For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
مِٹا دیا ہے وقار اپنا ۔ جان رابرٹ پال نادرؔ شاہجہاں پوری
۱
پسِ فنا بھی تری گلی سے، نہ اُٹھے گا جسمِ زار اپنا
خدا نے چاہا تو دیکھ لینا، یہیں بنے گا مزار اپنا
۲
اگر ہے سچ اوجِ خاک ہی سے، بڑھے گا بے شک وقار اپنا
چڑھے گا عرشِ بریں کے اوپر، بگولہ بن کر غبار اپنا
۳
ہماری قسمت میں شکلِ گردوں، پسِ فنا بھی جو گردشیں تھیں
نہ ٹھہرا ریگِ رواں کی صورت، کسی جگہ پر غبار اپنا
۴
ہماری خوئے وفا تو دیکھو، کہ جان اپنی نثار کر دی
مگر وہ کافر عدوئے ایماں، ہوا نہ دم بھر کو یار اپنا
۵
تری نگاہیں وہ راہزن ہیں، کہ لے گئیں ہیں چرا کے دل اور
خیال و ہوش و حواس عقل و شکیب و صبر و قرار اپنا
۶
مئے محبّت نے تیری ساقی، کیا ہے بدمست و بیخود ایسا
اُتر کے کنجِ مزار میں بھی، نہ اُترے گا یہ خمار اپنا
۷
خدا کے فضل و کرم سے یوں تو، ہر ایک فن میں ہوں طاق نادرؔ
جہاں میں ہاں مفلسی نے بے شک، مِٹا دیا ہے وقار اپنا
मिटा दिया है वेक़ार अपना – जॉन रॉबर्ट पॉल नादर शाहजहांपूरी
१
पस-ए फ़ना भी तेरी गली से, न उठेगा जिस्म-ए ज़ार अपना
ख़ुदा ने चाहा तो देख लेना, यहीं बनेगा मज़ार अपना
२
अगर है सच औज-ए ख़ाक हि से, बढ़ेगा बेशक वेक़ार अपना
चढ़ेगा अर्श-ए बरीं के ऊपर, बगोला बन कर ग़ुबार अपना
३
हमारी क़िस्मत में शक्ल-ए गर्दूं, पस-ए फ़ना भी जो गर्दिशें थीं
न ठहरा रेग-ए रवां कि सूरत, किसी जगह पर ग़ुबार अपना
४
हमारी ख़ू-ए वफ़ा तो देखो, के जान अपनी निसार कर दी
मगर वो काफ़ेर अदू-ए ईमां, हुआ न दम भर को यार अपना
५
तेरी निगाहें वो राहज़न हैं, के ले गईं हैं चुरा के दिल और
ख़याल ओ होश ओ हवास अक़्ल ओ शकेब ओ सब्र ओ क़रार अपना
६
मय-ए मोहब्बत ने तेरी साक़ी, किया है बदमस्त ओ बेख़ुद ऐसा
उतर के कुंज-ए मज़ार में भी, न उतरेगा ये ख़ुमार अपना
७
ख़ुदा के फ़ज़्ल ओ करम से यूं तो, हर एक फ़न में हूं ताक़ नादर
जहां में हां मुफ़्लिसी ने बेशक, मिटा दिया है वेक़ार अपना
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. John Robert Paul nadir shahjahaaNpuri (1890-1963) was too poor to get his diivaan of about 400 Ghazal published during his lifetime. But his collections were preserved by the family and his grandson was finally able to get them published. His father moolchand Paul died very young and he and his siblings were brought up by their uncle, akbar James Paul. It is not clear whether he got any college education. He married Ethel Solomon and worked odd jobs to raise his family. This Ghazal has the same radeef and qaafiya as Ghalib’s ‘mizshgaan-e aahu pusht-Khaar apna’ and is linked to Ghalib naqsh-e qadam on the Theme page.
