For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
صفتِ پردہ دری دے ۔ جوشؔ ملیح آبادی
۱
دنیا میں مجھے حور نہ عقبٰے میں پری دے
آ نالۂ شبگیر و دعائے سحری دے
۲
اُٹھ لیلیِ دل کو رخِ گل رنگ عطا کر
آ دیدۂ تخیل کو جادہ نظری دے
۳
پوشیدہ ہیں اِس خاک میں کتنے دُرِ نایاب
خاکسترِ دل کو شررِ دیدہ وری دے
۴
بیہودگیِ خلعتِ ناموس کہاں تک
اے خالقِ وحشت خلشِ جامہ دری دے
۵
آلودہ ہے پھر زنگ سے اِنسان کا سینہ
اے نورِ دو عالم سرِ آئینہ گری دے
۶
تمکین کے ناخن سے ترے خم نہیں کھلتے
اے زلفِ سیہ رخصت آشفتہ سری دے
۷
ہاں جوشؔ سے اُٹھتے نہیں قدرت کے حجابات
اے یارِ نہفتہ صفتِ پردہ دری دے
सिफ़त-ए पर्दा-दरी दे – जोश मलीहाबादी
१
दुनिया में मुझे हूर न उक़्बा में परी दे
आ नाला-ए शब्गीर ओ दुआ-ए सहरी दे
२
उठ लैली-ए दिल को रुख़-ए गुल-रंग अता कर
आ दीदा-ए तख़’ईल को जादा-नज़री दे
३
पोशीदा हैं इस ख़ाक में कितने दुर-ए नायाब
ख़ाकस्तर-ए दिल को शरर-ए दीदावरी दे
४
बेहूदगी-ए ख़िल’अत-ए नामूस कहाँ तक
अए ख़ालेक़-ए वहशत ख़लिश-ए जामा-दरी दे
५
आलूदा है फिर ज़ंग से इंसान का सीना
अए नूर-ए दो-आलम सर-ए आईना-गरी दे
६
तमकीन के नाख़ुन से तेरे ख़म नहीं खुलते
अए ज़ुल्फ़-ए सियह रुख़्सत-ए आशुफ़्ता-सरी दे
७
हाँ जोश से उठते नहीं क़ुदरत के हिजाबात
अए यार-ए नहुफ़्ता सिफ़त-ए पर्दा-दरी दे
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. josh malihabadi (1898-1982) is called shaa’er-e inqelaab, poet of change/revolution. He is very secular and nationalistic in his writings and rebels against orthodoxy. His range of language and vocabulary is simply amazing. He has written extensively about the beauty of dawn. His collection of nazm/Ghazal and rubaaii can be accessed both under the poet’s name and from the Theme Index, ‘jalva-e sahr’. This Ghazal/nazm is a prayer/wish that the poet receive the ability to perceive hidden secrets and put them in verse. It has the same radeef (but a different qaafiya) and the same theme as other nazm/Ghazal linked to ‘naGhma saraaii de’ on the Refrain Index page.
1
duniya meN mujhe hoor1 na uqba2 meN pari3 de
aa naala4-e shabgiir5 o dua-e sahari6 de 1.used here to mean beautiful beloved 2.hereafter, next world 3.fairy-used here to mean virgin nymph of heaven 4.wail, cry 5.night conquering/piercing 6.of dawn
‘naala-e shabgiir’ is night piercing wails … the intense passion/pain that the poet feels during the night. This could be because of the beloved’s indifference or of the pain of life, sympathy with suffering humanity. In any case this intense passion is the source of his versification. This versification manifests itself as ‘dua-e sahari’- prayer of dawn. Thus, the poet seems to be praying to the divine … I do not want a beautiful beloved in this world nor do I want nymphs/hoor in heaven. Grant me intense passion that I may be able to compose poetry for the next day.
