For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
تمیزِ حق و باطل تو رہوں گا ۔ محسن نقوی
۱
پتھر ہی سہی راہ میں حائل تو رہوں گا
کچھ دیر تیرا مدّ مقابل تو رہوں گا
۲
جب تک تری بخشش کا بھرم کھل نہیں جاتا
اے میرے سخی میں ترا سائل تو رہوں گا
۳
اس واسطے زندہ ہوں سرِ مقتلِ یاراں
وابستۂ کم ظرفیِ قاتل تو رہوں گا
۴
اے تیز ہوا میرا دھواں دیکھ کے جانا
بجھ کر بھی نشانِ رہِ منزل تو رہوں گا
۵
دشمن ہی سہی نام تو لے گا مرا تو بھی
یوں میں تری آواز میں شامل تو رہوں گا
۶
جب تک میں بغاوت نہ کروں جبر و ستم سے
زنداں میں ہوں پابندِ سَلاسِل تو رہوں گا
۷
محسنؔ زدِ اعدا سے اگر مر بھی گیا میں
معیارِ تمیزِ حق و باطل تو رہوں گا
तमीज़-ए हक़-ओ-बातिल तो रहूंगा – मोहसिन नक़्वी
१
पत्थर ही सही राह में हा’एल तो रहूंगा
कुछ देर तेरा मद्द-ए मुक़बिल तो रहूंगा
२
जब तक तेरी बख़्शिश का भरम खुल नहीं जाता
अए मेरे सख़ी मैं तेरा सा’एल तो रहूंगा
३
इस वास्ते ज़िंदा हूं सर-ए मक़्तल-ए यारां
वाबस्ता-ए कम-ज़र्फ़ी-ए क़ातिल तो रहूंगा
४
अए तेज़ हवा मेरा धुआं देख के जाना
बुझ कर भी निशान-ए रह-ए मंज़िल तो रहूंगा
५
दुश्मन ही सही नाम तो लेगा मेरा तू भी
यूं मैं तेरी आवाज़ में शामिल तो रहूंगा
६
जब तक मैं बग़ावत न करूं जब्र-ओ-सितम से
ज़िंदां में हूं पाबंद-ए सलासिल तो रहूंगा
७
मोहसिन ज़द-ए आ’दा से अगर मर भी गया मैं
मे’यार-ए तमीज़-ए हक़-ओ-बातिल तो रहूंगा
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. Ghulaam abbaas mohsin naqvi (1947-1996), Dera Ghaazi KhaaN, lahore. Son of a saddle-maker/food vendor, he got a BA from Govt College, multan and MA from the University of Panjab, labore. He was a prolific poet, especially writing about themes of resistance and the tragedy of karbala. He was gunned down because of sectarian violence.
1
patthar hi sahii raah1 meN haa’el2 to rahuuNga
kuch der tera madd-e-muqaabil3 to rahuuNga 1.path 2.obstruction, obstacle 3.confronting face to face
The poet is addressing the corrupt power structure of his homeland. I may be just a rock, but will remain an obstacle in your path (of injustice and oppression). At least for a short time, I will confront you face to face.
2
jab tak teri baKhshish1 ka bharam2 khul nahiiN jaata
aye mere saKhii3 maiN tera saa’el4 to rahuuNga 1.generosity 2.deception, illusion 3.my generous one 4.petitioner, interrogator, beggar
The power structure pretends and deceives the public, telling them that they have their best interests at heart and are being generous to them. The poet says, until the illusion of your generosity is revealed for what it really is, O generous one, I will remain your interrogator. (I think the word saa’el which is popularly used to mean beggar also means interrogator and it is in that sense that the poet is using it here).
3
iss vaaste1 zinda huN sar2-e maqtal3-e yaaraaN4
vaabasta5-e kam-zarfii6-e qaatil7 to rahuuNga 1.for this reason 2.entrance, side 3.slaughterhouse 4.friends, comrades 5.associated 6.pettiness, meanness 7.killer
The poet identifies with his comrades who have been slaughtered by the ‘killer’ – the ruling power. The reason he lives by the slaughterhouse of his friends/comrades is to remain associated with the pettiness of the killer. By ‘vaabasta-associated’ the poet does not mean associated through participation in the slaughter, but associated in the knowledge of the killer’s ‘kam-zarfii-meanness’ so that he can write about it, or be ready to become the next victim.
4
aye tez havaa mera dhuaaN dekh ke jaana
bujh kar bhi nishaan1-e rah2-e manzil3 to rahuuNga 1.clue, mark, direction 2.path 3.destination
The poet may be dead but his heart burning with passion will rise as smoke and guide others on the path to the destination. He does not want stormy winds to blow away this smoke but pass by carefully, so that others may find their way to the destination.
