For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
مِنّت کشِ فسونِ نیاز ۔ فیض احمد فیضؔ
۱
حسن مرہون جوش بادۂ ناز
عشق مِنّت کشِ فسونِ نیاز
۲
دل کا ہر تار لرزشِ پیہم
جاں کا ہر رشتہ وقفِ سوز و گداز
۳
سوزشِ دردِ دل کسے معلوم
کون جانے کسی کے عشق کا راز
۴
میری خاموشیوں میں لرزاں ہے
میرے نالوں کی گم شدہ آواز
۵
ہو چکا عشق اب ہوس ہی سہی
کیا کریں فرض ہے ادائے نماز
۶
تو ہے اور اک تغافلِ پیہم
میں ہوں اور انتظارِ بے انداز
۷
خوفِ ناکامئ امید ہے فیضؔ
ورنہ دل توڑ دے طلسمِ مجاز
मिन्नत-कश-ए फ़ुसून-ए नियाज़ – फ़ैज़ अहमद फ़ैज़
१
हुस्न मरहून-ए जोश-ए बादा-ए नाज़
इश्क़ मिन्नत-कश-ए फ़ुसून-ए नियाज़
२
दिल का हर तार लर्ज़िश-ए पैहम
जाँ का हर रिश्ता वक़्फ़-ए सोज़-ओ-गुदाज़
३
सोज़िश-ए दर्द-ए दिल किसे मालूम
कौन जाने किसी के इश्क़ का राज़
४
मेरी ख़ामोशियों में लर्ज़ां है
मेरे नालों की गुम-शुदा आवाज़
५
हो चुका इश्क़ अब हवस हि सही
क्या करें फ़र्ज़ है अदा-ए नमाज़
६
तू है और एक तग़ाफ़ुल-ए पैहम
मैं हूँ और इंतज़ार-ए बे-अंदाज़
७
ख़ौफ़-ए नाकामी-ए उमीद है फ़ैज़
वर्ना दिल तोड़ दे तिलस्म-ए मजाज़
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. Ghalib composed a Ghair mudarraf Ghazal – ‘maiN huN apne shikast ki aavaaz’, radeef is optional and qaafiya is required. There are several Ghazal by notable shu’ara all composed in the same qaafiya. This one by faiz.
1
husn1 marhuun2-e josh3-e baada4-e naaz5
ishq minnat-kash6-e fusuun7-e niyaaz8 1.beauty, beloved 2.mortgaged to 3.passion 4.wine 5.coquetry, teasing 6.obliged to 7.magic spell 8.offering, obsequiousness, devotion
The beloved always does ‘naaz’ – teases the lover, plays hard to get and practices coquetry. The lover always does ‘niyaaz’ – offers his devotion. Thus, the beloved is mortgaged to the passionate high of drinking the wine of coquetry and the lover is under an obligation to the magic spell of unquestioning devotion.
2
dil ka har taar1 larzish2-e paiham3
jaaN4 ka har rishta5 vaqf6-e soz-o-gudaaz7 1.string (as in a sitaar) 2.trembling, vibrating 3.constantly 4.life, soul 5.relationship, connection, string 6.reserved for, monopolized by 7.fire and melting, passion and pain
The heart and soul are like musical instruments. They have strings. Heart-strings are constantly vibrating and the strings of the soul are bent upon raising passion and enduring pain (of love).
3
sozish1-e dard2-e dil kise m’aaluum3
kaun jaane kisi ke ishq ka raaz4 1.burning (with passion) 2.pain, agony 3.known 4.secret, cause
Who knows (how can anyone other than the love know) the passion of the agony of the heart. How can anyone understand the secret cause of the pain of love.
4
meri KhaamoshiyoN meN larzaaN1 hai
mere naaloN2 ki gum-shuda3 aavaaz 1.trembling, vibrating 2.wailing, crying 3.long-lost
The vibration here is like that of a string of a musical instrument. Thus, the poet/lover studied silence is making music. It is the long-lost sound of his wailing. He has suppressed his wails for too long.
