For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
مُکرّر نہ ہوا تھا ۔ ظہیر احمد تاجؔ
۱
آسودۂ محفل ابھی دم بھر نہ ہوا تھا
وہ کون سا تھا وار جو مجھ پر نہ ہوا تھا
۲
چشمِ ستم ایجاد کی وسعت کے مقابل
یہ تیغ تو کیا چرخِ ستم گر نہ ہوا تھا
۳
پلکوں ہی پہ تڑپا وہ مرے سوزِ دروں سے
جو اشک ابھی بڑھ کے سمندر نہ ہوا تھا
۴
جب تک کہ نہ دیکھی تھی نگاہوں کی کرامت
میں مُنحرف بادہ و ساغر نہ ہوا تھا
۵
جب تک نہ تھا شہ رگ پہ پڑا سایۂ ابرو
میں واقفِ شیرینئ خنجر نہ ہوا تھا
۶
کیا جانیں نظر آیا ہے کیا رنگِ محبت
اتنا کبھی مُضطر دلِ مُضطر نہ ہوا تھا
۷
اے تاجؔ عجب جوش اٹھا بہرِ کرم میں
اک حرفِ دعا بھی تو مُکرّر نہ ہوا تھا
मुकर्रर न हुआ था – ज़हीर अहमद ताज
१
आसूदा-ए-महफ़िल अभी दम भर न हुआ था
वो कौन सा था वार जो मुझ पर न हुआ था
२
चश्म-ए सितम-ईजाद की वुस’अत के मुक़ाबल
ये तेग़ तो क्या चर्ख़-ए सितमगर न हुआ था
३
पल्कों ही पे तढपा वो मेरे सोज़-ए-दरूँ से
जो अश्क अभी बढ़ के समुंदर न हुआ था
४
जब तक के न देखी थी निगाहों की करामत
मैं मुन्हरिफ़-ए बादा-ओ-साग़र न हुआ था
५
जब तक न था शह-रग पे पढा साया-ए अब्रू
मैं वाक़फ़-ए-शीरीनी-ए ख़ंजर न हुआ था
६
क्या जानें नज़र आया है क्या रंग-ए मोहब्बत
इतना कभी मुज़्तर दिल-ए मुज़्तर न हुआ था
७
अए ताज अजब जोश उठा बहर-ए करम में
एक हर्फ़-ए दुआ भी तो मुकर्रर न हुआ था
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. zahiir ahmed taaj (1914-????). I don’t know much more about the shaa’er. The last publication I saw of him was his kulliyaat published in 1977. He lived in karaachi at that time. The date 1969, is pure speculation.
1
aasuuda1-e mahfil2 abhi dam-bhar3 na hua tha
vo kaun sa tha vaar4 jo mujh par na hua tha 1.satiated, comfortable 2.gathering 3.for a moment 4.blow
The shaa’er/lover has just arrived in the gathering of the beloved. He has not had a chance to get comfortable. In that brief moment, he has received every kind of blow – what kind of a blow had I not received, he asks. Presumably the blows are at the hands of the beloved.
2
chashm1-e sitam-iijaad2 ki vus’at3 ke muqaabil4
ye teGh5 to kya charKh6-e sitamgar7 na hua tha 1.eye, glance 2.terror creating 3.expanse, reach 4.compared to 5.sword 6.sky, fate 7.tyrant, cruel
The glance of the beloved creates terror and it is more far-reaching, more effective than even the tyranny of fate/sky.
3
palkoN1 hi pe taRpaa2 vo mere soz3-e daruuN4 se
jo ashk5 abhi baRh ke samandar na hua tha 1.eye lashes 2.trembled 3.pain 4.internal 5.tear
The tear that had not been shed and become one with sea/ocean remained trembling on the eyelashes. Said Ghalib …
taufiq ba andaza-e himmat hai azal se
aaNkhoN meN hai vo qatra jo gauhar nah hua tha
4
jab tak ke na dekhi thi nigaahoN1 ki karaamat2
maiN munharif3-e baada-o-saaGhar4 na hua tha 1.eyes, glances 2.miracles 3.denier 4.wine and goblet
Until the shaa’er had seen the miracle of the beloved’s eyes he was not a denier of wine and goblet i.e. her eyes are even more intoxicating than wine. Said Ghalib …
jab tak ke na dekha tha qad-e yaar ka aa’lam
maiN mo’taqid-e fitna-e mahshar na hua tha
5
jab tak na tha shah-rag1 pe paRaa saaya2-e abruu3
maiN vaaqif4-e shirini5-e Khanjar6 na hua tha 1.jugular vein 2.shadow 3.eye-brow 4.knowledgable, aware 5.sweetness 6.dagger
Arched eye-brows are often compared to daggers. Also, arched eye-brows are an indication of annoyance. When the shaa’er saw the beloved’s arched eye-brows it was as if a dagger had fallen on/cut through his jugular vein. Until then he was not aware of the ‘sweetness’ of eye-brows.
