन-ए गुल्शन में बहर-ए मुश्ताक़ाँ
हर रविश खिंच गई कमाँ कि तरह
३
फिर लहू से हर एक कासा-ए दाग़
पुर हुआ जाम-ए अर्ग़वाँ कि तरह
४
याद आया जुनून-ए गुम-गश्ता
बे-तलब क़र्ज़-ए दोस्ताँ कि तरह
५
जाने किस पर हो मेहरबाँ क़ातिल
बे-सबब मर्ग-ए ना-गहाँ कि तरह
६
हर सदा पर लगे हैं कान यहाँ
दिल सँभाले रहो ज़बाँ कि तरह
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. faiz ahmed faiz (1911-1984) a poet of romance, resistance, labour leader, journalist, political activist, Lenin Peace Prize awardee writes with great finesse and delicacy using the beloved as a metaphor for the homeland and/or the socialist revolution. This nazm is from his collection ‘dast-e tah-e saNg’. This is dated soon after his second imprisonment in 1958 (the first was 1951-1955). He was released after a short internment and exiled himself to London. Composed in 1962, this Ghazal reflects the cautious hope of change from dictatorship to democracy. It is a linked to the series of Ghazal with the same radeef-refrain.
1
yak-ba-yak1 shorish2-e fuGhaaN3 ki tarah4
fasl-e-gul5 aaii imtehaaN6 ki tarah 1.suddenly, unexpectedly 2.confusion, tumult 3.lamentation 4.like, similar to 5.flowering season, spring 6.test
Spring arrived suddenly/unexpectedly. Could this be political liberalization after a period of military dictatorship. This Ghazal is dated May 1962. In March 1962, ayuub KhaaN had declared a new constitution and his intention to seek legitimacy through an election as a civilian. This has raised the poet/revolutionary’s hopes/passion like a shorish-e fuGhaaN – tumultous wailing (of protest). The test is to see how how the revolutionaries perform.
2
sahn1-e gulshan2 meN bahr3-e mushtaaqaaN4
har ravish5 khiNch6 gaii kamaaN ki tarah 1.yard, field 2.garden 3.for the sake of, in favour of 4.those who yearn (for the beloved) 5.pathways 6.shrink, shorten
The yard of the garden throngs with lovers yearning for the beloved. The beloved can easily be the homeland or a socialist system. The garden pathways shrink, tighten like a bow, to make the path shorter and easier for those who yearn. This she’r continues the political implications of the first one.
3
phir lahu1 se har ek kaasa2-e daaGh3
pur4 hua jaam5-e arGhavaaN6 ki tarah 1.blood 2.begging bowl 3.wound 4.filled up 5.cup 6.red (wine)
Every wound is like a begging bowl and is getting filled up. Bleeding because of expectations/anticipations of new possibilities.
4
yaad aayaa junoon1-e gum-gashta2
be-talab3 qarz4-e dostaaN ki tarah 1.passion, madness 2.long forgotten 3.without asking 4.loan
The poet/revolutionary remembers the long forgotten passion (for social justice) like a long forgotten loan given to a friend (which he offers to repay).
5
jaane1 kis par ho mehrbaaN2 qaatil3
be-sabab4 marg5-e naa-gahaaN6 ki tarah 1.who knows 2.kind, benevolent 3.killer, beloved 4.without reason 5.death 6.unexpected, surprising
Who knows who the beloved (the state) will shower kindness on, kindness like unexpected death. This is clearly a sarcastic comment about the workings of dictatorship. Who knows who will be their victim next.
6
har sadaa1 par lage haiN kaan yahaaN
dil sambhaale raho zabaaN ki tarah 1.sound
There are ears trained on every sound here. Be careful of your throbbing heart (inner thoughts) even as you should be careful about your tongue/words/speech.
faiz ahmed faiz (1911-1984) a poet of romance, resistance, labour leader, journalist, political activist, Lenin Peace Prize awardee writes with great finesse and delicacy using the beloved as a metaphor for the homeland and/or the socialist revolution. This nazm is from his collection ‘dast-e tah-e saNg’. This is dated soon after his second imprisonment in 1958 (the first was 1951-1955). He was released after a short internment and exiled himself to London. Composed in 1962, this Ghazal reflects the cautious hope of change from dictatorship to democracy. It is a linked to the series of Ghazal with the same radeef-refrain.
1
yak-ba-yak1 shorish2-e fuGhaaN3 ki tarah4
fasl-e-gul5 aaii imtehaaN6 ki tarah
1.suddenly, unexpectedly 2.confusion, tumult 3.lamentation 4.like, similar to 5.flowering season, spring 6.test
Spring arrived suddenly/unexpectedly. Could this be political liberalization after a period of military dictatorship. This Ghazal is dated May 1962. In March 1962, ayuub KhaaN had declared a new constitution and his intention to seek legitimacy through an election as a civilian. This has raised the poet/revolutionary’s hopes/passion like a shorish-e fuGhaaN – tumultous wailing (of protest). The test is to see how how the revolutionaries perform.
2
sahn1-e gulshan2 meN bahr3-e mushtaaqaaN4
har ravish5 khiNch6 gaii kamaaN ki tarah
1.yard, field 2.garden 3.for the sake of, in favour of 4.those who yearn (for the beloved) 5.pathways 6.shrink, shorten
The yard of the garden throngs with lovers yearning for the beloved. The beloved can easily be the homeland or a socialist system. The garden pathways shrink, tighten like a bow, to make the path shorter and easier for those who yearn. This she’r continues the political implications of the first one.
3
phir lahu1 se har ek kaasa2-e daaGh3
pur4 hua jaam5-e arGhavaaN6 ki tarah
1.blood 2.begging bowl 3.wound 4.filled up 5.cup 6.red (wine)
Every wound is like a begging bowl and is getting filled up. Bleeding because of expectations/anticipations of new possibilities.
4
yaad aayaa junoon1-e gum-gashta2
be-talab3 qarz4-e dostaaN ki tarah
1.passion, madness 2.long forgotten 3.without asking 4.loan
The poet/revolutionary remembers the long forgotten passion (for social justice) like a long forgotten loan given to a friend (which he offers to repay).
5
jaane1 kis par ho mehrbaaN2 qaatil3
be-sabab4 marg5-e naa-gahaaN6 ki tarah
1.who knows 2.kind, benevolent 3.killer, beloved 4.without reason 5.death 6.unexpected, surprising
Who knows who the beloved (the state) will shower kindness on, kindness like unexpected death. This is clearly a sarcastic comment about the workings of dictatorship. Who knows who will be their victim next.
6
har sadaa1 par lage haiN kaan yahaaN
dil sambhaale raho zabaaN ki tarah
1.sound
There are ears trained on every sound here. Be careful of your throbbing heart (inner thoughts) even as you should be careful about your tongue/words/speech.
