For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
ساغر و سُبُو کیا ہے ۔ بہادر شاہ ظفرؔ
۱
چشم وہ کیا ہے اور گلو کیا ہے
گر نہیں ساغر و سُبُو کیا ہے
۲
اُلٹی سیدھی یہ گفتگو کیا ہے
تجھے منظور جنگ جو کیا ہے
۳
میں جو کہتا ہوں بے وفا ہے رقیب
وہ مجھے کہتے ہیں کہ تو کیا ہے
۴
اشک بہتے نہ رخ پہ ہوں جس کے
عشق میں اُس کی آبرو کیا ہے
۵
جھوٹے وعدے جو ہم سے کرتا ہے
تیری مرضی دروغ گو کیا ہے
۶
اُن کے نزدیک اے دلِ ناداں
میں ہوں کیا چیز اور تو کیا ہے
۷
سوزِ غم خاک کر کے چھوڑے گا
خشک اُس نے کیا لہو کیا ہے
۸
دل ہی میں اپنے ڈھونڈو تو اُس کو
دیر و کعبہ میں جستجو کیا ہے
۹
جو نہائے اُس آبِ خنجر سے
اُس کو پھر حاجتِ وضو کیا ہے
۱۰
ہیف اُس نے کبھی نہ یہ پوچھا
کہ ترے دل میں آرزو کیا ہے
۱۱
روشنی میں حقیقتِ خورشید
تیرے عارض کے رو بہ رو کیا ہے
۱۲
زلف جھک جھک کے کہہ رہی کافر
کان میں تیرے مُو بہ مُو کیا ہے
۱۳
مست آیا ہے کون اے ساقی
میکدہ میں یہ ہاؤ ہُو کیا ہے
۱۴
ہے فلک پر دماغ کیوں تیرا
ذہن میں تیرے ماہ رُو کیا ہے
۱۵
اگر وہ دوست اپنا بن جائے
اے ظفرؔ دیکھیں پھر عدو کیا ہے
साग़र ओ सुबू क्या है – बहादुर शाह ज़फ़र
१
चश्म वो क्या है और गुलू क्या है
गर नहीं साग़र ओ सुबू क्या है
२
उल्टी सीधी ये गुफ़्तगू क्या है
तुझे मंज़ूर जंग-जू क्या है
३
मैं जो कहता हुं बे-वफ़ा है रक़ीब
वो मुझे कहते हैं के तू क्या है
४
अश्क बहते न रुख़ पे हों जिस के
इश्क़ में उस की आब्रू क्या है
५
झूटे वादे जो हम से करता है
तेरी मर्ज़ी दरोग़-गू क्या है
६
उन के नज़्दीक अए दिल-ए नादां
मैं हुं क्या चीज़ और तू क्या है
७
सोज़-ए ग़म ख़ाक कर के छोढेगा
ख़ुश्क उस ने किया लहू क्या है
८
दिल हि में अपने ढूंडो तो उस को
दैर ओ काबा में जुस्तजू क्या है
९
जो नहाए उस आब-ए ख़ंजर से
उस को फिर हाजत-ए वुज़ू क्या है
१०
हैफ़ उस ने कभी न ये पूछा
के तेरे दिल में आर्ज़ू क्या है
११
रौशनी में हक़ीक़त-ए ख़ुर्शीद
तेरे आरज़ के रू ब रू क्या है
१२
जुल्फ़ झुक झुक के कह रही काफ़र
कान में तेरे मू ब मू क्या है
१३
मस्त आया है कौन अए साक़ी
मैकदे में ये हाओ हू क्या है
१४
है फ़लक पर दमाग़ क्यूं तेरा
ज़हन में तेरे माह-रू क्या है
१५
अगर वो दोस्त अपना बन जाए
अए ज़फ़र देखें फिर अदू क्या है
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. bahaadur shaah zafar (1775-1862) became titular/nominal emperor of India in 1837. He was a scholar of faarsi and arabi and started composing at an early age. zauq and after zauq’s death in 1854, Ghalib became his ustaad. zafar used to hold frequent mushaa’era in the Red Fort. This Ghazal, in the same style of Ghalib’s “tuhiiN kaho keh ye andaaz-e guftagu kya hai”, is dated by kalidas gupta raza, 1847. I have no way to date zafar’s Ghazal, but Ghalib mentions court patronage in the maqta (the last she’r) of his own Ghazal and there appears to be much overlap in phrases and thoughts. This Ghazal is linked to ‘Ghalib peshrau ham asr’.
