sahar bhi hai-suroor barabaNkvi

For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the “Roman” or “Notes” tab.

سحر بھی ہے ۔ سُرُور بارہ بنکوی

۱

تو عروُس شامِ خیال بھی تو جمالِ روئے سحر بھی ہے

یہ ضرور ہے کہ بہ‌‌ ایں ہمہ مرا اہتمامِ نظر بھی ہے

۲

نہ ہو مُضمحِل مرے ہم سفر تُجھے شاید اس کی نہیں خبر

اِنہیں ظلمتوں ہی کے دوش پر ابھی کاروانِ سحر بھی ہے

۳

یہ مرا نصیب ہے ہم نشیں سرِ راہ بھی نہ ملے کہیں

وہی میرا جادۂ جُستجُو وہی اُن کی راہ گزر بھی ہے

۴

ترے قُرب نے جو بڑھا دیئے کبھی مِٹ سکے نہ وہ فاصلے

وہی پاؤں ہیں وہی آبلے وہی اپنا ذوقِ سفر بھی ہے

۵

ہمہ کشمکش مری زندگی کبھی آ کے دیکھ یہ بے بسی

تری یاد وجہ سکوں سہی وہی رازِ دیدۂ تر بھی ہے

۶

بہ ہزار دانش و آگہی مری مصلحت ہے ابھی یہی

میں سرور رہروِ شب سہی مری دسترس میں سحر بھی ہے

 

सहर भी है – सुरूर बाराबंकवी

तू उरूस-ए-शाम-ए-ख़याल भी तू जमाल-ए-रू-ए-सहर भी है

ये ज़रूर है के ब-ईं-हमा मेरा एहतेमाम-ए-नज़र भी है

न हो मुज़्महिल मेरे हम-नशीं, तुझे शाएद इस कि नहीं ख़बर

इन्हीं ज़ुल्मतों ही के दोश पर, अभी कारवान-ए सहर भी है

ये मेरा नसीब है हम-नशीं सर-ए-राह भी न मिले कहीं

वही मेरा जादा-ए-जुस्तुजू वही उन की राहगुज़र भी है

तेरे क़ुर्ब ने जो बढ़ा दिए कभी मिट सके न वो फ़ासले

वही पाँव हैं वही आबले वही अपना ज़ौक़-ए-सफ़र भी है

हमा कश्मकश मेरी ज़िंदगी कभी आ के देख ये बेबसी

तेरी याद वज्ह-ए-सुकूँ सही वही राज़-ए-दीदा-ए-तर भी है

ब-हज़ार दानिश-ओ-आगही मेरी मस्लहत है अभी यही

मैं सुरूर रहरव-ए-शब सही मेरी दस्तरस में सहर भी है

 

Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion.  sa’eed-ur-rahman suroor barabaNkvi (1930-1980) was movie maker, script and song writer, a labour leader and political activist as well as a shaa’er of high quality. He has sometimes been called “sahir of pakistan”. Here he offers a powerful ode to the revolution dressed up as the beloved.
1
tu uroos1-e shaam-e Khayaal bhi tu jamaal2-e roo3-e sahar4 bhi hai
ye zaroor5 hai ki ba-eeN6 hama7 mera ehtemaam8-e nazar9 bhi hai 
1.bride 2.grandeur, beauty 3.face 4.dawn 5.sure 6.in spite of 7.everything 8.arrangements, facilitation 9.sight
‘shaam-e Khayaal’ – the evening of Reason should probably be translated as the celebration of Reason because evenings are usually festive and celebratory times. You are the bride of the celebration of Reason, the beauty of the face of Dawn. ‘you’ can be the beloved or the socialist order. It is also sure that in spite of all the difficulties (the oppressive system and censors) she has arranged to reveal herself to the poet and his comrades.

2
na ho muzmahil1 mere hum-safar2, tujhe shaa’ed3 is ki nahiN Khabar4
inhiN zulmatauN5 hi ke dosh6 par, abhi kaarvaan-e sahar7 bhi hai 
1.sorrowful 2.friend on the same path 3.perhaps 4.knowledge 5.darknesses, injustices 6.shoulders, back 7.dawn
“Dawn” is used to symbolize the coming social justice system. Thus, do not be sad, my comrade, perhaps you don’t know that the new dawn will arrive riding on the back of oppression/injustice.

3
ye mera nasib1 hai hum-nashiN2 sar3-e raah4 bhi na milay kahiN
vahi mera jaada5-e justuju6, vahi un ki raahguzar7 bhi hai
1.fate, luck 2.friend, fellow resident of the same house/thinking 3.beginning 4.path 5.pathway 6.effort 7.frequent walkway
The beloved frequents the same path that I travel, but it has been my (poor) fate that I have not seen her yet. Of course, this could apply both to the beloved and the beloved symbolized as the coming just system.

