For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
نہ ہونے کے برابر مرے آگے ۔ احمد فرازؔ
۱
کل شب تھا عجب دید کا منظر مرے آگے
دنیا تھی نہ ہونے کے برابر مرے آگے
۲
جیسے مُتلاطم ہو سمندر مرے اندر
جیسے ہو کوئی ماہِ مُنوّر مرے آگے
۳
اُس وقت نہ تھی آنکھ جھپکنے کی بھی فُرصت
اک شہرِ طلسمات تھا یکسر مرے آگے
۴
اُس وقت نہ تھا دل کو دھڑکنے کا بھی یارا
اک عالمِ حیرت تھا سراسر مرے آگے
۵
خُدّام بہ ہر گام لئے جام سِتادہ
لب بستہ کنیزانِ سمن بر مرے آگے
۶
لائے کوئی مینائے مئے تند لپک کر
رکھ دے کوئی تعظیم سے ساغر مرے آگے
۷
چُھپ چُھپ کے کوئی چُست کرے تنگ قبا کو
ہنس ہنس کے اُتارے کوئی زیور مرے آگے
۸
اِک مست ادا کاکُلِ مُشکیں کو بکھیرے
لے آئی دف و چنگ اُٹھا کر مرے آگے
۹
جیسے ہو مرے سامنے شدّاد کی جنت
جیسے ہو صنم خانۂ آزر مرے آگے
۱۰
جیسے کوئی گُل چہرہ پری چَھم سے اُتر آئے
اور رقص کرے ناز سے آکر مرے آگے
न होने के बराबर मेरे आगे – अहमद फ़राज़
१
कल शब था अजब दीद का मंज़र मेरे आगे
दुनिया थी न होने के बराबर मेरे आगे
२
जैसे मुतलातिम हो समंदर मेरे अंदर
जैसे हो कोई माह-ए मुनव्वर मेरे आगे
३
उस वक़्त न थी आँख झपकने की भी फ़ुर्सत
एक शहर-ए तिलिस्मात था यक्सर मेरे आगे
४
उस वक़्त न था दिल को धड़कने का भी यारा
एक आलम-ए हैरत था सरासर मेरे आगे
५
ख़ुद्दाम ब-हर-गाम लिए जाम सितादा
लब बस्ता कनिज़ान-ए समन-बर मेरे आगे
६
लाए कोई मीना-ए मै-ए तुंद लपक कर
रख दे कोई ताज़ीम से साग़र मेरे आगे
७
छुप छुप के करे चुस्त कोई तंग क़बा को
हंस हंस के उतारे कोई ज़ेवर मेरे आगे
८
एक मस्त अदा काकुल-ए मुश्कीं को बिखेरे
ले आई दफ़ ओ चंग उठा कर मेरे आगे
९
जैसे हो मेरे सामने शद्दाद कि जन्नत
जैसे हो सनम ख़ाना-ए आज़र मेरे आगे
१०
जैसे कोई गुल चेहरा परी छम से उतर आए
और रक़्स करे नाज़ से आकर मेरे आगे
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. ahmad faraz (1931-2008) popular love and romance poet as well as a substantial contributor to progressive themes. This Ghazal is modeled after Ghalib’s ‘hota hai shab-o-roz tamaasha mere aage’ and is linked to a series of Ghazal in the same style. The opening she’r (matla) sets the stage for all others. The shaa’er is imagining pleasant things that have been happening to him (all in his imagination) with an anti-climax in the closing she’r (maqta).
1
kal shab1 tha ajab2 diid3 ka manzar4 mere aage
duniya thi na hone ke baraabar5 mere aage 1.night 2.unusual, fascinating 3.sight, worth seeing 4.scene 5.equal/similar to
Last night the scene before my eyes was fascinating. The world before me was as if it was the same as not being there. The implication is that whatever was before his eyes was like an illusion, perhaps like a dream. The shaa’er creates a suspense by not describing what he was looking at. Was it the beloved or just a dream or his rich imagination.
2
jaise mutalaatim1 ho samandar2 mere andar
jaise ho koi maah3-e munavvar4 mere aage 1.stormy 2.sea, ocean 3.moon 4.brilliant, radiant
The thought from the first she’r continues. The enchanting scene before his eyes was like a stormy sea inside him i.e., it generated a storm of emotions inside him. It was as if a brilliant moon was before him. This begins to look like either the beloved or her illusion.