1
chashm1 vo kya hai aur guluu2 kya hai
gar3 nahiN saaGhar4 o suboo5 kya hai 1.eye 2.neck 3.if 4.goblet, wine cup 5.flask
What else is the beloved’s intoxicating eye and her long slender neck if it is not like a goblet of wine and the neck of a flask.
2
ulTi-siidhi1 ye guftagu2 kya hai
tujhe manzuur3 juNg-juu4 kya hai 1.crooked, inconsistent, abusive 2.conversation 3.desire, purpose 4.war-like, angry, confrontational
Here the poet is referring to the beloved as ‘juNg-juu’ – angry and confrontational. What kind of abusive conversation is this. What is it that you desire, O angry beloved. Said Ghalib …
har ek baat pe kahte ho tum keh tuu kya hai
tumhiiN kaho keh ye andaaz-e guftagu kya hai
3
maiN jo kahta huN be-vafa1 hai raqiib2
vo mujhe kahte haiN keh tuu kya hai 1.unfaithful, cheat 2.rival
The poet/lover tries to persuade the beloved to give up her relationship with the rival with ‘standard’ argument – the rival is not faithful. She retorts – so what are you!
4
ashk1 bahte na ruKh2 pe hoN jis ke
ishq3 meN us ki aabru4 kya hai 1.tears 2.cheeks 3.love 4.respect, dignity
The standard convention in urdu poetry is that the pain of love is of high value. The lover who suffers such pain earns the respect of the world – hence, the reputation of majnuN and farhaad. Thus, if tears do not flow down the cheeks of the lover then how can he have any respect. Said Ghalib …
ragoN meN dauRte phirne ke ham nahiN qaa’el
jab aaNkh hi se Tapke to phir lahu kya hai
5
jhooTe-vaade1 jo ham se karta hai
teri marzi2 daroGh-go3 kya hai 1.false promises 2.intention 3.lier
The poet/lover characterizes the beloved in conventional terms – she makes false promises and is a lier. What is your intent, he asks.
6
un ke nazdiik1 aye dil-e naadaaN2
maiN huN kya cheez aur tuu kya hai 1.nazdiik literally means ‘near’ but idiomatically it means ‘in your eyes, in your view’ 2.simpleton
In her eyes, O simple heart, of what worth am I or what are you.
7
soz1-e Gham2 Khaak3 kar ke chhoRega
Khushk4 us ne kiya lahu5 kya hai 1.fire, pain 2.sorrow of love 3.dust, ashes 4.dry, congealed 5.blood
The pain of the sorrow of love will reduce me to ashes. It has already caused me to cry tears of blood so much that my veins have dried up – I have not more blood left.
8
dil hi meN apne DhoonDo to us ko
dair1 o kaabe meN justaju2 kya hai 1.temple 2.search
Look for him in your own heart. What is this search in the temple and mosque.
9
jo nahaa’e us aab1-e Khanjar2 se
us ko phir haajit3-e rafu4 kya hai 1.water of 2.dagger 3.need 4.sewing, darning, stitching
Here ‘aab-e Khanjar’ – the water of the dagger is blood. Either the lover is slain by the beloved or has sacrificed his life for some other passion. Thus, he who is bathed in blood (of sacrifice) from the wound of that dagger (of passion), why would he be in need of any stitching (of his wound).
10
haif1, us ne kabhi na ye poochha
keh tere dil meN aarzu2 kya hai 1.alas 2.desire
Alas, she never asked, ‘what is it that your heart desires’.