1
pas1-e fana2 bhi teri gali se, na uThega jism-e-zaar3 apna
Khuda ne chaaha to dekh lena, yahiiN banega mazaar4 apna 1.behind, after 2.annihilation, death 3.sorrowful body 4.grave, tomb
The poet/lover spends his lifetime in the street of the beloved hoping to catch a glimpse of her sometime. He claims that even after death his sorrowful body will not leave the street. Wait and see, if god wills my tomb will be built right here on your street. Ghalib on the other hand, out of jealousy, does not prefer to be buried in the beloved’s street …
apni gali meN mujh ko na kar dafn b’aad-e qatl
mere pate se Khalq ko kyuN tera ghar milay
2
agar1 hai such2 auj-e-Khaak3 hi se, baRhega be-shak4 veqaar5 apna
chaRhega arsh-e-bariiN6 ke oopar, bagola7 ban kar Ghubaar8 apna 1.if 2.truth, justice 3.heights of dust 4.without a doubt 5.dignity, respect 6.seventh heaven 7.whirlwind 8.dust
During his lifetime the poet/lover has not received any respect. Thus, if there is any truth/justice in this world, then without a doubt respect for me will increase with my rising dust. A whirlwind of my dust will rise and reach seventh heaven.
3
hamaari qismat meN shakl1-e garduN2, pas3-e fana4 bhi jo gardisheN5 thiiN
na Thahra reg-e-ravaaN6 ki soorat7, kisi jagah8 par Ghubaar9 apna 1.in the image of, similar to 2.the sky 3.behind, after 4.annihilation, death 5.rotation 6.sand dunes 7.similar to, like 8.place 9.dust
Restlessness is a part of the poet/lover’s fate. It will continue to be his fate even after death like the sky constantly revolves or like the sand dune, (his dust after death) will not stay in one place.
4
hamaari Khoo1-e vafa2 to dekho, keh jaan apni nisaar3 kar di
magar4 vo kaafir5 adu-e-iimaaN6, hua na dam-bhar7 ko yaar8 apna 1.nature, habit 2.faithfulness, fidelity 3.sacrificial offering 4.but 5.unfaithful, beloved 6.enemy of faith/fidelity 7.even for a minute 8.friend, beloved
Look at the nature of my faithfulness, I even sacrificed my life (for her). But that unfaithful enemy of fidelity did not agree to be my beloved even for a minute.
5
teri nigaaheN1 vo raahzan2 haiN, keh le gaiiN haiN chura ke dil aur
Khayaal3 o hosh4 o havaas5 aql6 o shakeb7 o sabr8 o qaraar9 apna 1.eyes, glances 2.robber 3.thoughts, imagination 4.awareness 5.senses 6.mind 7.forbearance 8.patience 9.peace, tranquility
Your glances are such robbers that they stole my heart and in addition my thoughts, awareness, senses, mind, forbearance, patience, and peace.
6
mai1-e mohabbat ne teri saaqi, kiya hai badmast2 o beKhud3 aisa
utar ke kunj4-e mazaar5 meN bhi, na utrega6 ye Khumaar7 apna 1.wine 2.stone drunk 3.in a trance 4.corner 5.grave, tomb 6.here it means ‘getting cured of’ 7.intoxication
O saaqi, your wine of love has made me so stone drunk and sent me into a trance that even upon descending into my grave, this intoxication of mine will not cured. Nice juxtaposition of utarna meaning descend and utarna meaning getting cured.
7
Khuda ke fazl1 o karam2 se yuN to, har ek fun3 meN huN taaq4 nadir5
jahaaN6 meN haaN muflisi7 ne be-shak8, miTa9 diya hai viqaar10 apna 1.benevolence 2.kindness 3.art, skill, talent 4.expert, unique 5.pen-name of the poet 6.world, life 7.penury, poverty 8.without a doubt 9.erased 10.dignity
O nadir, by the grace of god, even though I am an expert in every art, but there is no doubt that in this life penury penury has erased all my dignity.
John Robert Paul nadir shahjahaaNpuri (1890-1963) was too poor to get his diivaan of about 400 Ghazal published during his lifetime. But his collections were preserved by the family and his grandson was finally able to get them published. His father moolchand Paul died very young and he and his siblings were brought up by their uncle, akbar James Paul. It is not clear whether he got any college education. He married Ethel Solomon and worked odd jobs to raise his family. This Ghazal has the same radeef and qaafiya as Ghalib’s ‘mizshgaan-e aahu pusht-Khaar apna’ and is linked to Ghalib naqsh-e qadam on the Theme page.
