taab-e nai-navaaii de-ubaidullah aleem

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

تاب نے نوائی دے ۔ عبید اللہ علیم

۱

مرے خدا مجھے وہ تاب نے نوائی دے

میں چپ رہوں بھی تو نغمہ مرا سنائی دے

۲

گدائے کوئے سخن اور تجھ سے کیا مانگے

یہی کہ مملکتِ شعر کی خدائی دے

۳

نگاہِ دہر میں اہلِ کمال ہم بھی ہوں

جو لکھ رہے ہیں وہ دنیا اگر دکھائی دے

۴

چھلک نہ جاؤں کہیں میں وجود سے اپنے

ہنر دیا ہے تو پھر ظرفِ کبریائی دے

۵

مجھے کمالِ سخن سے نوازنے والے

سماعتوں کو بھی اب ذوقِ آشنائی دے

۶

نمو پزیر ہے یہ شعلۂ نوا تو اسے

ہر آنے والے زمانے کی پیشوائی دے

۷

کوئی کرے تو کہاں تک کرے مسیحائی

کہ ایک زخم بھرے دوسرا دہائی دے

۸

میں ایک سے کسی موسم میں رہ نہیں سکتا

کبھی وِصال کبھی ہجر سے رہائی دے

۹

جو ایک خواب کا نشّہ ہو کم تو آنکھوں کو

ہزار خواب دے اور جرأت رسائی دے

ताब-ए नय-नवाई दे – उबैदुल्लाह अलीम

मेरे ख़ुदा मुझे वो ताब-ए नय-नवाई दे

मैं चुप रहूँ भी तो नग़्मा मेरा सुनाई दे

गदा-ए कू-ए सुख़न और तुझ से क्या माँगे

यही के मम्लकत-ए शे’र की ख़ुदाई दे

निगाह-ए दहर में अहल-ए कमाल हम भी हों

जो लिख रहे हैं वो दुनिया अगर दिखाई दे

छलक न जाऊँ कहीं मैं वजूद से अपने

हुनर दिया है तो फिर ज़र्फ़-ए किब्रियाई दे

मुझे कमाल-ए सुख़न से नवाज़ने वाले

समा’अतौं को भी अब ज़ौक़-ए आश्नाई दे

नुमू-पज़ीर है ये शोला-ए नवा तो इसे

हर आने वाले ज़माने की पेश्वाई दे

कोई करे तो कहाँ तक करे मसीहाई

के एक ज़ख़्म भरे दूसरा दुहाई दे

मैं एक से किसी मौसम में रह नहीं सकता

कभी विसाल कभी हिज्र से रेहाई दे

जो एक ख़्वाब का नश्शा हो कम तो आँखौं को

हज़ार ख़्वाब दे और जुर’अत-ए रसाई दे

 

Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. ubaidullah aleem (1939-1998) bhopal, family migrated to pakistan. Post-graduation in urdu from the University of Karachi. Radio and TV program producer. Compelled to resign for being an ahmadi. Moved to England in 1991, returned to pakistan and died. Awarded Adamji Prize, highest literary award in pakistan.
1
mere Khuda mujhe vo taab1-e nai-navaaii2 de
maiN chup rahooN bhi to naGhma3 meraa sunaaii de  
1.courage 2.making sound, speaking out 3.song, Ghazal
O my god, give me the courage to speak out. Let it be that even if I am silent, my Ghazal is heard all over.

2
gadaa1-e kuu2-e suKhan3 aur tujh se kyaa maaNge
yahi keh mamlikat4-e she’r ki Khudaaii5 de  
1.beggar 2.street 3.shaa’eri, verse 4.regime 5.domain
What else can this beggar of the street of verse ask of you except domain over the regime of versification.

3
nigaah1-e dahr2 meN ahl-e-kamaal3 ham bhi hoN
jo likh rahe haiN vo duniyaa agar dikhaaii de    
1.eye 2.world 3.people of skill/ability/expertise
In the eyes of the world, I too, will be recognized as an expert, if what I write materializes/comes about – or – what I write is understood and agreed to.

4
chhalak1 na jaauN kahiN maiN vajood2 se apne
hunar3 diyaa hai to phir zarf4-e kibriyaaii5 de  
1.spill over 2.existence, person 3.talent 4.capacity, capability 5.greatness, recognition
So that I may not “become too big for my boots”, if you have given me talent, also give me the capacity to gracefully/humbly accept recognition.

