For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
مزدور ۔ میر محمّد علی خاں میکشؔ حیدرآبادی
۱
ہے تیرے سر پہ قناعت کا تاج اے مزدور
کہ تیرے سامنے ہوتا ہے خم سر مغرور
۲
ہر ایک سانس ہے تیری شکست کی آواز
ترے سکون میں لیکن ہیں فتح کے انداز
۳
ہے تیرے رنگ میں پژمردہ حسرتوں کا ہجوم
مگر کسی نے بھی دیکھا نہیں تجھے مغموم
۴
ترے عقیدے میں غفلت ہے اک گناہ عظیم
تجھے جگاتی ہے سورج کے ساتھ موج نسیم
۵
ہجومِ رنج و الم میں بھی تیرا دل ہے جواں
سبک بہاؤ پہ دریا کے جس طرح ہو چٹاں
۶
ہے سر پہ ٹوکرا لوہے کا ہاتھ میں ہے کدال
بغل میں پھاوڑا اور دل میں اپنے گھر کا خیال
۷
لگیں جو ہاتھ ترے جھونپڑا بھی ایواں ہو
ترے قدم جو پڑیں دشت بھی گلستاں ہو
۸
لباسِ دہر ہیں تیرے لباس کے پیوند
خدا گواہ ہے سرمایہ دار کی سوگند
۹
ہے تیرے حال پہ بیتاب جذبۂ انصاف
نگاہِ دیدۂ حق کر رہی ہے تیرا طواف
۱۰
نہیں ہے تیرے تخیل میں فتنۂ تحقیق
ہیں تیرے جہل پہ قربان نکتہ ہاے دقیق
۱۱
فریب، مکر، وغا، جنگ، زرگری، تکذیب
ترے جنوں کو نہیں چھیڑتی نئی تہذیب
۱۲
تری ادا ہے پرانی خیال فرسودہ
مگر نہیں ہے ترا دل گناہ آلودہ
۱۳
تجھے حقیر سمجھتا ہے زر پرست جلال
جہانِ جبر و تشدّد، مقامِ جنگ و قتال
۱۴
کسے سناؤں تری داستانِ بربادی
کسے کہوں کہ ہے تیرا سکوت فریادی
۱۵
کسے دکھاؤں کہ ہے خوں ترے پسینے میں
کسے بتاؤں کہ ہیں داغ تیرے سینے میں
۱۶
حقارتوں سے نہ گھبرا شقاوتوں سے نہ ڈر
کہ کور چشموں کو ہوتی نہیں تمیزِ نظر
۱۷
ہے تیرے ہاتھ میں آزادہ کاریوں کی لگام
تجھے غلام جو کہہ دے وہ لاکھ بار غلام
मज़्दूर – मैकश हैरदाबादी
१
है तेरे सर पे क़ना’अत का ताज अए मज़्दूर
के तेरे सामने होता है ख़म सर-ए मग़्रूर
२
हर एक साँस है तेरी शिकस्त की आवाज़
तेरे सुकून में लेकिन हैं फ़तह के अंदाज़
३
है तेरे रंग में पज़्श्मुर्दा हसरतों का हुजूम
मगर किसी ने भी देखा नहीं तुझे मग़्मूम
४
तेरे अक़ीदे में ग़फ़्लत है एक गुनाह-ए अज़ीम
तुझे जगाती है सूरज के साथ मौज-ए नसीम
५
हुजूम-ए रंज-ओ-अलम में भी तेरा दिल है जवाँ
सुबुक बहाउ पे दरिया के जिस तरह हो चटां
६
है सर पे टोकरा लोहे का हाथ में है कुदाल
बग़ल में फावड़ा और दिल में अपने घर का ख़याल
७
लगें जो हाथ तेरे झोंपड़ा भी अएवाँ हो
तेरे क़दम जो पड़ें दश्त भी गुलिस्ताँ हो
८
लिबास-ए दहर हैं तेरे लिबास के पैवंद
ख़ुदा गवाह है सरमाया-दार की सौगंद
९
है तेरे हाल पे बेताब जज़्बा-ए इंसाफ़
निगाह-ए दीदा-ए हक़ कर रही है तेरा तवाफ़
१०
नहीं है तेरे तख़य्युल में फ़ित्ना-ए तहक़ीक़
हैं तेरे जहल पे क़ुर्बान नुक्ता-हाए-दक़ीक़
११
फ़रेब, मक्र, दग़ा, जंग, ज़र-गरी, तक्ज़ीब
तेरे जुनूँ को नहीं छेड़ती नई तहज़ीब
१२
तेरी अदा हो पुरानी ख़याल फ़र्सूदा
मगर नहीं है तेरा दिल गुनाह आलूदा
१३
तुझे हक़ीर समझता है ज़र-परस्त जलाल
जहान-ए जब्र-ओ-तशद्दुद मक़ाम-ए जंग-ओ-क़िताल
१४
किसे सुनाऊँ तेरी दास्तान-ए बरबादी
किसे कहूँ के है तेरा सुकूत फ़रियादी
१५
किसे दिखाऊँ के है ख़ूँ तेरे पसीने में
किसे बताऊँ के हैं दाग़ तेरे सीने में
१६
हक़ारतों से न घब्रा शक़ावतों से न डर
के कोर-चश्मों को होती नहीं तमीज़-ए नज़र
१७
है तेरे हाथ में आज़ादा-कारियों की लगाम
तुझे ग़ुलाम जो कह दे वो लाख बार ग़ुलाम
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. mir mohammed ali KhaaN maikash (1918-1948), a member of the nizam shaahi clan of hyderabad (the title sahabzaada-princeling was a prefix to his name), nevertheless seems to have been a committed socialist. Dropped out of the university degree program after two years and worked as editor, columnist and perhaps as a party worker. This is an ode to the worker accompanying another to the farmer. Both are linked to the icon ‘yaum-e mazdoor’ on the Theme Index page.
