For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
موت – معین احسن جذبی
۱
اپنی سوئی ہوی قسمت کو جگالوں تو چلوں
اپنے غم خانے میں اک دھوم مچالوں تو چلوں
اور اک جامِ مئے تلخ چڑھالوں تو چلوں
ابھی چلتا ہوں ذرا خود کوسنبھالوں تو چلوں
۲
جانے کب پی تھی ابھی تک ہے مئے غم کا خُمار
دھندلا دھندلا نظر آتا ہے جہانِ بیدار
آندھیاں چلتی ہیں دُنیا ہوی جاتی ہے غبار
آ نکھ تو مل لوں، ذرا ہوش میں آلوں تو چلوں
۳
وہ مرا سحر ، وہ اعجاز کہاں ہے لانا
میری کھوئی ہوی آواز کہاں ہے لانا
میرا ٹوٖٹا ہوا وہ ساز کہاں ہے لانا
اک ذرا گیت بھی اِس ساز پہ گالوں تو چلوں
۴
میں تھکا ہارا تھا اِتنے میں جو آئے بادل
کسی متوالے نے چپکے سے بڑھادی بوتل
اُف وہ رنگین پُر اَسرار خیالوں کے محل
ایسے دو چار محل اور بنالوں تو چلوں
۵
مجھ سے کچھ کہنے کو آئی ہے مرے دِل کی جلن
کیا کیا میں نے زمانے میں نہیں جس کا چلن
آنسوو! تم نے تو بیکار بھگویا دامن
اپنے بھیگے ہوے دامن کو سکھالوں تو چلوں
۶
میری آنکھوں میں ابھی تک ہے محبت کا غرور
میرے ہونٹوں کو ابھی تک ہے صداقت کا غرور
میرے ماتھے پہ ابھی تک ہے شرافت کا غرور
اپنے وہموں سے بھی اب خود کو نکالوں تو چلوں
मौत – मोईन एहसन जज़्बी
१
अपनी सोई हुई क़िस्मत को जगा लूँ तो चलूँ
अपने ग़म ख़ाने में एक धूम मचा लूँ तो चलूँ
और एक जाम ए मै ए तल्ख़ चढ़ा लूँ तो चलूँ
अभी चलता हूँ ज़रा ख़ुद को संभालूं तो चलूँ
२
जाने कब पी थी अभी तक है मै ए ग़म का ख़ुमार
धुन्दला धुन्दला नज़र आता है जहान ए बेदार
आंधियां चलती हैं दुनिया हुई जाती है ग़ुबार
आँख तो मल लूँ, ज़रा होश में आ लूँ तो चलूँ
३
वो मेरा सहर, वो एजाज़ कहाँ है लाना
मेरी खोई हुई आवाज़ कहाँ है लाना
मेरा टूटा हुआ वो साज़ कहाँ है लाना
एक ज़रा गीत भी इस साज़ पे गा लूँ तो चलूँ
४
मैं थका हारा था इतने में जो आए बादल
किसी मतवाले ने चुपके से बढ़ा दी बोतल
उफ़ वो रंगीन पुर असरार ख़्यालौं के महल
ऐसे दो चार महल और बना लूँ तो चलूँ
५
मुझ से कुछ कहने को आई है मेरे दिल की जलन
क्या किया मैं ने ज़माने में नहीं जिस का चलन
आंसुओ, तुम ने तो बेकार भिगोया दामन
अपने भीगे हुए दामन को सुखा लूँ तो चलूँ
६
मेरी आँखों में अभी तक है मोहब्बत का ग़ुरूर
मेरे होंटों को अभी तक है सदाक़त का ग़ुरूर
मेरे माथे पे अभी तक है शराफ़त का ग़ुरूर
अपने वहमों से भी अब ख़ुद को निकालूं तो चलूँ
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. A poignant summation of life.
1
apni soii hui qismat ko jagaa luN to chaluN
apne Gham Khaane1 meN ek dhoom macha luN to chaluN
aur ek jaam2-e mai-e talKh3 chaRha luN to chaluN
abhi chalta huN zara Khud ko sambhaluN to chaluN1.house of sorrow 2.cup (of wine) 3.strong wine, bitter draught
The poet/lover sees his death coming. In answering that call he is taking stock of his life. Let me brighten up my sad fate and I will be ready to go. Let me get a joyful celebration in my gloomy house, one more drink of strong wine and I will be ready to go. I am coming, let me steady myself and I will be ready to go.
2
jane kab pi thhi abhi tak hai mai-e Gham4 ka Khumaar5
dhundla dhundla nazar aata hai jahan-e bedaar6
aandhiyaN chalti haiN duniya hui jati hai Ghubaar7
aaNkh to mal luN, zara hosh meN aa luN to chaluN4.wine of sorrow 5.(pleasant) inebriation 6.wakeful (real) world 7.dusty, hazy
It has been long since I had my last drink, but I am still drunk with the wine of sorrow. I can only barely see the hazy world going by. Storms approach and world disappears behind mists. Let me rub my eyes, let me sober up and I will be ready to go. See also Hafiz Jallandhari – abhi to maiN javan huN. Both show an expression of pathos at the approach of death. But Jazbi is a bit more in the spirit of “The woods are lovely dark and deep, I have promises to keep and, Miles to go before I sleep” – not quite the “let me do what I can before I go” spirit but a combination of expression of regret, mild hedonism, some fun and lots of pathos. A rather sad contemplation of death.In the face of death, he wants more time to brighten up his dark legacy, or wants to celebrate one last time to break the gloom of existence.