11
raushni1 meN haqiiqat2-e Khurshiid3
tere aariz4 ke ruu-ba-ruu5 kya hai 1.light, brilliance 2.truth, reality 3.sun 4.face 5.face to face, in front of
Here, ‘haqiiqat-truth/reality’ can mean essence/beauty. Also, ‘raushin meN’ can be intepreted in two ways … in the field/arena of light or when examined under light (the light of knowledge). One combination of these meanings gives … when examined under the light of knowledge, how can the beauty of the sun compare with the radiance of your face. And you can be the divine beloved.
12
zulf1 jhuk-jhuk2 ke kah rahi kaafir3
kaan meN tere muu-ba-muu4 kya hai 1.hair 2.bowing down, leaning across, curling 3.infidel, beloved 4.follicle by follicle, every strand of hair
The beloved’s hair hand down and curl near her ear as if each strand of hair is speaking some mischievous thought to her. Here ‘kaafir’ is used for the beloved to mean that she is the one who tempts that poet/lover makes him transgress and violate his faith.
13
mast1 aaya hai kaun aye saaqi
maikade2 meN ye haa-o-huu3 kya hai 1.intoxicated 2.tavern 3.celebratory cries, bravo
Suddenly in the tavern the poet/patron hears people crying out/shouting in celebration and wonders – O saaqi, who is it that has arrived into the tavern in a state of intoxication/trance.
14
hai falak1 par damaaGh kyuN tera
zahn2 meN tere maah-ruu3 kya hai 1.sky 2.mind 3.moon faced
‘aasmaan par damaaGh hona’ is an expression that means ‘it has gone to your head – you think too highly of yourselves’. Apparently, the beloved thinks too highly of her beauty. What is it in your mind that drives such thoughts.
15
agar1 vo dost2 apna ban jaaye
aye zafar3 dekheN phir adu4 kya hai 1.if 2.friend 3.pen-name of the poet 4.enemy, rival
If she were to befriend me, show favours to me, O zafar, then we shall see what happens to the rival.
bahaadur shaah zafar (1775-1862) became titular/nominal emperor of India in 1837. He was a scholar of faarsi and arabi and started composing at an early age. zauq and after zauq’s death in 1854, Ghalib became his ustaad. zafar used to hold frequent mushaa’era in the Red Fort. This Ghazal, in the same style of Ghalib’s “tuhiiN kaho keh ye andaaz-e guftagu kya hai”, is dated by kalidas gupta raza, 1847. I have no way to date zafar’s Ghazal, but Ghalib mentions court patronage in the maqta (the last she’r) of his own Ghazal and there appears to be much overlap in phrases and thoughts. This Ghazal is linked to ‘Ghalib peshrau ham asr’.
1
chashm1 vo kya hai aur guluu2 kya hai
gar3 nahiN saaGhar4 o suboo5 kya hai
1.eye 2.neck 3.if 4.goblet, wine cup 5.flask
What else is the beloved’s intoxicating eye and her long slender neck if it is not like a goblet of wine and the neck of a flask.
2
ulTi-siidhi1 ye guftagu2 kya hai
tujhe manzuur3 juNg-juu4 kya hai
1.crooked, inconsistent, abusive 2.conversation 3.desire, purpose 4.war-like, angry, confrontational
Here the poet is referring to the beloved as ‘juNg-juu’ – angry and confrontational. What kind of abusive conversation is this. What is it that you desire, O angry beloved. Said Ghalib …
har ek baat pe kahte ho tum keh tuu kya hai
tumhiiN kaho keh ye andaaz-e guftagu kya hai
3
maiN jo kahta huN be-vafa1 hai raqiib2
vo mujhe kahte haiN keh tuu kya hai
1.unfaithful, cheat 2.rival
The poet/lover tries to persuade the beloved to give up her relationship with the rival with ‘standard’ argument – the rival is not faithful. She retorts – so what are you!