1
hai tere sar pe qanaa’at1 ka taaj aye mazduur
keh tere saamne hota hai Kham2 sar-e maGhruur3 1.make do, content with what you have 2.bent, bowed 3.proud, arrogant
Your head bears the crown of forbearance, O worker. The arrogant head bows before you.
2
har ek saaNs hai teri shikast1 ki aavaaz
tere sukuun2 meN lekin haiN fat’h3 ke andaaz4 1.defeat, breaking 2.contentment, patience, forbearance 3.victory 4.style
Your every breath announces that you are being broken/trampled upon. But your forbearance has the style of (eventual) victory.
3
hai tere raNg1 meN pazshmurda2 hasratoN3 ka hujuum4
magar5 kisi ne bhi dekha nahiN tujhe maGhmuum6 1.colour, nature 2.wilted 3.longing 4.crowd 5.but 6.sad, complaining
Within you nature/inner self you carry many wilted/unfulfilled desires, but no one has seen you complain.
4
tere aqiide1 meN Ghaflat2 hai ek gunaah3-e aziim4
tujhe jagaati hai suuraj ke saath mauj5-e nasiim6 1.faith 2.neglect, ignore 3.sin 4.great, greatest 5.wave, gust 6.morning breeze
In your faith forgetting/neglecting (your work) is the greatest sin. The early morning breeze wakes you up along with the sun.
5
hujuum1-e ranj-o-alam2 meN bhi tera dil hai javaaN
subuk3 bahaau pe dariya4 ke jis tarah ho chaTaaN5 1.crowding, onslaught 2.pain and sorrow 3.fleet footed 4.river 5.rock
Your heart remains strong and vigorous in the face of an onslaught of pain and sorrow like a steadfast rock in the fast flowing waters of a river.
6
hai sar pe Tokra lohe ka haath meN hai kudaal1
baGhal2 meN phavRa3 aur dil meN apne ghar ka Khayaal 1.pickaxe 2.armpit 3.shovel
You carry an iron basket on your head, a pickaxe in your hand and a shovel under your arm with your heart full of thoughts of home (of your loved ones).
7
lageN jo haath tere jhoNpRa bhi aivaaN1 ho
tere qadam2 jo paReN dasht3 bhi gulistaN4 ho 1.palace, mansion 2.steps 3.wilderness 4.garden
If your hands touch it, even in a hut will turn to a mansion. If your footsteps fall there, the wilderness turns into a garden.
8
libaas1-e dahr2 haiN tere libaas1 ke paivand3
Khuda gavaah4 hai sarmaaya-daar5 ki saugand6 1.garments 2.world 3.patches 4.witness 5.capitalist 6.swear, declare
The patches of your clothes are good enough to make garments for the world, god is my witness, I swear by the capitalist.
9
hai tere haal1 pe betaab2 jazba3-e insaaf4
nigaah5-e diida6-e haq7 kar rahi hai tera tavaaf8 1.condition 2.uneasy, uncomfortable 3.feelings 4.justice 5.glance 6.eyes 7.truth, god 8.circumambulate
Justice is uneasy looking at your condition. The glance of the eyes of god go around you.
