For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
اگر نہیں آتی ۔ رام پرکاش ساحرؔ ہوشیارپوری
۱
مِثلِ رقصِ شرر نہیں آتی
زندگی لوٹ کر نہیں آتی
۲
دل دہی کا تو کوئی ساماں کر
دل ربائی اگر نہیں آتی
۳
ہجر میں موت ڈھونڈھنے والے
ایسی شب کی سحر نہیں آتی
۴
دل کو دے کر فریبِ شوق و طلب
اب تمنّا نظر نہیں آتی
۵
یہ طبیعت ہے حضرتِ ناصح
یہ سمجھ سوچ کر نہیں آتی
۶
عالمِ بے دلی سے بھی یا رب
دل کی کوئی خبر نہیں آتی
۷
درد دل میں اگر نہ ہو ہم دم
شاعری عمر بھر نہیں آتی
۸
آدمی ٹھوکریں نہ کھائے اگر
زندگی راہ پر نہیں آتی
۹
راس آتی نہیں اگر تدبیر
موت کیوں چارہ گر نہیں آتی
۱۰
اپنی حالت اگر میں خود نہ کہوں
کیا اُنہیں بھی نظر نہیں آتی
۱۱
تم کو آتے ہیں سب جفا و جور
اک وفا ہی مگر نہیں آتی
۱۲
جس نظر سے وہ دیکھتے تھے کبھی
وہ نظر اب نظر نہیں آتی
۱۳
وائے اس زندگی کی محرومی
موت بھی عمر بھر نہیں آتی
۱۴
آہ وہ آرزوئے دل ساحرؔ
تا قیامت جو بر نہیں آتی
अगर नहीं आती – राम प्रकाश साहर होशियारपूरी
१
मिस्ल-ए रक़्स-ए शरर नहीं आती
ज़िंदगी लौट कर नहीं आती
२
दिल-दही का तो कोई सामाँ कर
दिलरुबाई अगर नहीं आती
३
हिज्र में मौत ढूँढने वाले
ऐसी शब की सहर नहीं आती
४
दिल को दे कर फ़रेब-ए शौक़-ओ-तलब
अब तमन्ना नज़र नहीं आती
५
ये तबी’अत है हज़्रत-ए नासह
ये समझ सोच कर नहीं आती
६
आलम-ए बे-दिली से भी यारब
दिल की कोई ख़बर नहीं आती
७
दर्द दिल में अगर न हो हम-दम
शा’एरी उम्र-भर नहीं आती
८
आदमी ठोकरें न खाए अगर
ज़िंदगी राह पर नहीं आती
९
रास आती नहीं अगर तदबीर
मौत क्यूँ चारागर नहीं आती
१०
अपनी हालत अगर मैं ख़ुद न कहूँ
क्या उन्हें भी नज़र नहीं आती
११
तुम को आते हैं सब जफ़ा-ओ-जौर
एक वफ़ा ही मगर नहीं आती
१२
जिस नज़र से वो देखते थे कभी
वो नज़र अब नज़र नहीं आती
१३
वाए उस ज़िंदगी की महरूमी
मौत भी उम्र-भर नहीं आती
१४
आह वो आरज़ू-ए दिल साहर
ता-क़यामत जो बर नहीं आती
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. ram prakash saahir hoshiarpuri (1913-1972), did his MA in faarsi from lahore and joined the family business. He was the shaagird of labhuram josh malsiani and specialized in composing in a short bahr/meter. This Ghazal is modeled after Ghalib’s koii ummeed bar nahiN aati and can be considered a tribute to the master. I date this at 1947 (150 years of Ghalib’s birth) and not 1969 (100 years after his death) since it was published in a 1959 book.
1
misl1-e raqs2-e sharar3 nahiN aati
zindagi lauT4 kar nahiN aati 1.example of, similar to 2.dance 3.spark 4.turn back, return
This implies that a spark dances and returns (as in a strongly burning fire), but life is not like that. It does not return.
