siyaah kiye jaa raha huN maiN-seemab baTaalavi

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

سیاہ کئے جا رہا ہوں میں ۔ پنڈت دھرم ویر سیمابؔ بٹالوی

۱

مجبور ہوں گناہ کئے جا رہا ہوں میں

فردِ عمل سیاہ کئے جا رہا ہوں میں

۲

گو جانتا بھی ہوں ترا ملنا محال ہے

اس پر بھی تیری چاہ کئے جا رہا ہوں میں

۳

تیرا فریبِ وعدہ بہت کامیاب ہے

آنکھوں کو فرشِ راہ کئے جا رہا ہوں میں

۴

تقسیم ہو رہی ہے مری وسعتِ نظر

ذرّوں کو مہر و ماہ کئے جا رہا ہوں میں

۵

تیرا کرم ہی اس کا محرّک نہ ہو کہیں

کیا جانے کیوں گناہ کئے جا رہا ہوں میں

۶

مجھ کو خبر ہے شیخ تجھے کچھ خبر نہیں

کیوں زندگی تباہ کئے جا رہا ہوں میں

۷

سیمابؔ دین سے بھی مرے دل کو عشق ہے

دنیا سے بھی نباہ کئے جا رہا ہوں میں

सियाह किए जा रहा हूँ मैं – पंडित धरमवीर सीमाब बटालवी

मजबूर हूँ गुनाह किये जा रहा हूँ मैं

फ़र्द-ए अमल सियाह किये जा रहा हूँ मैं

गो जानता भी हूँ तेरा मिलना महाल है

इस पर भी तेरी चाह किये जा रहा हूँ मैं

तेरा फ़रेब-ए वा’दा बहुत कामियाब है

आँखों को फ़र्श-ए राह किये जा रहा हूँ मैं

तक़्सीम हो रही है मेरी वुस’अत-ए नज़र

ज़र्रौं को महर-ओ-माह किये जा रहा हूँ मैं

तेरा करम ही इस का मुहर्रिक न हो कहीं

क्या जाने क्यूँ गुनाह किये जा रहा हूँ मैं

मुझ को ख़बर है शैख़ तुझे कुछ ख़बर नहीं

क्यूँ ज़िंदगी तबाह किये जा रहा हूँ मैं

सीमाब दीन से भी मेरे दिल को इश्क़ है

दुनिया से भी निबाह किये जा रहा हूँ मैं

 

Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. panDit dharam viir seemaab baTaalavi (1923-xxxx), baTaala, punjab. He was shaagird of tilok chand mahroom, then jagan nath azad and finally brahmadatt huma. He was so impressed with the work of seemab akbarabadi that he adopted his taKhallus. I know nothing more about the poet. I would greatly appreciate input from those who might know.
1
majboor1 huN gunaah2 kiye jaa raha huN maiN
fard3-e amal4 siyaah5 kiye jaa raha huN maiN  
1.powerless 2.sin 3.record, list 4.actions 5.black
The poet is powerless either because temptations are overwhelming or because his fate is determined. He is powerless, cannot resist, and keeps committing sins. This blackens the record of his deeds (that will be presented on the day of judgement).

2
go1 jaanta bhi huN tera milna muhaal2 hai
is par bhi teri chaah3 kiye jaa raha huN maiN  
1.even though 2.difficult 3.wish, desire
Even though I know that it is difficult/impossible to win you, but still I keep wishing to get you.

3
tera fareb1-e vaada2 bahut kaamyaab3 hai
aaNkhoN ko farsh4-e raah5 kiye jaa raha huN maiN   
1.deception, falsehood 2.promise 3.successful, effective 4.floor 5.path
To ‘spread one’s eyes on the floor’ is to prepare for an extremely warm welcome. Thus, the poet spreads his eyes on the floor of the path that the beloved is expected to take in coming to him, knowing full well that she will not keep her promise to come. Thus, the deception of her promise is very effective.

4
taqsiim1 ho rahi hai meri vus’at2-e nazar3
zarroN4 ko mahr5-o-maah6 kiye jaa raha huN maiN  
1.divided 2.expanse, reach 3.sight 4.grains of sand/dust 5.sun 6.moon
‘zarroN ko mahr o maah karna’ is to make grains of dust as lustrous the sun and moon, thus as honoured as heavenly bodies. This could well mean giving lustre to ordinary words because of the quality of his verse. Thus, the reach of his sight is divided between the grains of dust and the sun and moon.