10
nahiN hai tere taKhayyul1 meN fitna2-e tahqiiq3
haiN tere jahl4 pe qurbaan5 nukta6-ha-e daqiiq7 1.thought, imagination 2.mischief 3.investigation, inquiry 4.ignorance 5.sacrifice, pay tribute to 6.points 7.fine
Your (simple, straightforward) thoughts are not tainted by the mischief of false/face-saving inquiry. Even fine points of logic pay tribute to your ‘ignorance’.
11
fareb1, makr2, daGha3, jaNg, zar-gari4, takziib5
tere junuuN6 ko nahiN chheRti naii tahziib7 1.deception 2.duplicity, pretense 3.cheating 4.stealing wealth 5.falsehood 6.passion 7.culture
The implication is that ‘new culture’ has all these elements – deception, pretense, cheating, war, wealth appropriation and lying. O worker, your passion, (for straightforward work) does not play with this new culture.
12
teri ada1 ho puraani Khayaal2 farsuuda3
magar4 nahiN hai tera dil gunaah5 aluuda6 1.style 2.thoughts 3.outdated, obsolete 4.but 5.sin 6.tainted
Your style may be old, your thoughts outdated, but your heart is not tainted with sin/injustice.
13
tujhe haqiir1 samajhta hai zar-parast2 jalaal3
jahaan4-e jabr-o-tashaddud5 maqaam6-e jaNg-o-qitaal7 1.low, worthless 2.wealth worshipping 3.glorification 4.world of 5.oppression and force 6.place of 7.war and killing
The world of force and oppression, the place of war and killing, the glorification and worship of wealth/capital considers you low and worthless.
14
kise sunaauN teri daastaan1-e barbaadi2
kise kahuN keh hai tera sukuut3 fariyadi4 1.story 2.desolation, destitution 3.silence 4.protesting, demanding justice
To whom can I relate the story of your destitution. Who can I tell that your silence itself demands justice.
15
kise dikhaauN keh hai KhuuN tere pasiine meN
kise bataauN keh haiN daaGh1 tere siine meN 1.wounds
Who is there to see that it your blood that pours through your sweatpores. Who can I tell that your bosom too, carries wounds.
16
haqaaratoN1 se na ghabra shaqaavatoN2 se na Dar
keh kor-chashmoN3 ko hoti nahiN tamiiz4-e nazar5 1.hatred 2.cruelty, hard heartedness 3.blind eyes 4.ability 5.sight
Do not be worried about hatred, do not fear cruelty for blinded vision does not have the ability to see (your true worth).
17
hai tere haath meN azaada-kaariyoN1 ki lagaam2
tujhe Ghulaam3 jo kah de vo laakh baar Ghulaam 1.labour that creates freedom 2.reins 3.slave
In your hands you hold the reins of labour that makes us free. Those who consider you to be slave labour are themselves bound (in their own fetters of capitalism).
mir mohammed ali KhaaN maikash (1918-1948), a member of the nizam shaahi clan of hyderabad (the title sahabzaada-princeling was a prefix to his name), nevertheless seems to have been a committed socialist. Dropped out of the university degree program after two years and worked as editor, columnist and perhaps as a party worker. This is an ode to the worker accompanying another to the farmer. Both are linked to the icon ‘yaum-e mazdoor’ on the Theme Index page.
1
hai tere sar pe qanaa’at1 ka taaj aye mazduur
keh tere saamne hota hai Kham2 sar-e maGhruur3
1.make do, content with what you have 2.bent, bowed 3.proud, arrogant
Your head bears the crown of forbearance, O worker. The arrogant head bows before you.
2
har ek saaNs hai teri shikast1 ki aavaaz
tere sukuun2 meN lekin haiN fat’h3 ke andaaz4
1.defeat, breaking 2.contentment, patience, forbearance 3.victory 4.style
Your every breath announces that you are being broken/trampled upon. But your forbearance has the style of (eventual) victory.
3
hai tere raNg1 meN pazshmurda2 hasratoN3 ka hujuum4
magar5 kisi ne bhi dekha nahiN tujhe maGhmuum6
1.colour, nature 2.wilted 3.longing 4.crowd 5.but 6.sad, complaining
Within you nature/inner self you carry many wilted/unfulfilled desires, but no one has seen you complain.
4
tere aqiide1 meN Ghaflat2 hai ek gunaah3-e aziim4
tujhe jagaati hai suuraj ke saath mauj5-e nasiim6
1.faith 2.neglect, ignore 3.sin 4.great, greatest 5.wave, gust 6.morning breeze
In your faith forgetting/neglecting (your work) is the greatest sin. The early morning breeze wakes you up along with the sun.