2
uTh laili1-e dil ko ruKh2-e gul-raNg3 ata4 kar
aa diida5-e taKh’eel6 ko jaada-nazari7 de 1.laila of the laila-majnuN legend used as a symbol for the beloved 2.face 3.rose coloured 4.grant 5.eyes 6.imagination 7.path-seeing, ability to discern the path forward
His ‘laili-e dil’- the beloved in his heart, might well be his ability to compose verse. He wants this beloved to be granted a rose-coloured face i.e., beauty. And he wants the eye of his imagination to be able to see the path forward. Said parveen shaakir …
shahr-e-suKhan se rooh ko voh aashnaaii de
aaNkheN bhi band rakkhuN to rasta sujhaaii de
3
poshiida1 haiN is Khaak2 meN kitne dur3-e naayaab4
Khaakistar5-e dil ko sharar6-e diidavari7 de 1.hidden 2.dust, earth 3.pearls 4.rare, unique 5.ashes 6.spark, fire 7.discerning eye
His heart is burnt to ashes with the intensity of passion. He prays that these ashes be granted the old fire/fervour with which he could discern/see beauty/truth. He needs that because there are still many rare gems hidden in the earth – many truths to be discovered and versified.
4
behudagi1-e Khil’at2-e naamuus3 kahaaN tak
aye Khaaliq4-e vahshat5 Khalish6-e jaama-dari7 de 1.absurdity, foolishness 2.robes 3.reputation, honour 4.creator 5.frenzy, madness of passion 6.pricking, unease, dissatisfaction 7.tear off garments
The poet considers it an absurdity to hold in high regard or to covet robes of honour. He calls upon the creator of frenzy/passion to grant him a (vahshat-zada) mind disturbed enough to tear off such robes.
5
aaluda1 hai phir zaNg2 se insaan ka siina
aye noor3-e do-aalam4 sar5-e aaiina-gari6 de 1.smeared, stained 2.rust 3.light 4.two worlds 5.head/mind 6.polishing mirrors, clarity
Here ‘insaan ka siina’ is used to mean the heart. Thus, the human heart is once again smeared with rust i.e., it cannot reflect truth/beauty clearly. The poet prays to the ‘light of both worlds’ to grant him the mind/intelligence/ability to polish hearts so they can see clearly.
6
tamkiin1 ke naaKhun2 se tere Kham3 nahiN khulte
aye zulf4-e siyah5 ruKhsat6-e ashufta-sari7 de 1.dignity, majesty 2.nails 3.curls, knots 4.hair 5.dark 6.permission 7.madness, passion
Here ‘Kham’ are not just curls, they are knots in the hair of someone. Knots symbolize mysteries and the someone might well be god, nature or the beloved. Undoing knots requires nimble fingers and long fingernails. The fingernails of dignity/majesty/pride are incapable of undoing these knots. What is required is mad passion. ‘zulf-e siyah’ are the dark mysteries associated with the knots. The poet begs permission of the ‘zulf-e siyah’ to become mad and passionate in order to undo knots.
7
haaN josh1 se uThte nahiN qudrat2 ke hijaabaat3
aye yaar4-e nehufta5 sifat6-e parda-darii7 de 1.pen-name of the poet 2.nature, god 3.veils, mysteries 4.friend 5.hidden 6.character, capability 7.removing the veil, revealing the truth
Yes, josh has lost the capability of lifting the veil covering mysteries of nature. The poet does not tell us why he thinks that he no longer has that ability. O, hidden friend, grant me the ability to reveal the truth.
josh malihabadi (1898-1982) is called shaa’er-e inqelaab, poet of change/revolution. He is very secular and nationalistic in his writings and rebels against orthodoxy. His range of language and vocabulary is simply amazing. He has written extensively about the beauty of dawn. His collection of nazm/Ghazal and rubaaii can be accessed both under the poet’s name and from the Theme Index, ‘jalva-e sahr’. This Ghazal/nazm is a prayer/wish that the poet receive the ability to perceive hidden secrets and put them in verse. It has the same radeef (but a different qaafiya) and the same theme as other nazm/Ghazal linked to ‘naGhma saraaii de’ on the Refrain Index page.