5
ho chuka ishq ab havas1 hi sahi
kya kareN farz2 hai adaa3-e namaaz 1.lust 2.obligatory duty 3.performing
The poet/lover has tried his hand at (pure/unblemished) love. It has failed. He is not even willing to try ‘lust’. One way or the other he has to pay his dues to the beloved. What can we do, the performing of namaaz (duties) is obligatory.
6
tu hai aur ek taGhaaful1-e paiham2
maiN huN aur intezaar3-e be-andaaz4 1.indifference, neglect 2.constant 3.eager anticipation/waiting 4.immeasurable
The beloved is always indifferent to the lover, constantly neglecting him. The poet/lover, on the other hand, is the very picture of unlimited anticipation/eagerness for the arrival of the beloved.
7
Khauf1-e naakaami2-e umid3 hai faiz
varna4 dil toR de tilism5-e majaaz6 1.fear 2.failure 3.hope 4.otherwise 5.spell 6.enchantment
The heart hangs on to hope against all odds. It is under a spell of the enchantment of the beloved (or of the socialist ideal or of god/orthodoxy). It is afraid of failure otherwise it would have broken that spell.
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. Ghalib composed a Ghair mudarraf Ghazal – ‘maiN huN apne shikast ki aavaaz’, radeef is optional and qaafiya is required. There are several Ghazal by notable shu’ara all composed in the same qaafiya. This one by faiz.
1
husn1 marhuun2-e josh3-e baada4-e naaz5
ishq minnat-kash6-e fusuun7-e niyaaz8
1.beauty, beloved 2.mortgaged to 3.passion 4.wine 5.coquetry, teasing 6.obliged to 7.magic spell 8.offering, obsequiousness, devotion
The beloved always does ‘naaz’ – teases the lover, plays hard to get and practices coquetry. The lover always does ‘niyaaz’ – offers his devotion. Thus, the beloved is mortgaged to the passionate high of drinking the wine of coquetry and the lover is under an obligation to the magic spell of unquestioning devotion.
2
dil ka har taar1 larzish2-e paiham3
jaaN4 ka har rishta5 vaqf6-e soz-o-gudaaz7
1.string (as in a sitaar) 2.trembling, vibrating 3.constantly 4.life, soul 5.relationship, connection, string 6.reserved for, monopolized by 7.fire and melting, passion and pain
The heart and soul are like musical instruments. They have strings. Heart-strings are constantly vibrating and the strings of the soul are bent upon raising passion and enduring pain (of love).
3
sozish1-e dard2-e dil kise m’aaluum3
kaun jaane kisi ke ishq ka raaz4
1.burning (with passion) 2.pain, agony 3.known 4.secret, cause
Who knows (how can anyone other than the love know) the passion of the agony of the heart. How can anyone understand the secret cause of the pain of love.
4
meri KhaamoshiyoN meN larzaaN1 hai
mere naaloN2 ki gum-shuda3 aavaaz
1.trembling, vibrating 2.wailing, crying 3.long-lost
The vibration here is like that of a string of a musical instrument. Thus, the poet/lover studied silence is making music. It is the long-lost sound of his wailing. He has suppressed his wails for too long.
5
ho chuka ishq ab havas1 hi sahi
kya kareN farz2 hai adaa3-e namaaz
1.lust 2.obligatory duty 3.performing
The poet/lover has tried his hand at (pure/unblemished) love. It has failed. He is not even willing to try ‘lust’. One way or the other he has to pay his dues to the beloved. What can we do, the performing of namaaz (duties) is obligatory.
6
tu hai aur ek taGhaaful1-e paiham2
maiN huN aur intezaar3-e be-andaaz4
1.indifference, neglect 2.constant 3.eager anticipation/waiting 4.immeasurable
The beloved is always indifferent to the lover, constantly neglecting him. The poet/lover, on the other hand, is the very picture of unlimited anticipation/eagerness for the arrival of the beloved.
7
Khauf1-e naakaami2-e umid3 hai faiz
varna4 dil toR de tilism5-e majaaz6
1.fear 2.failure 3.hope 4.otherwise 5.spell 6.enchantment
The heart hangs on to hope against all odds. It is under a spell of the enchantment of the beloved (or of the socialist ideal or of god/orthodoxy). It is afraid of failure otherwise it would have broken that spell.