5
tera karam1 hi is ka muharrik2 na ho kahiN
kya jaane kyuN gunaah3 kiye jaa raha huN maiN  
1.kindness, magnanimity 2.mover, motivator 3.sin
Is it your magnanimity/kindness/forgiveness that motivates/moves me. Is that why I keep committing sins. Said panDit anand narain mulla …
us ke karam pe shak tujhe zaahid zaroor tha
varna tera qusoor na karna qusoor tha
and amiir minaaii …
bandaa navaaziyoN pe Khuda-e karim tha
karta na maiN gunah to gunaah-e aziim tha

6
mujh ko Khabar1 hai shaiKh tujhe kuchh Khabar nahiN
kyuN zindagi tabaah2 kiye jaa raha huN maiN  
1.awareness, knowledge 2.destroy, waste
I know O shaiKh, that you don’t know anything. Why then am I wasting my life trying to follow your injunctions.

7
seemaab1 diin2 se bhi meray dil ko ishq hai
duniya se bhi nibaah3 kiye jaa raha huN maiN  
1.pen-name of the poet 2.faith 3.getting along
O seemaab, I love my faith too and also try to get along with this world/material life.

panDit dharam viir seemaab baTaalavi (1923-xxxx), baTaala, punjab.  He was shaagird of tilok chand mahroom, then jagan nath azad and finally brahmadatt huma.  He was so impressed with the work of seemab akbarabadi that he adopted his taKhallus.  I know nothing more about the poet.  I would greatly appreciate input from those who might know.
1
majboor1 huN gunaah2 kiye jaa raha huN maiN
fard3-e amal4 siyaah5 kiye jaa raha huN maiN

1.powerless 2.sin 3.record, list 4.actions 5.black

The poet is powerless either because temptations are overwhelming or because his fate is determined.  He is powerless, cannot resist, and keeps committing sins.  This blackens the record of his deeds (that will be presented on the day of judgement).
2
go1 jaanta bhi huN tera milna muhaal2 hai
is par bhi teri chaah3 kiye jaa raha huN maiN

1.even though 2.difficult 3.wish, desire

Even though I know that it is difficult/impossible to win you, but still I keep wishing to get you.
3
tera fareb1-e vaada2 bahut kaamyaab3 hai
aaNkhoN ko farsh4-e raah5 kiye jaa raha huN maiN

1.deception, falsehood 2.promise 3.successful, effective 4.floor 5.path

To ‘spread one’s eyes on the floor’ is to prepare for an extremely warm welcome.  Thus, the poet spreads his eyes on the floor of the path that the beloved is expected to take in coming to him, knowing full well that she will not keep her promise to come.  Thus, the deception of her promise is very effective.
4
taqsiim1 ho rahi hai meri vus’at2-e nazar3
zarroN4 ko mahr5-o-maah6 kiye jaa raha huN maiN

1.divided 2.expanse, reach 3.sight 4.grains of sand/dust 5.sun 6.moon

‘zarroN ko mahr o maah karna’ is to make grains of dust as lustrous the sun and moon, thus as honoured as heavenly bodies.  This could well mean giving lustre to ordinary words because of the quality of his verse.  Thus, the reach of his sight is divided between the grains of dust and the sun and moon.
5
tera karam1 hi is ka muharrik2 na ho kahiN
kya jaane kyuN gunaah3 kiye jaa raha huN maiN

1.kindness, magnanimity 2.mover, motivator 3.sin

Is it your magnanimity/kindness/forgiveness that motivates/moves me.  Is that why I keep committing sins.  Said panDit anand narain mulla …
us ke karam pe shak tujhe zaahid zaroor tha
varna tera qusoor na karna qusoor tha
and amiir minaaii …
bandaa navaaziyoN pe Khuda-e karim tha
karta na maiN gunah to gunaah-e aziim tha
6
mujh ko Khabar1 hai shaiKh tujhe kuchh Khabar nahiN
kyuN zindagi tabaah2 kiye jaa raha huN maiN

1.awareness, knowledge 2.destroy, waste

I know O shaiKh, that you don’t know anything.  Why then am I wasting my life trying to follow your injunctions.
7
seemaab1 diin2 se bhi meray dil ko ishq hai
duniya se bhi nibaah3 kiye jaa raha huN maiN

1.pen-name of the poet 2.faith 3.getting along

O seemaab, I love my faith too and also try to get along with this world/material life.