1
duniya meN mujhe hoor1 na uqba2 meN pari3 de
aa naala4-e shabgiir5 o dua-e sahari6 de
1.used here to mean beautiful beloved 2.hereafter, next world 3.fairy-used here to mean virgin nymph of heaven 4.wail, cry 5.night conquering/piercing 6.of dawn
‘naala-e shabgiir’ is night piercing wails … the intense passion/pain that the poet feels during the night. This could be because of the beloved’s indifference or of the pain of life, sympathy with suffering humanity. In any case this intense passion is the source of his versification. This versification manifests itself as ‘dua-e sahari’- prayer of dawn. Thus, the poet seems to be praying to the divine … I do not want a beautiful beloved in this world nor do I want nymphs/hoor in heaven. Grant me intense passion that I may be able to compose poetry for the next day.
2
uTh laili1-e dil ko ruKh2-e gul-raNg3 ata4 kar
aa diida5-e taKh’eel6 ko jaada-nazari7 de
1.laila of the laila-majnuN legend used as a symbol for the beloved 2.face 3.rose coloured 4.grant 5.eyes 6.imagination 7.path-seeing, ability to discern the path forward
His ‘laili-e dil’- the beloved in his heart, might well be his ability to compose verse. He wants this beloved to be granted a rose-coloured face i.e., beauty. And he wants the eye of his imagination to be able to see the path forward. Said parveen shaakir …
shahr-e-suKhan se rooh ko voh aashnaaii de
aaNkheN bhi band rakkhuN to rasta sujhaaii de
3
poshiida1 haiN is Khaak2 meN kitne dur3-e naayaab4
Khaakistar5-e dil ko sharar6-e diidavari7 de
1.hidden 2.dust, earth 3.pearls 4.rare, unique 5.ashes 6.spark, fire 7.discerning eye
His heart is burnt to ashes with the intensity of passion. He prays that these ashes be granted the old fire/fervour with which he could discern/see beauty/truth. He needs that because there are still many rare gems hidden in the earth – many truths to be discovered and versified.
4
behudagi1-e Khil’at2-e naamuus3 kahaaN tak
aye Khaaliq4-e vahshat5 Khalish6-e jaama-dari7 de
1.absurdity, foolishness 2.robes 3.reputation, honour 4.creator 5.frenzy, madness of passion 6.pricking, unease, dissatisfaction 7.tear off garments
The poet considers it an absurdity to hold in high regard or to covet robes of honour. He calls upon the creator of frenzy/passion to grant him a (vahshat-zada) mind disturbed enough to tear off such robes.
5
aaluda1 hai phir zaNg2 se insaan ka siina
aye noor3-e do-aalam4 sar5-e aaiina-gari6 de
1.smeared, stained 2.rust 3.light 4.two worlds 5.head/mind 6.polishing mirrors, clarity
Here ‘insaan ka siina’ is used to mean the heart. Thus, the human heart is once again smeared with rust i.e., it cannot reflect truth/beauty clearly. The poet prays to the ‘light of both worlds’ to grant him the mind/intelligence/ability to polish hearts so they can see clearly.
6
tamkiin1 ke naaKhun2 se tere Kham3 nahiN khulte
aye zulf4-e siyah5 ruKhsat6-e ashufta-sari7 de
1.dignity, majesty 2.nails 3.curls, knots 4.hair 5.dark 6.permission 7.madness, passion
Here ‘Kham’ are not just curls, they are knots in the hair of someone. Knots symbolize mysteries and the someone might well be god, nature or the beloved. Undoing knots requires nimble fingers and long fingernails. The fingernails of dignity/majesty/pride are incapable of undoing these knots. What is required is mad passion. ‘zulf-e siyah’ are the dark mysteries associated with the knots. The poet begs permission of the ‘zulf-e siyah’ to become mad and passionate in order to undo knots.
7
haaN josh1 se uThte nahiN qudrat2 ke hijaabaat3
aye yaar4-e nehufta5 sifat6-e parda-darii7 de
1.pen-name of the poet 2.nature, god 3.veils, mysteries 4.friend 5.hidden 6.character, capability 7.removing the veil, revealing the truth
Yes, josh has lost the capability of lifting the veil covering mysteries of nature. The poet does not tell us why he thinks that he no longer has that ability. O, hidden friend, grant me the ability to reveal the truth.