2
dil-dahi1 ka to koi saamaaN2 kar
dilrubaaii3 agar nahiN aati 1.consolation 2.arrangement 3.love
This is addressed to the beloved. If you cannot reciprocate my love, why don’t you at least do something to console my heart.
3
hijr1 meN maut DhuuNDhne vaale
aisi shab2 ki sahar3 nahiN aati 1.separation 2.night 3.dawn
The night of separation is so painful that death is considered a deliverance, a dawn. But the shaa’er/lover is addressing himself or a rival and telling them that it is useless to seek such deliverance. The night of separation is so long that it does not have a dawn.
4
dil ko de kar fareb1-e shauq-o-talab2
ab tamanna3 nazar nahiN aati 1.deception 2.love and longing 3.desire
Desire (personified) has given the heart of the shaa’er/lover an intense love and longing and has disappeared. It is nowhere to be seen. So he considers this to be a deception.
5
ye tabi’at1 hai hazrat2-e naaseh3
ye samajh soch kar nahiN aati 1.nature, natural instinct/desire 2.mister, honorific 3.censor, preacher
O, shaiKh, this is the demand of nature. It does not obey any rules of learning and wisdom. This could be about falling in love or about drinking wine.
6
aalam1-e be-dili2 se bhi yaarab3
dil ki koi Khabar4 nahiN aati 1.world, status 2.no feelings, no sensation, oblivion 3.god
The shaa’er lover’s heart has gone beyond the state of oblivion. It is so lost that from that state there is no news of what is happening to it i.e. the heart is lost in (either mystical or romantic) love such that it is in total oblivion.
7
dard dil meN agar na ho ham-dam1
shaa’eri umr-bhar nahiN aati 1.friend
If there is no passion in your heart, friend, the you will never be able to compose verse.
8
aadmi ThokareN na khaaye agar
zindagi raah1 par nahiN aati 1.path, right path
Unless goes through difficulties, stumbles and recovers, learns, life does not find the right path.
9
raas1 aati nahiN agar tadbiir2
maut kyuN chaaragar3 nahiN aati 1.agreeable, profitable, effective 2.scheme, plan, effort 3.healer
If no prescription works for me, then, O, healer, why does death not come to take me away.
10
apni haalat1 agar maiN Khud na kahuN
kya unheN bhi nazar nahiN aati 1.condition
The shaa’er/lover does not want to talk about his own condition, his love and pain. But he wonders, can she not see it herself. Of course, this could also be addressed to god. Can he not see my condition and help me.
11
tum ko aate haiN sab jafa-o-jaur1
ek vafa2 hi magar nahiN aati 1.oppression and cruelty 2.fidelity, reciprocating love
You, O, beloved know every oppression and cruelty, but the one thing you do not know is fidelity in love.
12
jis nazar se vo dekhte the kabhi
vo nazar ab nazar nahiN aati The special glance with which she used to look at me, I do not see that kind glance anymore.
13
vaa’e1 is zindagi ki mahruumi2
maut bhi umr-bhar nahiN aati 1.alas 2.deprivation
Alas, the deprivation of this life, even death does not visit as long as I live. This is wonderful word play.
14
aah vo aarzu1-e dil saahir2
taa-qayaamat3 jo bar4 nahiN aati 1.longing, yearning 2.pen-name of the shaa’er 3.until doomsday 4.fulfill
Alas, the yearning of the heart, O saahir. It is not fulfilled until doomsday i.e. it is never fulfilled. This could be romantic yearning in the conventional sense or striving/learning which is never complete.
ram prakash saahir hoshiarpuri (1913-1972), did his MA in faarsi from lahore and joined the family business. He was the shaagird of labhuram josh malsiani and specialized in composing in a short bahr/meter. This Ghazal is modeled after Ghalib’s koii ummeed bar nahiN aati and can be considered a tribute to the master. I date this at 1947 (150 years of Ghalib’s birth) and not 1969 (100 years after his death) since it was published in a 1959 book.