4
ashk1 bahte na ruKh2 pe hoN jis ke
ishq3 meN us ki aabru4 kya hai
1.tears 2.cheeks 3.love 4.respect, dignity
The standard convention in urdu poetry is that the pain of love is of high value. The lover who suffers such pain earns the respect of the world – hence, the reputation of majnuN and farhaad. Thus, if tears do not flow down the cheeks of the lover then how can he have any respect. Said Ghalib …
ragoN meN dauRte phirne ke ham nahiN qaa’el
jab aaNkh hi se Tapke to phir lahu kya hai
5
jhooTe-vaade1 jo ham se karta hai
teri marzi2 daroGh-go3 kya hai
1.false promises 2.intention 3.lier
The poet/lover characterizes the beloved in conventional terms – she makes false promises and is a lier. What is your intent, he asks.
6
un ke nazdiik1 aye dil-e naadaaN2
maiN huN kya cheez aur tuu kya hai
1.nazdiik literally means ‘near’ but idiomatically it means ‘in your eyes, in your view’ 2.simpleton
In her eyes, O simple heart, of what worth am I or what are you.
7
soz1-e Gham2 Khaak3 kar ke chhoRega
Khushk4 us ne kiya lahu5 kya hai
1.fire, pain 2.sorrow of love 3.dust, ashes 4.dry, congealed 5.blood
The pain of the sorrow of love will reduce me to ashes. It has already caused me to cry tears of blood so much that my veins have dried up – I have not more blood left.
8
dil hi meN apne DhoonDo to us ko
dair1 o kaabe meN justaju2 kya hai
1.temple 2.search
Look for him in your own heart. What is this search in the temple and mosque.
9
jo nahaa’e us aab1-e Khanjar2 se
us ko phir haajit3-e rafu4 kya hai
1.water of 2.dagger 3.need 4.sewing, darning, stitching
Here ‘aab-e Khanjar’ – the water of the dagger is blood. Either the lover is slain by the beloved or has sacrificed his life for some other passion. Thus, he who is bathed in blood (of sacrifice) from the wound of that dagger (of passion), why would he be in need of any stitching (of his wound).
10
haif1, us ne kabhi na ye poochha
keh tere dil meN aarzu2 kya hai
1.alas 2.desire
Alas, she never asked, ‘what is it that your heart desires’.
11
raushni1 meN haqiiqat2-e Khurshiid3
tere aariz4 ke ruu-ba-ruu5 kya hai
1.light, brilliance 2.truth, reality 3.sun 4.face 5.face to face, in front of
Here, ‘haqiiqat-truth/reality’ can mean essence/beauty. Also, ‘raushin meN’ can be intepreted in two ways … in the field/arena of light or when examined under light (the light of knowledge). One combination of these meanings gives … when examined under the light of knowledge, how can the beauty of the sun compare with the radiance of your face. And you can be the divine beloved.
12
zulf1 jhuk-jhuk2 ke kah rahi kaafir3
kaan meN tere muu-ba-muu4 kya hai
1.hair 2.bowing down, leaning across, curling 3.infidel, beloved 4.follicle by follicle, every strand of hair
The beloved’s hair hand down and curl near her ear as if each strand of hair is speaking some mischievous thought to her. Here ‘kaafir’ is used for the beloved to mean that she is the one who tempts that poet/lover makes him transgress and violate his faith.
13
mast1 aaya hai kaun aye saaqi
maikade2 meN ye haa-o-huu3 kya hai
1.intoxicated 2.tavern 3.celebratory cries, bravo
Suddenly in the tavern the poet/patron hears people crying out/shouting in celebration and wonders – O saaqi, who is it that has arrived into the tavern in a state of intoxication/trance.
14
hai falak1 par damaaGh kyuN tera
zahn2 meN tere maah-ruu3 kya hai
1.sky 2.mind 3.moon faced
‘aasmaan par damaaGh hona’ is an expression that means ‘it has gone to your head – you think too highly of yourselves’. Apparently, the beloved thinks too highly of her beauty. What is it in your mind that drives such thoughts.
15
agar1 vo dost2 apna ban jaaye
aye zafar3 dekheN phir adu4 kya hai
1.if 2.friend 3.pen-name of the poet 4.enemy, rival
If she were to befriend me, show favours to me, O zafar, then we shall see what happens to the rival.