6
kya jaaneN nazar1 aaya hai kya raNg2-e mohabbat
itna kabhi muztar3 dil-e muztar na hua tha 1.become visible, seen 2.style, kind 3.restless
The shaa’er/lover wonders what kind/style of love his restless heart had seen/experienced. It had never been so restless before.
7
aye taaj1 ajab2 josh3 uTha bahr4-e karam5 meN
ek harf6-e dua bhi to mukarrar7 na hua tha 1.pen-name of shaa’er 2.strange, unusual 3.enthusiasm, passion 4.ocean 5.kindness 6.prayer, pleading 7.repeated
The shaa’er had not had a chance to repeat his plea yet. But an unusual tide rose in the ocean of the kindness of the beloved i.e. the beloved showed unusual favours.
zahiir ahmed taaj (1914-????). I don’t know much more about the shaa’er. The last publication I saw of him was his kulliyaat published in 1977. He lived in karaachi at that time. The date 1969, is pure speculation.
1
aasuuda1-e mahfil2 abhi dam-bhar3 na hua tha
vo kaun sa tha vaar4 jo mujh par na hua tha
1.satiated, comfortable 2.gathering 3.for a moment 4.blow
The shaa’er/lover has just arrived in the gathering of the beloved. He has not had a chance to get comfortable. In that brief moment, he has received every kind of blow – what kind of a blow had I not received, he asks. Presumably the blows are at the hands of the beloved.
2
chashm1-e sitam-iijaad2 ki vus’at3 ke muqaabil4
ye teGh5 to kya charKh6-e sitamgar7 na hua tha
1.eye, glance 2.terror creating 3.expanse, reach 4.compared to 5.sword 6.sky, fate 7.tyrant, cruel
The glance of the beloved creates terror and it is more far-reaching, more effective than even the tyranny of fate/sky.
3
palkoN1 hi pe taRpaa2 vo mere soz3-e daruuN4 se
jo ashk5 abhi baRh ke samandar na hua tha
1.eye lashes 2.trembled 3.pain 4.internal 5.tear
The tear that had not been shed and become one with sea/ocean remained trembling on the eyelashes. Said Ghalib …
taufiq ba andaza-e himmat hai azal se
aaNkhoN meN hai vo qatra jo gauhar nah hua tha
4
jab tak ke na dekhi thi nigaahoN1 ki karaamat2
maiN munharif3-e baada-o-saaGhar4 na hua tha
1.eyes, glances 2.miracles 3.denier 4.wine and goblet
Until the shaa’er had seen the miracle of the beloved’s eyes he was not a denier of wine and goblet i.e. her eyes are even more intoxicating than wine. Said Ghalib …
jab tak ke na dekha tha qad-e yaar ka aa’lam
maiN mo’taqid-e fitna-e mahshar na hua tha
5
jab tak na tha shah-rag1 pe paRaa saaya2-e abruu3
maiN vaaqif4-e shirini5-e Khanjar6 na hua tha
1.jugular vein 2.shadow 3.eye-brow 4.knowledgable, aware 5.sweetness 6.dagger
Arched eye-brows are often compared to daggers. Also, arched eye-brows are an indication of annoyance. When the shaa’er saw the beloved’s arched eye-brows it was as if a dagger had fallen on/cut through his jugular vein. Until then he was not aware of the ‘sweetness’ of eye-brows.
6
kya jaaneN nazar1 aaya hai kya raNg2-e mohabbat
itna kabhi muztar3 dil-e muztar na hua tha
1.become visible, seen 2.style, kind 3.restless
The shaa’er/lover wonders what kind/style of love his restless heart had seen/experienced. It had never been so restless before.
7
aye taaj1 ajab2 josh3 uTha bahr4-e karam5 meN
ek harf6-e dua bhi to mukarrar7 na hua tha
1.pen-name of shaa’er 2.strange, unusual 3.enthusiasm, passion 4.ocean 5.kindness 6.prayer, pleading 7.repeated
The shaa’er had not had a chance to repeat his plea yet. But an unusual tide rose in the ocean of the kindness of the beloved i.e. the beloved showed unusual favours.