5
hujuum1-e ranj-o-alam2 meN bhi tera dil hai javaaN
subuk3 bahaau pe dariya4 ke jis tarah ho chaTaaN5
1.crowding, onslaught 2.pain and sorrow 3.fleet footed 4.river 5.rock
Your heart remains strong and vigorous in the face of an onslaught of pain and sorrow like a steadfast rock in the fast flowing waters of a river.
6
hai sar pe Tokra lohe ka haath meN hai kudaal1
baGhal2 meN phavRa3 aur dil meN apne ghar ka Khayaal
1.pickaxe 2.armpit 3.shovel
You carry an iron basket on your head, a pickaxe in your hand and a shovel under your arm with your heart full of thoughts of home (of your loved ones).
7
lageN jo haath tere jhoNpRa bhi aivaaN1 ho
tere qadam2 jo paReN dasht3 bhi gulistaN4 ho
1.palace, mansion 2.steps 3.wilderness 4.garden
If your hands touch it, even in a hut will turn to a mansion. If your footsteps fall there, the wilderness turns into a garden.
8
libaas1-e dahr2 haiN tere libaas1 ke paivand3
Khuda gavaah4 hai sarmaaya-daar5 ki saugand6
1.garments 2.world 3.patches 4.witness 5.capitalist 6.swear, declare
The patches of your clothes are good enough to make garments for the world, god is my witness, I swear by the capitalist.
9
hai tere haal1 pe betaab2 jazba3-e insaaf4
nigaah5-e diida6-e haq7 kar rahi hai tera tavaaf8
1.condition 2.uneasy, uncomfortable 3.feelings 4.justice 5.glance 6.eyes 7.truth, god 8.circumambulate
Justice is uneasy looking at your condition. The glance of the eyes of god go around you.
10
nahiN hai tere taKhayyul1 meN fitna2-e tahqiiq3
haiN tere jahl4 pe qurbaan5 nukta6-ha-e daqiiq7
1.thought, imagination 2.mischief 3.investigation, inquiry 4.ignorance 5.sacrifice, pay tribute to 6.points 7.fine
Your (simple, straightforward) thoughts are not tainted by the mischief of false/face-saving inquiry. Even fine points of logic pay tribute to your ‘ignorance’.
11
fareb1, makr2, daGha3, jaNg, zar-gari4, takziib5
tere junuuN6 ko nahiN chheRti naii tahziib7
1.deception 2.duplicity, pretense 3.cheating 4.stealing wealth 5.falsehood 6.passion 7.culture
The implication is that ‘new culture’ has all these elements – deception, pretense, cheating, war, wealth appropriation and lying. O worker, your passion, (for straightforward work) does not play with this new culture.
12
teri ada1 ho puraani Khayaal2 farsuuda3
magar4 nahiN hai tera dil gunaah5 aluuda6
1.style 2.thoughts 3.outdated, obsolete 4.but 5.sin 6.tainted
Your style may be old, your thoughts outdated, but your heart is not tainted with sin/injustice.
13
tujhe haqiir1 samajhta hai zar-parast2 jalaal3
jahaan4-e jabr-o-tashaddud5 maqaam6-e jaNg-o-qitaal7
1.low, worthless 2.wealth worshipping 3.glorification 4.world of 5.oppression and force 6.place of 7.war and killing
The world of force and oppression, the place of war and killing, the glorification and worship of wealth/capital considers you low and worthless.
14
kise sunaauN teri daastaan1-e barbaadi2
kise kahuN keh hai tera sukuut3 fariyadi4
1.story 2.desolation, destitution 3.silence 4.protesting, demanding justice
To whom can I relate the story of your destitution. Who can I tell that your silence itself demands justice.
15
kise dikhaauN keh hai KhuuN tere pasiine meN
kise bataauN keh haiN daaGh1 tere siine meN
1.wounds
Who is there to see that it your blood that pours through your sweatpores. Who can I tell that your bosom too, carries wounds.
16
haqaaratoN1 se na ghabra shaqaavatoN2 se na Dar
keh kor-chashmoN3 ko hoti nahiN tamiiz4-e nazar5
1.hatred 2.cruelty, hard heartedness 3.blind eyes 4.ability 5.sight
Do not be worried about hatred, do not fear cruelty for blinded vision does not have the ability to see (your true worth).
17
hai tere haath meN azaada-kaariyoN1 ki lagaam2
tujhe Ghulaam3 jo kah de vo laakh baar Ghulaam
1.labour that creates freedom 2.reins 3.slave
In your hands you hold the reins of labour that makes us free. Those who consider you to be slave labour are themselves bound (in their own fetters of capitalism).