3
vo mera sahr1, vo ejaz2 kahaN hai lana
meri khoi hui avaaz kahaN hai lana
mera TooTa hua vo saaz3 kahaN hai lana
ek zara geet bhi is saaz pe gaa luN to chaluN1.magic, enchantment 2.miracle 3.lute (any musical instrument)
Where is my magic, my miraculous abilities, bring them, where is my lost voice bring it here, where is my old lute, bring it here. Let me sing just once more on that lute and I will be ready to go.
4
maiN thaka hara tha itne meN jo aaye baadal
kisi matwale ne chupke se baRhaa di botal
uf vo rangin pur asrar4 KhyaaloN ke mahal
ayse do char mahal aur banaa luN to chaluN4.mysterious
I was finished and had given up, but those cool clouds rolled in. A fellow reveler quietly handed me a bottle. Oh those colorful, magical castles in the air. Let me build a few more such castles and I will be ready to go.
5
mujh se kuchh kahne ko aayi hai mere dil ki jalan
kya kiya maiN ne zamaane meN nahiN jis ka chalan
aaNsuo, tum ne to bekaar bhigoya daaman
apne bheege hue daman ko sukha luN to chaluNMy guilty/regretful heart accuses me, but what have I done that others have not. Regretful tears, why did you wet my apron. Let me dry my tears and I will be ready to go.
6
meri aankhoN meN abhi tak hai mohabbat ka Ghuroor1
mere hoNToN ko abhi tak hai sadaaqat2 ka Ghuroor
mere maathe pe abhi tak hai sharaafat ka Ghuroor
apne vahmoN3 se bhi ab Khud ko nikaluN to chaluN1.Ghuroor normally means pride. It has other meanings too. Here it means “gumaan”, illusion 2.truthfulness, credibility 3.supersition, illusion
My eyes still carry the illusion of love. My lips still carry the illusion of credibility. My countenance still shows signs of hope/believing. Let me yank myself out of this deception and I will be ready to go.
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. A poignant summation of life.
1
apni soii hui qismat ko jagaa luN to chaluN
apne Gham Khaane1 meN ek dhoom macha luN to chaluN
aur ek jaam2-e mai-e talKh3 chaRha luN to chaluN
abhi chalta huN zara Khud ko sambhaluN to chaluN
1.house of sorrow 2.cup (of wine) 3.strong wine, bitter draught
The poet/lover sees his death coming. In answering that call he is taking stock of his life. Let me brighten up my sad fate and I will be ready to go. Let me get a joyful celebration in my gloomy house, one more drink of strong wine and I will be ready to go. I am coming, let me steady myself and I will be ready to go.
2
jane kab pi thhi abhi tak hai mai-e Gham4 ka Khumaar5
dhundla dhundla nazar aata hai jahan-e bedaar6
aandhiyaN chalti haiN duniya hui jati hai Ghubaar7
aaNkh to mal luN, zara hosh meN aa luN to chaluN
4.wine of sorrow 5.(pleasant) inebriation 6.wakeful (real) world 7.dusty, hazy
It has been long since I had my last drink, but I am still drunk with the wine of sorrow. I can only barely see the hazy world going by. Storms approach and world disappears behind mists. Let me rub my eyes, let me sober up and I will be ready to go. See also Hafiz Jallandhari – abhi to maiN javan huN. Both show an expression of pathos at the approach of death. But Jazbi is a bit more in the spirit of “The woods are lovely dark and deep, I have promises to keep and, Miles to go before I sleep” – not quite the “let me do what I can before I go” spirit but a combination of expression of regret, mild hedonism, some fun and lots of pathos. A rather sad contemplation of death.In the face of death, he wants more time to brighten up his dark legacy, or wants to celebrate one last time to break the gloom of existence.
3
vo mera sahr1, vo ejaz2 kahaN hai lana
meri khoi hui avaaz kahaN hai lana
mera TooTa hua vo saaz3 kahaN hai lana
ek zara geet bhi is saaz pe gaa luN to chaluN
1.magic, enchantment 2.miracle 3.lute (any musical instrument)
Where is my magic, my miraculous abilities, bring them, where is my lost voice bring it here, where is my old lute, bring it here. Let me sing just once more on that lute and I will be ready to go.
4
maiN thaka hara tha itne meN jo aaye baadal
kisi matwale ne chupke se baRhaa di botal
uf vo rangin pur asrar4 KhyaaloN ke mahal
ayse do char mahal aur banaa luN to chaluN
4.mysterious
I was finished and had given up, but those cool clouds rolled in. A fellow reveler quietly handed me a bottle. Oh those colorful, magical castles in the air. Let me build a few more such castles and I will be ready to go.
5
mujh se kuchh kahne ko aayi hai mere dil ki jalan
kya kiya maiN ne zamaane meN nahiN jis ka chalan
aaNsuo, tum ne to bekaar bhigoya daaman
apne bheege hue daman ko sukha luN to chaluN
My guilty/regretful heart accuses me, but what have I done that others have not. Regretful tears, why did you wet my apron. Let me dry my tears and I will be ready to go.
6
meri aankhoN meN abhi tak hai mohabbat ka Ghuroor1
mere hoNToN ko abhi tak hai sadaaqat2 ka Ghuroor
mere maathe pe abhi tak hai sharaafat ka Ghuroor
apne vahmoN3 se bhi ab Khud ko nikaluN to chaluN
1.Ghuroor normally means pride. It has other meanings too. Here it means “gumaan”, illusion 2.truthfulness, credibility 3.supersition, illusion
My eyes still carry the illusion of love. My lips still carry the illusion of credibility. My countenance still shows signs of hope/believing. Let me yank myself out of this deception and I will be ready to go.
