For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
قُوّتِ فکر و نظر کو میں ۔ سیمابؔ اکبرآبادی
۱
اُٹھتا ہوں جب چمن میں نمازِ سحر کو میں
سجدے میں دیکھتا ہوں ہر ایک برگ و بر کو میں
۲
دے کر فروغ قُوّتِ فکر و نظر کو میں
پھیلا رہا ہوں زندگیِ مختصر کو میں
۳
میرے قدم میں برقِ تجسُّس، وہ سُست گام
پیچھے نہ چھوڑ جاؤ ں کہیں راہبر کو میں
۴
شامِ قفس کو صبح کے جلوے کہاں نصیب
دھوکہ سمجھ رہا ہوں نمودِ سحر کو میں
۵
یہ ہے حقیقتِ غم و غمخواریِ جہاں
دو دن میں یاد بھی نہ رہا نوحہ گر کو میں
۶
کارِ قفس دراز ہے اور زندگی ہے کم
گلشن سے اب گیا تو گیا عمر بھر کو میں
۷
اے طور کوئی جلوۂ باقی تبرکاً
آیا ہوں آزمائشِ تاب نظر کو میں
۸
اُن کا پتہ نہ وسعتِ کونین میں ملا
اپنی طرف سمیٹ رہا ہوں نظر کو میں
۹
دن رات چل رہے ہیں مرے ساتھ راستے
رہگیر دیکھتا ہوں ہر اک رہگزر کو میں
۱۰
سیمابؔ جلوۂ پسِ پردہ ہے خود فریب
اِلزام دے رہا ہوں مجالِ نظر کو میں
क़ुव्वत-ए फ़िक्र ओ नज़र को मैं – सय्यद आशेक़ हुसैन सीमाब अकबराबादी
१
उठता हूँ जब चमन में नमाज़-ए सहर को मैं
सज्दे में देखता हूँ हर एक बर्ग ओ बर को मैं
२
दे कर फ़रोग़ क़ुव्वत-ए फ़िक्र ओ नज़र को मैं
फैला रहा हूँ ज़िंदगी-ए मुख़्तसर को मैं
३
मेरे क़दम में बर्क़-ए तजस्सुस, वो सुस्त-गाम
पीछे न छोढ जाऊँ कहीं राहबर को मैं
४
शाम-ए क़फ़स को सुबह के जल्वे कहाँ नसीब
धोका समझ रहा हूँ नुमूद-ए सहर को मैं
५
ये है हक़ीक़त-ए ग़म ओ ग़मख़्वारी-ए जहाँ
दो दिन में याद भी न रहा नौहा-गर को मैं
६
कार-ए क़फ़स दराज़ है और ज़िंदगी है कम
गुलशन से अब गया तो गया उम्र भर को मैं
७
अए तूर कोई जल्वा-ए बाक़ी तबर्रुकन
आया हूँ आज़मा’एश-ए ताब-ए नज़र को मैं
८
उन का पता न वुसअत-ए कौनैन में मिला
अपनी तरफ़ समेट रहा हूँ नज़र को मैं
९
दिन रात चल रहे हैं मेरे साथ रास्ते
रहगीर देखता हूँ हर एक रहगुज़र को मैं
१०
सीमाब जल्वा-ए पस-ए पर्दा है ख़ुद फ़रेब
इल्ज़ाम दे रहा हूँ मजाल-ए नज़र को मैं
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. syed aashiq husain seemab akbarabadi (1880-1951) was a scholar of farsi and arabi in addition to urdu. A progressive poet of secular outlook who wrote nazm of socialist themes as well odes to krishn and buddh. He also did a poetic urdu translation of the whole qur’aan. His secular credentials are impeccable. He along with his contemporary hasrat mohani, participated in the freedom struggle and composed a collection of devotional poems to krishn, which was published as a book called ‘krishn geet’. This Ghazal is linked to Ghalib naqsh-e qadam – jaauN kidhar ko maiN.
1
uThta huN jab chaman meN namaaz-e-sahar1 ko maiN
sajde2 meN dekhta huN har ek barg3-o-bar4 ko maiN 1.dawn prayer 2.prostration 3.leaf 4.fruit
When I get up in the garden for dawn prayers, I see leaves and fruits also prostrating in prayer. Thus, nature along with the poet/devotee have the same rituals for prayer.
2
de kar faroGh1 quvvat2-e fikr3-o-nazar4 ko maiN
phaila5 raha huN zindagi-e muKhtasar6 ko maiN 1.enhancing 2.power 3.reason, thinking 4.discerning sight 5.spread 6.short
By enhancing the power of reason and discerning sight (with my words), I am increasing the length of this short life i.e., making it more meaningful.
