Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. josh malihabadi (1898-1982) is known as – shaa’er-e inqelaab – poet of revolution. His nazm are fiery, passionate, and full of energy. His Ghazal and rubaaii are equally good. He was a secular humanist writing sharply and irreverently against colonialism, abuse of power, injustice and orthodoxy. This nazm follows the structure of Ghazal and is linked to several others of the same radeef on the ‘Refrain’ page.
1
kahaaN tak aatish¹-e soz²-e jigar³ ki baat kareN
ab aao, aab⁴-e Khum⁵ o jaam⁶-e zar⁷ ki baat kareN     1.fire 2.passion 3.liver/heart 4.water 5.flask, flagon 6.cup 7.gold
How long will we keep talking about the fire of passion (of love) in our heart. Come let us talk about water of the flagon i.e., wine and of the cup of gold i.e., cup of wine. This is somewhat like the position taken by the Progressive Writers Association which called for talking about societal needs and injustices rather than about love and romance.
2
bhaRakti¹ aag, kaRakti² kamaan³ ki zadd⁴ par
bahakti⁵ chaal lachakti⁶ kamar ki baat kareN    1.flaring 2.twanging 3.bow (as in bow and arrow) 4.target, aim 5.staggering 6.swaying
Even as we are the target of bows and arrows and in danger of approaching fire, let us talk about the grace of the beloved her staggering/intoxicated gait and swaying waist.
3
mahall¹-e karb² meN chheReN rabaab³-e kaif-o-nishaat⁴
jumood⁵ barf⁶ meN raqs⁷-e sharar⁸ ki baat kareN    1.place, occasion 2.pain, sorrow 3.musical instrument, sarod 4.joy and pleasure 5.freezing, frozen 6.ice 7.dance 8.sparks
Even in pain, let us break out a song of joy and pleasure. Even in freezing ice, let us talk of dancing sparks of flame.
4
bhulaaeN¹ daGhdaGha²-e zulmat³ o nahiib⁴-e Ghuroob⁵
faroGh⁶-e shams⁷ o tuluu⁸-e sahar⁹ ki baat kareN    1.forgetting, ignoring 2.trepidation, dread 3.darkness 4.fear, terror 5.setting, sinking 6.rising 7.sun 8.emerging 9.dawn
Let us ignore/overcome the dread of darkness, the fear of sunset. Let us talk about the rising sun and the emerging dawn.
5
havaa-e basta¹-e kunj²-e qafas³ ke halqe⁴ meN
fiza⁵ dareedagi⁶-e baal-o-par⁷ ki baat kareN     1.closed, still 2.corner 3.cage 4.circle, encirclement 5.atmosphere, air 6.tearing, laceration 7.feathers and wings
The poet and comrades are like caged birds. Even in the suffocating corner of the cage he wants to talk of tearing/flying through air with his feathers and wings.
6
bajaaye¹ shikva²-e be-sood³-e eKhtesaar⁴-e hayaat⁵
husool⁶-e daulat⁷-e umr⁸-e Khizar⁹ ki baat kareN      1.instead of 2.complaint 3.useless 4.shortness, brevity 5.life 6.obtaining, receiving 7.wealth, treasure 8.life, life-span 9.legendary man who drank the nectar of life
Instead of complaing uselessly about our short lives, let us talk about how we get the treasure of immortality, like Khizr. This could be immortality through leaving behind accomplishments (literary or otherwise).
7
hadees¹-e teenat² Khisht-o-Khazaf³ se kya haasil⁴
sarishst⁵-e la’al⁶ o mizaaj⁷-e gohar⁸ ki baat kareN    1.narrative 2.nature, character 3.bricks and rocks 4.benefit, use 5.nature, temperament 6.ruby 7.mood, temperament 8.pearl
What is the use of the narrative brickbats and rocks hurled at us. Let us talk about the nature and character of rubies and pearls.