5
dushman hi sahii naam to lega mera tu bhi
yuN maiN teri aavaaz meN shaamil1 to rahuuNga 1.included
The poet/revolutionary addresses the ruling power. You may consider my your enemy, let it be so, but at least you will speak my name and thus people will be reminded of my message through your voice. The poet speaks of his enduring message and legacy.
6
jab tak maiN baGhaavat1 na karuN jabr-o-sitam2 se
zindaaN3 meN huN paaband4-e salaasil5 to rahuuNga 1.rebellion 2.cruelty and oppression 3.prison 4.limited by 5.chains, fetters
The poet feels that it is imperative for him to rebel against cruelty and oppression. Unless he does that he will remain in prison – perhaps a figurative, mental, emotional prison of his own creation – and will be restricted by the chains that bind him. The chains here are his unwillingness to rebel. The poet does not like the prison, the chains or the restriction, therefore, he must rebel.
7
mohsin1 zad2-e aa’daa3 se agar mar bhi gaya maiN
me’aar4-e tamiiz5-e haq-o-baatil6 to rahuuNga 1.pen-name 2.range, target 3.enemy 4.standard, measure 5.distinction 6.truth and falsehood
O mohsin, you are within the target range of the enemy’s arrow, but even if you die, your words will remain the standard by which truth and falsehood can be distinguished.
Ghulaam abbaas mohsin naqvi (1947-1996), Dera Ghaazi KhaaN, lahore. Son of a saddle-maker/food vendor, he got a BA from Govt College, multan and MA from the University of Panjab, labore. He was a prolific poet, especially writing about themes of resistance and the tragedy of karbala. He was gunned down because of sectarian violence.
1
patthar hi sahii raah1 meN haa’el2 to rahuuNga
kuch der tera madd-e-muqaabil3 to rahuuNga
1.path 2.obstruction, obstacle 3.confronting face to face
The poet is addressing the corrupt power structure of his homeland. I may be just a rock, but will remain an obstacle in your path (of injustice and oppression). At least for a short time, I will confront you face to face.
2
jab tak teri baKhshish1 ka bharam2 khul nahiiN jaata
aye mere saKhii3 maiN tera saa’el4 to rahuuNga
1.generosity 2.deception, illusion 3.my generous one 4.petitioner, interrogator, beggar
The power structure pretends and deceives the public, telling them that they have their best interests at heart and are being generous to them. The poet says, until the illusion of your generosity is revealed for what it really is, O generous one, I will remain your interrogator. (I think the word saa’el which is popularly used to mean beggar also means interrogator and it is in that sense that the poet is using it here).
3
iss vaaste1 zinda huN sar2-e maqtal3-e yaaraaN4
vaabasta5-e kam-zarfii6-e qaatil7 to rahuuNga
1.for this reason 2.entrance, side 3.slaughterhouse 4.friends, comrades 5.associated 6.pettiness, meanness 7.killer
The poet identifies with his comrades who have been slaughtered by the ‘killer’ – the ruling power. The reason he lives by the slaughterhouse of his friends/comrades is to remain associated with the pettiness of the killer. By ‘vaabasta-associated’ the poet does not mean associated through participation in the slaughter, but associated in the knowledge of the killer’s ‘kam-zarfii-meanness’ so that he can write about it, or be ready to become the next victim.
4
aye tez havaa mera dhuaaN dekh ke jaana
bujh kar bhi nishaan1-e rah2-e manzil3 to rahuuNga
1.clue, mark, direction 2.path 3.destination
The poet may be dead but his heart burning with passion will rise as smoke and guide others on the path to the destination. He does not want stormy winds to blow away this smoke but pass by carefully, so that others may find their way to the destination.
5
dushman hi sahii naam to lega mera tu bhi
yuN maiN teri aavaaz meN shaamil1 to rahuuNga
1.included
The poet/revolutionary addresses the ruling power. You may consider my your enemy, let it be so, but at least you will speak my name and thus people will be reminded of my message through your voice. The poet speaks of his enduring message and legacy.
6
jab tak maiN baGhaavat1 na karuN jabr-o-sitam2 se
zindaaN3 meN huN paaband4-e salaasil5 to rahuuNga
1.rebellion 2.cruelty and oppression 3.prison 4.limited by 5.chains, fetters
The poet feels that it is imperative for him to rebel against cruelty and oppression. Unless he does that he will remain in prison – perhaps a figurative, mental, emotional prison of his own creation – and will be restricted by the chains that bind him. The chains here are his unwillingness to rebel. The poet does not like the prison, the chains or the restriction, therefore, he must rebel.
7
mohsin1 zad2-e aa’daa3 se agar mar bhi gaya maiN
me’aar4-e tamiiz5-e haq-o-baatil6 to rahuuNga
1.pen-name 2.range, target 3.enemy 4.standard, measure 5.distinction 6.truth and falsehood
O mohsin, you are within the target range of the enemy’s arrow, but even if you die, your words will remain the standard by which truth and falsehood can be distinguished.
