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Recitation
رباعیات۔لاچاری۔جوش ملیح آبادی
۱
جب عقل ہی بیکس ہو تو نیّت کیسی
جب حکمِ مشّیت ہو شرارت کیسی
ماحول و وراثت پہ ہے مبنی ہر فعل
خاطی پہ ترس کھائیے، نفرت کیسی
۲
خود سے نہ اُداس نہ مسرور ہوں میں
بالذّات نہ روشن ہوں نہ بے نور ہوں میں
مُختار ہے، مُختار ہے، مُختار ہے تو
مجبور ہوں، مجبور ہوں، مجبور ہوں میں
۳
اے خالقِ امرِ خیر و اے صانعِ شر
تجھ پر ہی تو ہے مدارِ افعالِ بشر
ہر ہجو کے تیر کا ہدف ہے تیری ذات
ہر مدح کی تان ٹوٹتی ہے تجھ پر
۴
اِک آگ سی رہ رہ کے بھڑکتی ہے ضرور
سینے میں اِک کلی سی چٹکتی ہے ضرور
واقف نہیں میں خدا سے لیکن اکثر
دِل میں اِک پھانس سی کھٹکتی ہے ضرور
۵
جس وقت جھلکتی ہے مناظر کی جبیں
راسخ ہوتا ہے ذاتِ باری کا یقیں
کرتا ہوں جب اِنساں کی تباہی پہ نظر
دَل پوچھتا ہے خدا ہے کہ نہیں
۶
معبود، حیات تھی سو مرتے گذری
ہر شام و سحر جی سے گذرتے گذری
اُس عمر کا بھی حساب لے گا سرِحشر
جو عمر کے ہائے ہائے کرتے گذری
۷
فرمانِ الہیٰ ہے شرارت اپنی
میلانِ عناد ہے وراثت اپنی
ممنون شجر سے اِستفادے کی قسم
تعمیلِ مشیت ہے عداوت اپنی
۸
خالق کی تلاش میں ہے مخلوق تباہ
اِک عمر سے ماہ پر ہے ماہی کی نگاہ
گھیرے ہیں کچھار کو شکاری کیا خوب
اور شیر مچان پر ہے ماشاؑ اللہ
۹
اِنسان رہیگا مبتلائے آلام
پل بھر کو بھی حاصل نہیں ہوگا آرام
ہر آن دھڑکتے ہوئے دِل کے منھ میں
جب تک کہ دماغ کی لگے گی نہ لگام
रुबाइयात-लाचारी-जोश मलीहाबादी
१
जब अक़्ल ही बेकस हो तो निय्यत कैसी
जब हुक्म-ए मशिय्यत हो शरारत कैसी
माहौल ओ विरासत पे है मब्नी हर फ़ाल
ख़ाती पे तरस खाईए, नफ़्रत कैसी
२
ख़ुद से न उदास न मस्रूर हूं मैं
बिज़-ज़ात न रौशन हूं न बे-नूर हूं मैं
मुख़्तार है, मुख़्तार है, मुख़्तार है तू
मज्बूर हूं, मज्बूर हूं, मज्बूर हूं मैं
३
अए ख़ालेक़-ए अम्र-ए खै़र ओ अए साना’ए शर
तुझ पर ही तो है मदार-ए अफ़’आल-ए बशर
हर हज्व के तीर का हदफ़ है तेरी ज़ात
हर मदह कि तान टूटती है तुझ पर
४
एक आग सी रह रह के भड़कती है ज़रूर
सीने में एक कली सि चिटक्ती है ज़रूर
वाक़िफ़ नहीं मैं ख़ुदा से लैकिन अक्सर
दिल में एक फांस सि खटक्ती है ज़रूर
५
जिस वक़्त झलकती है मनाज़िर कि जबीं
रासिख़ होता है ज़ात-ए बारी का यक़ीं
करता हूं जब इन्सां कि तबाही पे नज़र
दिल पूछने लगता है ख़ुदा है के नहीं
६
मा’बूद हयात थी सो मरते गुज़्री
हर शाम ओ सहर जी से गुज़रते गुज़्री
उस उम्र का भी हिसाब लेगा सर-ए हश्र
जो उम्र के हाय हाय करते गुज़्री
७
फ़रमान-ए इलाह है शरारत अपनी
मीलान-ए अनाद है विरासत अपनी
ममनून शजर से इस्तेफ़ादे कि क़सम
तामील-ए मशिय्यत है अदावत अपनी
८
ख़ालेक़ कि तलाश में है मख़्लूक़ तबाह
एक उम्र से माह पर है माहि कि निगाह
घेरे हैं कछार को शिकारी क्या ख़ूब
और शेर मचान पर है माशा’अल्लाह
९
इन्सान रहेगा मुब्तेला-ए आलाम
पल भर को भी हासिल नहीं होगा आराम
हर आन धड़कते हुए दिल के मुंह में
जब तक के दिमाग़ कि लगेगी न लगाम
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. josh malihabadi is well known for his fiery nazm. He also wrote many romantic as well as cerebral nazm and Ghazal. His marsia are a celebration of dignified death rather than bowing to injustice even at the cost of life. He also wrote numerous rubaaii. This series is a collection of nearly 300 rubaaiyaat from various books organized by subject. Historically, there has been a lively debate on whether or how much free will humans have vs how much of their life is determined by “destiny”. josh deals with this thought and controversies very beautifully.