3
mere qadam1 meN barq2-e tajassus3, voh sust-gaam4
peechhay na chhoR jaauN kahiN raahbar5 ko maiN 1.step 2.lightning 3.searching, seeking 4.slow step 5.guide
I step forward in my search with the speed of lightning and my guide is slow. I fear that I will leave him behind as I move towards my goal.
4
shaam1-e qafas2 ko sub’h3 ke jalve4 kahaaN naseeb5
dhoka6 samajh raha huN numood7-e sahar8 ko maiN 1.night, darkness, injustice 2.cage, confinement, colonization 3.morning, brightness, freedom 4.appearance, vision, effulgence 5.available, granted 6.deception, illusion 7.emergence 8.dawn
The poet/bird is caged (the homeland is still under British rule). It is the night/sorrow of confinement/colonization and vision of morning/freedom is not available. He thinks that the appearance of dawn is an illusion.
5
ye hai haqiiqat1-e Gham2-o-GhamKhwaari3-e jahaaN4
do din meN yaad bhi na raha nauha-gar5 ko maiN 1.truth 2.sorrow 3.empathy, sympathy 4.world 5.morner
This is written as if the poet has died, he has been buried but is still writing. A professional mourner was hired for his funeral. In two days, he does not even remember who he was mourning for. Such is the state of grief and empathy of the world.
6
kaar1-e qafas2 daraaz3 hai aur zindagi hai kam
gulshan4 se ab gaya to gaya umr-bhar5 ko maiN 1.work, affair, story 2.cage 3.long 4.garden 5.life-long
The poet is portrayed as a bird. The bird free in the garden is happy. But the bird-catcher traps him and puts him in a cage. The story of the cage is long and my life is short. Now that I am leaving the garden, it seems like I will be gone for life i.e., I will die in the cage.
7
aye tuur1 koi jalva2-e baaqi3 tabarrukan4
aaya huN aazma’esh5-e taab6-e nazar7 ko maiN 1.mount tuur in sinaii 2.manifestation 3.existing, perpetual 4.gift, blessing 5.trial, test 6.strength, power 7.sight
This has reference to the story of moosa/Moses who went up mount tuur asking to see god. He is warned that he will not be able to bear the sight. He insists. There is a flash of lightning and he faints. But the poet is prepared to put his own ability to see to the test. He is addressing tuur … do give me the gift of whatever manifestation remains. I have come to test my ability to bear the sight.
8
un ka pataa1 nah vus’at2-e kaunain3 meN mila
apni taraf4 sameT5 raha huN nazar6 ko maiN 1.whereabouts, location 2.extent, expanse 3.two worlds, here and hereafter 4.in the direction of, towards 5.gathering 6.sight
Here ‘un’ can be the beloved or the divine beloved. The poet/seeker looked for the beloved in the vast expanse of both worlds but could find no trace. So, he turned his eyes towards himself i.e., towards his inner self, suggesting the thought that god (or the beloved) in his heart.
9
din raat chal rahe haiN mere saath raaste
rahgiir1 dekhta huN har ek rahguzar2 ko maiN 1.traveller, one who is walking the path 2.path
The traveller/seeker is along the path of seeking but it appears to him that he is standing still because the path also moves with him. He sees the path to be a fellow traveller. A much more dynamic she’r of shahid siddiqui goes …
ek pal ke rukne se duur ho gaii manzil
sirf ham nahiN chalte, raaste bhi chalte haiN
10
seemab1 jalva2-e pas-e-parda3 hai Khud4 fareb5
ilzaam6 de raha huN majaal7-e nazar8 ko maiN 1.pen-name of the poet 2.image, manifestation 3.behind the veil 4.itself 5.used here to mean illusion 6.blame 7.daring 8.sight, eyes
O seemaab, the manifestation behind the veil (the divine beloved that cannot be seen) is itself an illusion and you blame the courage of your own eyes. Note – here Khud and fareb should be read as separate words rather than together as Khudfareb – related to self-deception.
syed aashiq husain seemab akbarabadi (1880-1951) was a scholar of farsi and arabi in addition to urdu. A progressive poet of secular outlook who wrote nazm of socialist themes as well odes to krishn and buddh. He also did a poetic urdu translation of the whole qur’aan. His secular credentials are impeccable. He along with his contemporary hasrat mohani, participated in the freedom struggle and composed a collection of devotional poems to krishn, which was published as a book called ‘krishn geet’. This Ghazal is linked to Ghalib naqsh-e qadam – jaauN kidhar ko maiN.