4
tere qurb1 ne jo baRha diye kabhi miT sake na vo faasle2
vahi paauN haiN vahi aable3 vahi apna zauq4-e safar5 bhi hai
1.nearness, love 2.distances 3.blisters 4.desire 5.pathway, struggle
The poet/revolutionary has been close to the beloved. That closeness/passionate love does not permit distance from her to appear long/insurmountable. He keeps traveling the path (keeps up the struggle) with the same passion even though he has blisters on his feet.

5
hama1 kashmakash2 meri zindagi kabhi aa ke dekh ye be-basi3
teri yaad4 vajah5-e sukooN6 sahi vahi raaz7-e dida8-e tar9 bhi hai
1.all, total, head to toe 2.struggle 3.helplessness 4.memory 5.reason 6.comfort 7.secret 8.eyes 9.moist, wet, tearful
My life is the embodiment of struggle. Come see my helplessness sometime. Your memory may be the reason/cause for comfort/hope, but it is also the secret of tearful eyes.

6
ba-hazaar1 daanish2-o-aagahi3 meri maslahat4 hai abhi yahi
maiN suroor rahrav5-e shab6 sahi7 meri dastras8 meN sahar9 bhi hai 
1.with a thousand 2.knowledge 3.awareness 4.purpose 5.traveler along the path 6.night, darkness, injustice 7.it may be true 8.reach 9.dawn
With much increased awareness and knowledge, my purpose/goal remains the same. O suroor, I may be struggling in darkness/injustice but dawn is still within my reach.

sa’eed-ur-rahman suroor barabaNkvi (1930-1980) was movie maker, script and song writer, a labour leader and political activist as well as a shaa’er of high quality.  He has sometimes been called “sahir of pakistan”.  Here he offers a powerful ode to the revolution dressed up as the beloved.
1
tu uroos1-e shaam-e Khayaal bhi tu jamaal2-e roo3-e sahar4 bhi hai
ye zaroor5 hai ki ba-eeN6 hama7 mera ehtemaam8-e nazar9 bhi hai

1.bride 2.grandeur, beauty 3.face 4.dawn 5.sure 6.in spite of 7.everything 8.arrangements, facilitation 9.sight

‘shaam-e Khayaal’ – the evening of Reason should probably be translated as the celebration of Reason because evenings are usually festive and celebratory times.  You are the bride of the celebration of Reason, the beauty of the face of Dawn.  ‘you’ can be the beloved or the socialist order.  It is also sure that in spite of all the difficulties (the oppressive system and censors) she has arranged to reveal herself to the poet and his comrades.
2
na ho muzmahil1 mere hum-safar2, tujhe shaa’ed3 is ki nahiN Khabar4
inhiN zulmatauN5 hi ke dosh6 par, abhi kaarvaan-e sahar7 bhi hai

1.sorrowful 2.friend on the same path 3.perhaps 4.knowledge 5.darknesses, injustices 6.shoulders, back 7.dawn

“Dawn” is used to symbolize the coming social justice system.  Thus, do not be sad, my comrade, perhaps you don’t know that the new dawn will arrive riding on the back of oppression/injustice.
3
ye mera nasib1 hai hum-nashiN2 sar3-e raah4 bhi na milay kahiN
vahi mera jaada5-e justuju6, vahi un ki raahguzar7 bhi hai

1.fate, luck 2.friend, fellow resident of the same house/thinking 3.beginning 4.path 5.pathway 6.effort 7.frequent walkway

The beloved frequents the same path that I travel, but it has been my (poor) fate that I have not seen her yet.  Of course, this could apply both to the beloved and the beloved symbolized as the coming just system.
4
tere qurb1 ne jo baRha diye kabhi miT sake na vo faasle2
vahi paauN haiN vahi aable3 vahi apna zauq4-e safar5 bhi hai

1.nearness, love 2.distances 3.blisters 4.desire 5.pathway, struggle

The poet/revolutionary has been close to the beloved.  That closeness/passionate love does not permit distance from her to appear long/insurmountable.  He keeps traveling the path (keeps up the struggle) with the same passion even though he has blisters on his feet.
5
hama1 kashmakash2 meri zindagi kabhi aa ke dekh ye be-basi3
teri yaad4 vajah5-e sukooN6 sahi vahi raaz7-e dida8-e tar9 bhi hai

1.all, total, head to toe 2.struggle 3.helplessness 4.memory 5.reason 6.comfort 7.secret 8.eyes 9.moist, wet, tearful

My life is the embodiment of struggle.  Come see my helplessness sometime.  Your memory may be the reason/cause for comfort/hope, but it is also the secret of tearful eyes.
6
ba-hazaar1 daanish2-o-aagahi3 meri maslahat4 hai abhi yahi
maiN suroor rahrav5-e shab6 sahi7 meri dastras8 meN sahar9 bhi hai

1.with a thousand 2.knowledge 3.awareness 4.purpose 5.traveler along the path 6.night, darkness, injustice 7.it may be true 8.reach 9.dawn

With much increased awareness and knowledge, my purpose/goal remains the same.  O suroor, I may be struggling in darkness/injustice but dawn is still within my reach.

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