3
uss vaqt na thi aaNkh jhapakne1 ki bhi fursat2
ek shahr-e tilismaat3 tha yaksar4 mere aage 1.blink 2.time, leisure 3.magic, enchantment 4.all at once, all together
At that time, I did could not even blink my eye i.e., the poet was so fascinated that he kept looking; could not look away, or even blink his eyes for a moment. It was as a whole city of enchantment/magic had suddenly appeared before his eyes.
4
uss vaqt na tha dil ko dhaRakne1 ka bhi yaara2
ek a’alam3-e hairat4 tha saraasar5 mere aage 1.throbbing, beating 2.friendship, support, help 3.world, condition 4.puzzled, enchanted 5.head to toe, embodiment
At that time, even the heart stood still. It lost the ability to beat. The world before me was the embodiment of enchantment.
5
Khuddaam1 ba-har-gaam2 liye jaam3 sitaada4
lab-basta5 kaneezaan6-e saman-bar7 mere aage 1.servants 2.at every step 3.goblet (of wine) 4.standing 5.tight-lipped, silent 6.female slaves 7.jasmine bosomed
At every step servants stood ready, bearing goblets of wine and bare-breasted slave girls, silently stood by.
6
laa’e koi miinaa1-e mai2-e tund3 lapak4 kar
rakh de koi ta’aziim5 se saaGhar6 mere aage 1.flask 2.wine 3.strong, pure 4.jump 5.respectfully 6.cup
One of them would jump to fetch a flask of pure/strong wine for me while another would respectfully place a goblet before me.
7
chhup chhup ke koi chust1 kare taNg2 qabaa3 ko
haNs-haNs ke utaare koi zevar4 mere aage 1.fitting, tighten 4.close fitting 3.robe, garment 4.jewels
One would unobtrusivels tie the bands of her tight-fitting garment while another, laughing would take off her jewelry.
8
ek mast-ada1 kaakul2-e mushkiiN3 ko bikhere4
le aa’ii daf5 o chaNg6 uTha kar mere aage 1.intoxicating gesture/style 2.locks, hair 3.musk fragrance 4.spread out 5.finger cymbals 6.harp
Another one (slave girl) with an intoxicating gesture, flinging her musky locks, brought cymbals and harp before me.
9
jaise ho mere saamne shaddaad1 ki jannat2
jaise ho sanam-Khaana3-e aazar4 mere aage 1.legendary king who claimed divinity and created his own heaven 2.heaven 3.idol house 4.father of ibrahim, idol worshipper, idol sculptor
The poet uses two legends in this she’r. shaddaad is reported to have been a cruel king exercising absolute power. He declared himself to be god and ‘created’ his own heaven on earth, but died before entering it. aazar was the father of ibrahim, an idol-sculptor, idol worshipper who opposed his son ibrahim who declared that there was only one god and forbade idol worship. ‘shaddaad ki jannat’ is used as a metaphor for an illusion of heaven. Similarly ‘sanam-Khaana-e aazar’ represents idols which may be beautiful but are not divine, not real goddesses. Thus the poet admits that what he has been describing is an illusion, not real.
10
jaise koi gul-chehra1 pari chham2 se utar aa’e
aur raqs3 kare naaz4 se aa kar mere aage 1.rose-faced, rosy cheeked 2.with music 3.dance 4.coquettish style
The description of his illusion continues. The scene before his eyes was as if a rosy-cheeked fairy descended before him with musical ankle bells and danced in coquettish style.
ahmad faraz (1931-2008) popular love and romance poet as well as a substantial contributor to progressive themes. This Ghazal is modeled after Ghalib’s ‘hota hai shab-o-roz tamaasha mere aage’ and is linked to a series of Ghazal in the same style. The opening she’r (matla) sets the stage for all others. The shaa’er is imagining pleasant things that have been happening to him (all in his imagination) with an anti-climax in the closing she’r (maqta).