1
misl1-e raqs2-e sharar3 nahiN aati
zindagi lauT4 kar nahiN aati
1.example of, similar to 2.dance 3.spark 4.turn back, return
This implies that a spark dances and returns (as in a strongly burning fire), but life is not like that. It does not return.
2
dil-dahi1 ka to koi saamaaN2 kar
dilrubaaii3 agar nahiN aati
1.consolation 2.arrangement 3.love
This is addressed to the beloved. If you cannot reciprocate my love, why don’t you at least do something to console my heart.
3
hijr1 meN maut DhuuNDhne vaale
aisi shab2 ki sahar3 nahiN aati
1.separation 2.night 3.dawn
The night of separation is so painful that death is considered a deliverance, a dawn. But the shaa’er/lover is addressing himself or a rival and telling them that it is useless to seek such deliverance. The night of separation is so long that it does not have a dawn.
4
dil ko de kar fareb1-e shauq-o-talab2
ab tamanna3 nazar nahiN aati
1.deception 2.love and longing 3.desire
Desire (personified) has given the heart of the shaa’er/lover an intense love and longing and has disappeared. It is nowhere to be seen. So he considers this to be a deception.
5
ye tabi’at1 hai hazrat2-e naaseh3
ye samajh soch kar nahiN aati
1.nature, natural instinct/desire 2.mister, honorific 3.censor, preacher
O, shaiKh, this is the demand of nature. It does not obey any rules of learning and wisdom. This could be about falling in love or about drinking wine.
6
aalam1-e be-dili2 se bhi yaarab3
dil ki koi Khabar4 nahiN aati
1.world, status 2.no feelings, no sensation, oblivion 3.god
The shaa’er lover’s heart has gone beyond the state of oblivion. It is so lost that from that state there is no news of what is happening to it i.e. the heart is lost in (either mystical or romantic) love such that it is in total oblivion.
7
dard dil meN agar na ho ham-dam1
shaa’eri umr-bhar nahiN aati
1.friend
If there is no passion in your heart, friend, the you will never be able to compose verse.
8
aadmi ThokareN na khaaye agar
zindagi raah1 par nahiN aati
1.path, right path
Unless goes through difficulties, stumbles and recovers, learns, life does not find the right path.
9
raas1 aati nahiN agar tadbiir2
maut kyuN chaaragar3 nahiN aati
1.agreeable, profitable, effective 2.scheme, plan, effort 3.healer
If no prescription works for me, then, O, healer, why does death not come to take me away.
10
apni haalat1 agar maiN Khud na kahuN
kya unheN bhi nazar nahiN aati
1.condition
The shaa’er/lover does not want to talk about his own condition, his love and pain. But he wonders, can she not see it herself. Of course, this could also be addressed to god. Can he not see my condition and help me.
11
tum ko aate haiN sab jafa-o-jaur1
ek vafa2 hi magar nahiN aati
1.oppression and cruelty 2.fidelity, reciprocating love
You, O, beloved know every oppression and cruelty, but the one thing you do not know is fidelity in love.
12
jis nazar se vo dekhte the kabhi
vo nazar ab nazar nahiN aati
The special glance with which she used to look at me, I do not see that kind glance anymore.
13
vaa’e1 is zindagi ki mahruumi2
maut bhi umr-bhar nahiN aati
1.alas 2.deprivation
Alas, the deprivation of this life, even death does not visit as long as I live. This is wonderful word play.
14
aah vo aarzu1-e dil saahir2
taa-qayaamat3 jo bar4 nahiN aati
1.longing, yearning 2.pen-name of the shaa’er 3.until doomsday 4.fulfill
Alas, the yearning of the heart, O saahir. It is not fulfilled until doomsday i.e. it is never fulfilled. This could be romantic yearning in the conventional sense or striving/learning which is never complete.