1
jab aql1 hi bekas2 ho to niyyat3 kaisi
jab hukm4-e mashiyyat5 ho sharaarat6 kaisi
mahaul7 o viraasat8 pe hai mabni9 har fa’al10
Khaati11 pe taras12 khaaiye nafrat13 kaisi 1.mind 2.helpless, puzzled 3.intent, free will 4.order, decree 5.will of god 6.transgression 7.environment, upbringing 8.inheritence 9.dependent 10.action 11.sinner 12.pity 13.hatred, blame
Do humans have a free will? Can they be blamed for their actions. Our minds are helpless/puzzled, so how can we have intent/free will. Everything happens according to the will of god, so how can we be transgressors (whatever we do, we do according to the will of god). All actions are a result of our upbringing or our genetic inheritance. We must pity the sinner, not blame him.
2
Khud se na udaas na masroor1 huN maiN
biz-zaat2 na raushan3 huN na be-noor4 huN maiN
muKhtaar5 hai, muKhtaar hai, muKhtaar hai tu
majboor6 huN, majboor huN, majboor huN maiN 1.happy 2.by nature 3.bright, virtuous 4.without light, dark, evil 5.determining, deciding, powerful 6.helpless, controlled, powerless
I am neither sad nor happy about myself. By nature, I am neither virtuous nor vile. After all, it is you who is all powerful. I am totally controlled by your will.
3
aye Khaaliq1-e amr-e-Khair2 o aye saan’e-e-shar3
tujh par hi to hai madaar4-e af’aal5-e bashar6
har hajv7 ke teer8 ka hadaf9 hai teri zaat10
har madah11 ki taan TooTti hai tujh par 1.creator 2.act of goodness 3.architect of evil 4.dependence, foundation 5.actions 6.human 7.criticism 8.arrows 9.target 10.being, person 11.praise
O, creator of goodness and architect of evil. All human actions are dependent on, come from your will. Therefore all criticism as well as praise belongs to you.
4
ek aag si rah-rah1 ke bhaRakti2 hai zaroor3
seene meN ek kali si chiTakti4 hai zaroor
vaaqif5 nahiN maiN Khuda se laikin aksar6
dil meN ek phaaNs7 si khaTakti8 hai zaroor 1.on and off 2.flare up 3.definitely 4.blossom 5.familiar with, knowledgeable about 6.often 7.thorn, splint 8.pricks
josh admits to being atheist/agnostic but occasionally a fire flares up in his heart. A bud/flower blossoms in his bosom. I am not familiar (comfortable) with (the concept of) god but often, in my heart a splint pricks.
5
jis vaqt jhalakti1 hai manaazir2 ki jabiN3
raasiKh4 hota hai zaat-e-baari5 ka yaqiN6
karta huN jab insaaN ki tabaahi7 pe nazar
dil poochhne lagta hai Khuda hai ke nahiN 1.shines, can be seen 2.sights, scenery 3.brow 4.become strong 5.god’s being/existence 6.certainty/faith 7.devastation
josh was known to admire natural beauty, particularly that of dawn. Thus, he says, whenever I look at the bright/shiningy brow of (natural) scenery around me, my faith in the existence of god becomes stronger. But when I turn to the destitution of humanity, I have to ask, is there a god or not.