1
pas1-e fana2 bhi teri gali se, na uThega jism-e-zaar3 apna
Khuda ne chaaha to dekh lena, yahiiN banega mazaar4 apna
1.behind, after 2.annihilation, death 3.sorrowful body 4.grave, tomb
The poet/lover spends his lifetime in the street of the beloved hoping to catch a glimpse of her sometime. He claims that even after death his sorrowful body will not leave the street. Wait and see, if god wills my tomb will be built right here on your street. Ghalib on the other hand, out of jealousy, does not prefer to be buried in the beloved’s street …
apni gali meN mujh ko na kar dafn b’aad-e qatl
mere pate se Khalq ko kyuN tera ghar milay
2
agar1 hai such2 auj-e-Khaak3 hi se, baRhega be-shak4 veqaar5 apna
chaRhega arsh-e-bariiN6 ke oopar, bagola7 ban kar Ghubaar8 apna
1.if 2.truth, justice 3.heights of dust 4.without a doubt 5.dignity, respect 6.seventh heaven 7.whirlwind 8.dust
During his lifetime the poet/lover has not received any respect. Thus, if there is any truth/justice in this world, then without a doubt respect for me will increase with my rising dust. A whirlwind of my dust will rise and reach seventh heaven.
3
hamaari qismat meN shakl1-e garduN2, pas3-e fana4 bhi jo gardisheN5 thiiN
na Thahra reg-e-ravaaN6 ki soorat7, kisi jagah8 par Ghubaar9 apna
1.in the image of, similar to 2.the sky 3.behind, after 4.annihilation, death 5.rotation 6.sand dunes 7.similar to, like 8.place 9.dust
Restlessness is a part of the poet/lover’s fate. It will continue to be his fate even after death like the sky constantly revolves or like the sand dune, (his dust after death) will not stay in one place.
4
hamaari Khoo1-e vafa2 to dekho, keh jaan apni nisaar3 kar di
magar4 vo kaafir5 adu-e-iimaaN6, hua na dam-bhar7 ko yaar8 apna
1.nature, habit 2.faithfulness, fidelity 3.sacrificial offering 4.but 5.unfaithful, beloved 6.enemy of faith/fidelity 7.even for a minute 8.friend, beloved
Look at the nature of my faithfulness, I even sacrificed my life (for her). But that unfaithful enemy of fidelity did not agree to be my beloved even for a minute.
5
teri nigaaheN1 vo raahzan2 haiN, keh le gaiiN haiN chura ke dil aur
Khayaal3 o hosh4 o havaas5 aql6 o shakeb7 o sabr8 o qaraar9 apna
1.eyes, glances 2.robber 3.thoughts, imagination 4.awareness 5.senses 6.mind 7.forbearance 8.patience 9.peace, tranquility
Your glances are such robbers that they stole my heart and in addition my thoughts, awareness, senses, mind, forbearance, patience, and peace.
6
mai1-e mohabbat ne teri saaqi, kiya hai badmast2 o beKhud3 aisa
utar ke kunj4-e mazaar5 meN bhi, na utrega6 ye Khumaar7 apna
1.wine 2.stone drunk 3.in a trance 4.corner 5.grave, tomb 6.here it means ‘getting cured of’ 7.intoxication
O saaqi, your wine of love has made me so stone drunk and sent me into a trance that even upon descending into my grave, this intoxication of mine will not cured. Nice juxtaposition of utarna meaning descend and utarna meaning getting cured.
7
Khuda ke fazl1 o karam2 se yuN to, har ek fun3 meN huN taaq4 nadir5
jahaaN6 meN haaN muflisi7 ne be-shak8, miTa9 diya hai viqaar10 apna
1.benevolence 2.kindness 3.art, skill, talent 4.expert, unique 5.pen-name of the poet 6.world, life 7.penury, poverty 8.without a doubt 9.erased 10.dignity
O nadir, by the grace of god, even though I am an expert in every art, but there is no doubt that in this life penury penury has erased all my dignity.