1
uThta huN jab chaman meN namaaz-e-sahar1 ko maiN
sajde2 meN dekhta huN har ek barg3-o-bar4 ko maiN
1.dawn prayer 2.prostration 3.leaf 4.fruit
When I get up in the garden for dawn prayers, I see leaves and fruits also prostrating in prayer. Thus, nature along with the poet/devotee have the same rituals for prayer.
2
de kar faroGh1 quvvat2-e fikr3-o-nazar4 ko maiN
phaila5 raha huN zindagi-e muKhtasar6 ko maiN
1.enhancing 2.power 3.reason, thinking 4.discerning sight 5.spread 6.short
By enhancing the power of reason and discerning sight (with my words), I am increasing the length of this short life i.e., making it more meaningful.
3
mere qadam1 meN barq2-e tajassus3, voh sust-gaam4
peechhay na chhoR jaauN kahiN raahbar5 ko maiN
1.step 2.lightning 3.searching, seeking 4.slow step 5.guide
I step forward in my search with the speed of lightning and my guide is slow. I fear that I will leave him behind as I move towards my goal.
4
shaam1-e qafas2 ko sub’h3 ke jalve4 kahaaN naseeb5
dhoka6 samajh raha huN numood7-e sahar8 ko maiN
1.night, darkness, injustice 2.cage, confinement, colonization 3.morning, brightness, freedom 4.appearance, vision, effulgence 5.available, granted 6.deception, illusion 7.emergence 8.dawn
The poet/bird is caged (the homeland is still under British rule). It is the night/sorrow of confinement/colonization and vision of morning/freedom is not available. He thinks that the appearance of dawn is an illusion.
5
ye hai haqiiqat1-e Gham2-o-GhamKhwaari3-e jahaaN4
do din meN yaad bhi na raha nauha-gar5 ko maiN
1.truth 2.sorrow 3.empathy, sympathy 4.world 5.morner
This is written as if the poet has died, he has been buried but is still writing. A professional mourner was hired for his funeral. In two days, he does not even remember who he was mourning for. Such is the state of grief and empathy of the world.
6
kaar1-e qafas2 daraaz3 hai aur zindagi hai kam
gulshan4 se ab gaya to gaya umr-bhar5 ko maiN
1.work, affair, story 2.cage 3.long 4.garden 5.life-long
The poet is portrayed as a bird. The bird free in the garden is happy. But the bird-catcher traps him and puts him in a cage. The story of the cage is long and my life is short. Now that I am leaving the garden, it seems like I will be gone for life i.e., I will die in the cage.
7
aye tuur1 koi jalva2-e baaqi3 tabarrukan4
aaya huN aazma’esh5-e taab6-e nazar7 ko maiN
1.mount tuur in sinaii 2.manifestation 3.existing, perpetual 4.gift, blessing 5.trial, test 6.strength, power 7.sight
This has reference to the story of moosa/Moses who went up mount tuur asking to see god. He is warned that he will not be able to bear the sight. He insists. There is a flash of lightning and he faints. But the poet is prepared to put his own ability to see to the test. He is addressing tuur … do give me the gift of whatever manifestation remains. I have come to test my ability to bear the sight.
8
un ka pataa1 nah vus’at2-e kaunain3 meN mila
apni taraf4 sameT5 raha huN nazar6 ko maiN
1.whereabouts, location 2.extent, expanse 3.two worlds, here and hereafter 4.in the direction of, towards 5.gathering 6.sight
Here ‘un’ can be the beloved or the divine beloved. The poet/seeker looked for the beloved in the vast expanse of both worlds but could find no trace. So, he turned his eyes towards himself i.e., towards his inner self, suggesting the thought that god (or the beloved) in his heart.
9
din raat chal rahe haiN mere saath raaste
rahgiir1 dekhta huN har ek rahguzar2 ko maiN
1.traveller, one who is walking the path 2.path
The traveller/seeker is along the path of seeking but it appears to him that he is standing still because the path also moves with him. He sees the path to be a fellow traveller. A much more dynamic she’r of shahid siddiqui goes …
ek pal ke rukne se duur ho gaii manzil
sirf ham nahiN chalte, raaste bhi chalte haiN
10
seemab1 jalva2-e pas-e-parda3 hai Khud4 fareb5
ilzaam6 de raha huN majaal7-e nazar8 ko maiN
1.pen-name of the poet 2.image, manifestation 3.behind the veil 4.itself 5.used here to mean illusion 6.blame 7.daring 8.sight, eyes
O seemaab, the manifestation behind the veil (the divine beloved that cannot be seen) is itself an illusion and you blame the courage of your own eyes. Note – here Khud and fareb should be read as separate words rather than together as Khudfareb – related to self-deception.