6
ma’bood1, hayaat2 thi so marte guzri3
har shaam o sahr4 ji se guzarte5 guzri
us umr6 ka bhi hisaab7 lega sar8-e hashr9
jo umr ke haa’e-haa’e10 karte guzri 1.lord, god 2.life 3.passed, spent 4.morning 5.ji se guzarna is a colloquial phrase meaning “in pain” (beyond the wishes of the heart) 6.life span 7.reckoning 8.at the beginning of 9.day of judgement 10.sighing and moaning
O god, this life was spent as if in death. Every morning and evening was painful. And now, during the day of judgement you are going to ask for a reckoning of the life that was spent sighing and moaning.
7
farmaan-e-ilaah1 hai sharaarat2 apni
mailaan-e-anaad3 hai viraasat4 apni
mamnoon5 shajar6 se istefaade7 ki qasam8
taa’meel-e-mashiyyat9 hai adaavat10 apni 1.decree/will of god 2.mischief/transgression 3.inclination towards rebellion 4.inheritance 5.forbidden 6.tree (used to mean fruit) 7.making use of 9.promise (used to mean testimony/guarantee) 9.obeying the will of god 10.enmity, rebelliousness
Using the story of Adam eating the forbidden fruit, josh implies that it is in human nature to rebel and disobey god’s orders. We transgress/make mischief because of the will of god (because god made our nature like that). Rebellion is our inheritance. The eating of the forbidden fruit guarantees that we will rebel against the will of god.
8
Khaliq1 ki talaash2 meN hai maKhlooq3 tabaah4
ek umr5 se maah6 par hai maahi7 ki nigaah8
ghere haiN kachhaar9 ko shikaari kya Khoob10
aur sher machaan11 par hai masha’allah12 1.creator 2.search 3.creatures, humanity 4.devastated, destroyed 5.lifelong 6.moon 7.fish 8.sight eye 9.river valley which is the habitat of tiger 10.how well 11.hunting platform 12.praise be to god
josh uses pictorialization to suggest that man is wasting time looking for god. It is as if fish stares at the moon all life long, but can never get to it. Similarly, all the hunters are searching/surrounding the habitat of the tiger and the tiger is sitting on the hunting platform all along. Thus, man himself is/should be the object of the search/hunt. Why span the vast valley.
9
insaan rahega mubtela1-e aalaam2
pal bhar ko bhi haasil3 nahiN hoga aaraam
har aan4 dhaRakte hue dil ke muNh meN
jab tak ke dimaaGh ki lagegi na lagaam5 1.afflicted 2.calamities 3.obtain 4.moment 5.rein
Man will always be afflicted by calamities. He will not be able to obtain even a moment’s rest until and unless the emotions/feelings of the heart are reined in by the mind.
josh malihabadi is well known for his fiery nazm. He also wrote many romantic as well as cerebral nazm and Ghazal. His marsia are a celebration of dignified death rather than bowing to injustice even at the cost of life. He also wrote numerous rubaaii. This series is a collection of nearly 300 rubaaiyaat from various books organized by subject. Historically, there has been a lively debate on whether or how much free will humans have vs how much of their life is determined by “destiny”. josh deals with this thought and controversies very beautifully.
1
jab aql1 hi bekas2 ho to niyyat3 kaisi
jab hukm4-e mashiyyat5 ho sharaarat6 kaisi
mahaul7 o viraasat8 pe hai mabni9 har fa’al10
Khaati11 pe taras12 khaaiye nafrat13 kaisi
1.mind 2.helpless, puzzled 3.intent, free will 4.order, decree 5.will of god 6.transgression 7.environment, upbringing 8.inheritence 9.dependent 10.action 11.sinner 12.pity 13.hatred, blame
Do humans have a free will? Can they be blamed for their actions. Our minds are helpless/puzzled, so how can we have intent/free will. Everything happens according to the will of god, so how can we be transgressors (whatever we do, we do according to the will of god). All actions are a result of our upbringing or our genetic inheritance. We must pity the sinner, not blame him.
2
Khud se na udaas na masroor1 huN maiN
biz-zaat2 na raushan3 huN na be-noor4 huN maiN
muKhtaar5 hai, muKhtaar hai, muKhtaar hai tu
majboor6 huN, majboor huN, majboor huN maiN
1.happy 2.by nature 3.bright, virtuous 4.without light, dark, evil 5.determining, deciding, powerful 6.helpless, controlled, powerless
I am neither sad nor happy about myself. By nature, I am neither virtuous nor vile. After all, it is you who is all powerful. I am totally controlled by your will.