1
kal shab1 tha ajab2 diid3 ka manzar4 mere aage
duniya thi na hone ke baraabar5 mere aage
1.night 2.unusual, fascinating 3.sight, worth seeing 4.scene 5.equal/similar to
Last night the scene before my eyes was fascinating. The world before me was as if it was the same as not being there. The implication is that whatever was before his eyes was like an illusion, perhaps like a dream. The shaa’er creates a suspense by not describing what he was looking at. Was it the beloved or just a dream or his rich imagination.
2
jaise mutalaatim1 ho samandar2 mere andar
jaise ho koi maah3-e munavvar4 mere aage
1.stormy 2.sea, ocean 3.moon 4.brilliant, radiant
The thought from the first she’r continues. The enchanting scene before his eyes was like a stormy sea inside him i.e., it generated a storm of emotions inside him. It was as if a brilliant moon was before him. This begins to look like either the beloved or her illusion.
3
uss vaqt na thi aaNkh jhapakne1 ki bhi fursat2
ek shahr-e tilismaat3 tha yaksar4 mere aage
1.blink 2.time, leisure 3.magic, enchantment 4.all at once, all together
At that time, I did could not even blink my eye i.e., the poet was so fascinated that he kept looking; could not look away, or even blink his eyes for a moment. It was as a whole city of enchantment/magic had suddenly appeared before his eyes.
4
uss vaqt na tha dil ko dhaRakne1 ka bhi yaara2
ek a’alam3-e hairat4 tha saraasar5 mere aage
1.throbbing, beating 2.friendship, support, help 3.world, condition 4.puzzled, enchanted 5.head to toe, embodiment
At that time, even the heart stood still. It lost the ability to beat. The world before me was the embodiment of enchantment.
5
Khuddaam1 ba-har-gaam2 liye jaam3 sitaada4
lab-basta5 kaneezaan6-e saman-bar7 mere aage
1.servants 2.at every step 3.goblet (of wine) 4.standing 5.tight-lipped, silent 6.female slaves 7.jasmine bosomed
At every step servants stood ready, bearing goblets of wine and bare-breasted slave girls, silently stood by.
6
laa’e koi miinaa1-e mai2-e tund3 lapak4 kar
rakh de koi ta’aziim5 se saaGhar6 mere aage
1.flask 2.wine 3.strong, pure 4.jump 5.respectfully 6.cup
One of them would jump to fetch a flask of pure/strong wine for me while another would respectfully place a goblet before me.
7
chhup chhup ke koi chust1 kare taNg2 qabaa3 ko
haNs-haNs ke utaare koi zevar4 mere aage
1.fitting, tighten 4.close fitting 3.robe, garment 4.jewels
One would unobtrusivels tie the bands of her tight-fitting garment while another, laughing would take off her jewelry.
8
ek mast-ada1 kaakul2-e mushkiiN3 ko bikhere4
le aa’ii daf5 o chaNg6 uTha kar mere aage
1.intoxicating gesture/style 2.locks, hair 3.musk fragrance 4.spread out 5.finger cymbals 6.harp
Another one (slave girl) with an intoxicating gesture, flinging her musky locks, brought cymbals and harp before me.
9
jaise ho mere saamne shaddaad1 ki jannat2
jaise ho sanam-Khaana3-e aazar4 mere aage
1.legendary king who claimed divinity and created his own heaven 2.heaven 3.idol house 4.father of ibrahim, idol worshipper, idol sculptor
The poet uses two legends in this she’r. shaddaad is reported to have been a cruel king exercising absolute power. He declared himself to be god and ‘created’ his own heaven on earth, but died before entering it. aazar was the father of ibrahim, an idol-sculptor, idol worshipper who opposed his son ibrahim who declared that there was only one god and forbade idol worship. ‘shaddaad ki jannat’ is used as a metaphor for an illusion of heaven. Similarly ‘sanam-Khaana-e aazar’ represents idols which may be beautiful but are not divine, not real goddesses. Thus the poet admits that what he has been describing is an illusion, not real.
10
jaise koi gul-chehra1 pari chham2 se utar aa’e
aur raqs3 kare naaz4 se aa kar mere aage
1.rose-faced, rosy cheeked 2.with music 3.dance 4.coquettish style
The description of his illusion continues. The scene before his eyes was as if a rosy-cheeked fairy descended before him with musical ankle bells and danced in coquettish style.