5
mujhe kamaal1-e suKhan2 se navaazne3 vaale
samaa’atoN4 ko bhi ab zauq5-e aashnaaii6 de  
1.skill, expertise 2.versification 3.gifting, granting 4.listening, audience 5.taste, discriminating 6.knowledge
You, who have granted me the skill of versification, alos grant the audience the ability to discriminate good from bad, with good taste.

6
numuu1-pazir2 hai ye sho’la3-e navaa4 to ise
har aane vaale zamaane ki peshvaaii5 de  
1.increasing, improving 2.welcoming 3.flame 4.sound, cry 5.leadership
Because this flaming cry welcomes the improvement of world order, give it leadership/guidance of the coming times.

7
koi kare to kahaaN tak kare masihaaii1
keh ek zaKhm bhare doosraa duhaaii2 de  
1.healing 2.protest, cry
How long can one keep on trying to heal. As soon as one wound heals, another cries out.

8
maiN ek se kisi mausam meN rah nahiN saktaa
kabhi visaal1 kabhi hijr2 se rehaaii3 de  
1.union 2.being away, separation 3.release
I cannot live in the same monotony. Sometimes release me from the burden of union and at other times from the pain of separation.

9
jo ek Khwaab kaa nashsha ho kam to aaNkhoN ko
hazaar Khwaab de aur jur’at1-e rasaaii2 de   
1.daring, courage 2.reach
When the intoxication of one dream/vision abates, give the courage to reach for a thousand other dreams/visions of the future.

ubaidullah aleem (1939-1998) bhopal, family migrated to pakistan.  Post-graduation in urdu from the University of Karachi. Radio and TV program producer. Compelled to resign for being an ahmadi. Moved to England in 1991, returned to pakistan and died.  Awarded Adamji Prize, highest literary award in pakistan.
1
mere Khuda mujhe vo taab1-e nai-navaaii2 de
maiN chup rahooN bhi to naGhma3 meraa sunaaii de

1.courage 2.making sound, speaking out 3.song, Ghazal

O my god, give me the courage to speak out.  Let it be that even if I am silent, my Ghazal is heard all over.
2
gadaa1-e kuu2-e suKhan3 aur tujh se kyaa maaNge
yahi keh mamlikat4-e she’r ki Khudaaii5 de

1.beggar 2.street 3.shaa’eri, verse 4.regime 5.domain

What else can this beggar of the street of verse ask of you except domain over the regime of versification.
3
nigaah1-e dahr2 meN ahl-e-kamaal3 ham bhi hoN
jo likh rahe haiN vo duniyaa agar dikhaaii de

1.eye 2.world 3.people of skill/ability/expertise

In the eyes of the world, I too, will be recognized as an expert, if what I write materializes/comes about – or – what I write is understood and agreed to.
4
chhalak1 na jaauN kahiN maiN vajood2 se apne
hunar3 diyaa hai to phir zarf4-e kibriyaaii5 de

1.spill over 2.existence, person 3.talent 4.capacity, capability 5.greatness, recognition

So that I may not “become too big for my boots”, if you have given me talent, also give me the capacity to gracefully/humbly accept recognition.
5
mujhe kamaal1-e suKhan2 se navaazne3 vaale
samaa’atoN4 ko bhi ab zauq5-e aashnaaii6 de

1.skill, expertise 2.versification 3.gifting, granting 4.listening, audience 5.taste, discriminating 6.knowledge

You, who have granted me the skill of versification, alos grant the audience the ability to discriminate good from bad, with good taste.
6
numuu1-pazir2 hai ye sho’la3-e navaa4 to ise
har aane vaale zamaane ki peshvaaii5 de

1.increasing, improving 2.welcoming 3.flame 4.sound, cry 5.leadership

Because this flaming cry welcomes the improvement of world order, give it leadership/guidance of the coming times.
7
koi kare to kahaaN tak kare masihaaii1
keh ek zaKhm bhare doosraa duhaaii2 de

1.healing 2.protest, cry

How long can one keep on trying to heal.  As soon as one wound heals, another cries out.
8
maiN ek se kisi mausam meN rah nahiN saktaa
kabhi visaal1 kabhi hijr2 se rehaaii3 de

1.union 2.being away, separation 3.release

I cannot live in the same monotony.  Sometimes release me from the burden of union and at other times from the pain of separation.
9
jo ek Khwaab kaa nashsha ho kam to aaNkhoN ko
hazaar Khwaab de aur jur’at1-e rasaaii2 de

1.daring, courage 2.reach

When the intoxication of one dream/vision abates, give the courage to reach for a thousand other dreams/visions of the future.