3
aye Khaaliq1-e amr-e-Khair2 o aye saan’e-e-shar3
tujh par hi to hai madaar4-e af’aal5-e bashar6
har hajv7 ke teer8 ka hadaf9 hai teri zaat10
har madah11 ki taan TooTti hai tujh par
1.creator 2.act of goodness 3.architect of evil 4.dependence, foundation 5.actions 6.human 7.criticism 8.arrows 9.target 10.being, person 11.praise
O, creator of goodness and architect of evil. All human actions are dependent on, come from your will. Therefore all criticism as well as praise belongs to you.
4
ek aag si rah-rah1 ke bhaRakti2 hai zaroor3
seene meN ek kali si chiTakti4 hai zaroor
vaaqif5 nahiN maiN Khuda se laikin aksar6
dil meN ek phaaNs7 si khaTakti8 hai zaroor
1.on and off 2.flare up 3.definitely 4.blossom 5.familiar with, knowledgeable about 6.often 7.thorn, splint 8.pricks
josh admits to being atheist/agnostic but occasionally a fire flares up in his heart. A bud/flower blossoms in his bosom. I am not familiar (comfortable) with (the concept of) god but often, in my heart a splint pricks.
5
jis vaqt jhalakti1 hai manaazir2 ki jabiN3
raasiKh4 hota hai zaat-e-baari5 ka yaqiN6
karta huN jab insaaN ki tabaahi7 pe nazar
dil poochhne lagta hai Khuda hai ke nahiN
1.shines, can be seen 2.sights, scenery 3.brow 4.become strong 5.god’s being/existence 6.certainty/faith 7.devastation
josh was known to admire natural beauty, particularly that of dawn. Thus, he says, whenever I look at the bright/shiningy brow of (natural) scenery around me, my faith in the existence of god becomes stronger. But when I turn to the destitution of humanity, I have to ask, is there a god or not.
6
ma’bood1, hayaat2 thi so marte guzri3
har shaam o sahr4 ji se guzarte5 guzri
us umr6 ka bhi hisaab7 lega sar8-e hashr9
jo umr ke haa’e-haa’e10 karte guzri
1.lord, god 2.life 3.passed, spent 4.morning 5.ji se guzarna is a colloquial phrase meaning “in pain” (beyond the wishes of the heart) 6.life span 7.reckoning 8.at the beginning of 9.day of judgement 10.sighing and moaning
O god, this life was spent as if in death. Every morning and evening was painful. And now, during the day of judgement you are going to ask for a reckoning of the life that was spent sighing and moaning.
7
farmaan-e-ilaah1 hai sharaarat2 apni
mailaan-e-anaad3 hai viraasat4 apni
mamnoon5 shajar6 se istefaade7 ki qasam8
taa’meel-e-mashiyyat9 hai adaavat10 apni
1.decree/will of god 2.mischief/transgression 3.inclination towards rebellion 4.inheritance 5.forbidden 6.tree (used to mean fruit) 7.making use of 9.promise (used to mean testimony/guarantee) 9.obeying the will of god 10.enmity, rebelliousness
Using the story of Adam eating the forbidden fruit, josh implies that it is in human nature to rebel and disobey god’s orders. We transgress/make mischief because of the will of god (because god made our nature like that). Rebellion is our inheritance. The eating of the forbidden fruit guarantees that we will rebel against the will of god.
8
Khaliq1 ki talaash2 meN hai maKhlooq3 tabaah4
ek umr5 se maah6 par hai maahi7 ki nigaah8
ghere haiN kachhaar9 ko shikaari kya Khoob10
aur sher machaan11 par hai masha’allah12
1.creator 2.search 3.creatures, humanity 4.devastated, destroyed 5.lifelong 6.moon 7.fish 8.sight eye 9.river valley which is the habitat of tiger 10.how well 11.hunting platform 12.praise be to god
josh uses pictorialization to suggest that man is wasting time looking for god. It is as if fish stares at the moon all life long, but can never get to it. Similarly, all the hunters are searching/surrounding the habitat of the tiger and the tiger is sitting on the hunting platform all along. Thus, man himself is/should be the object of the search/hunt. Why span the vast valley.
9
insaan rahega mubtela1-e aalaam2
pal bhar ko bhi haasil3 nahiN hoga aaraam
har aan4 dhaRakte hue dil ke muNh meN
jab tak ke dimaaGh ki lagegi na lagaam5
1.afflicted 2.calamities 3.obtain 4.moment 5.rein
Man will always be afflicted by calamities. He will not be able to obtain even a moment’s rest until and unless the emotions/feelings of the heart are reined in by the mind.
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