For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
تصویر تو ہماری ہے ۔ مرزا عظیم احمد شبنمؔ رومانی
۱
تمام عمر کی آوارگی پہ بھاری ہے
وہ ایک شب جو تری یاد میں گزاری ہے
۲
اُس انجمن میں سنائے ہیں میں نے پیار کے گیت
جس انجمن میں عبادت بھی کاروباری ہے
۳
نگاہِ شوق نے مجھ کو یہ راز سمجھایا
حیا بھی دل کی نزاکت پہ ضربِ کاری ہے
۴
مجھے یہ زعم کہ میں حسن کا مُصوّر ہوں
اُنہیں یہ ناز کہ تصویر تو ہماری ہے
۵
یہ کس نے چھیڑ دیا رخصتِ بہار کا گیت
ابھی تو رقصِ نسیمِ بہار جاری ہے
۶
خفا نہ ہو تو دکھا دیں ہم آئنہ تم کو
ہمیں قبول کہ ساری خطا ہماری ہے
۷
جہاں پناہِ محبت جناب شبنمؔ ہیں
زبانِ شعر میں فرمانِ شوق جاری ہے
तस्वीर तो हमारी है – मिर्ज़ा अज़ीम अहमद शबनम रूमानी
१
तमाम उम्र की आवारगी पे भारी है
वो एक शब जो तिरी याद में गुज़ारी है
२
उस अंजुमन में सुनाए हैं मैं ने प्यार के गीत
जिस अंजुमन में इबादत भी कारोबारी है
३
निगाह-ए शौक़ ने मुझ को ये राज़ समझाया
हया भी दिल की नज़ाकत पे ज़र्ब-ए कारी है
४
मुझे ये ज़ोम कि मैं हुस्न का मुसव्विर हूँ
उन्हें ये नाज़ कि तस्वीर तो हमारी है
५
ये किस ने छेढ दिया रुख़्सत-ए बहार का गीत
अभी तो रक़्स-ए नसीम-ए बहार जारी है
६
ख़फ़ा न हो तो दिखा दें हम आइना तुम को
हमें क़ुबूल के सारी ख़ता हमारी है
७
जहाँ-पनाह-ए मोहब्बत जनाब शबनम हैं
ज़बान-ए शेर में फ़रमान-ए शौक़ जारी है
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. mirza aziim ahmed shabnam rumaani (1928-2009), shahjahaNpur, UP. He migrated to karachi after graduation (B.Com) from bareilly college in 1948. He was a regular contributor to magazines and has a several collections of nazm and Ghazal to his credit. I don’t know what kind of ‘day job’ he had. This Ghazal in the zamin of Ghalib’s, ‘kuchh to hai jis ki parda daari hai’ is linked to Ghalib naqsh-e qadam.
1
tamaam1 umr2 ki aavargi3 pe bhaari4 hai
vo ek shab5 jo teri yaad meN guzaari6 hai 1.all, total 2.life-span 3.wandering, lost 4.heavier 5.night 6.spent
The poet/lover has spent a very painful night missing/remembering the beloved. He says that one night was more difficult than a lifetime of aimless wandering.
2
us anjuman1 meN sunaa’e haiN maiN ne pyaar ke giit
jis anjuman meN ibaadat2 bhi kaarobaari3 hai 1.society, gathering 2.devotion, prayer 3.trade
For devotion/prayer to be a trade is hypocrisy. Such a gathering would be a gathering of hypocrites. Even in such a gathering the poet has remained true to his own feelings and he has recited songs of love.
3
nigaah1-e shauq2 ne mujh ko ye raaz3 samjhaaya
haya4 bhi dil ki nazaakat5 pe zarb6-e kaari7 hai 1.glance 2.desire, love 3.secret 4.coyness, shyness 5.delicacy 6.blow 7.fatal
It is the beloved who has coyly/slyly cast a loving, sidelong glance at the poet/lover and it has taught/explained to him the secret of life/love. It has taught him that even a sly/coy glance can be a fatal blow for a sensitive heart.
4
mujhe ye zo’m1 keh maiN husn2 ka musavvir3 huuN
unheN ye naaz4 keh tasviir to hamaari hai 1.pride 2.beauty 3.artist, painter 4.pride
I assert my pride that I sketch/paint great beauty. She is proud that it is her picture that I paint. Is it beautiful because he paints it, or is it beautiful of it is her picture.
5
ye kis ne chheR1 diya ruKhsat2-e bahaar3 ka giit
abhi to raqs4-e nasiim5-e bahaar3 jaari6 hai 1.started, broken out into 2.farewell, departure 3.winter 4.dance 5.fragrant breeze 6.underway, ongoing
Who is it that has broken out into the song of farewell to spring. The dance of the fragrant morning breeze is still underway i.e., it is too early for spring to depart.
6
Khafa1 na ho to dikha deN ham aaina tum ko
hameN qubool2 keh saari Khata3 hamaari hai 1.annoyed 2.agreed 3.fault
There is a nice play on words. At one level ‘aaina dikhaana’ is showing the beloved her reflection so she can see her own beauty. At another level, ‘aaine meN soorat dekhna’ is to ‘look at oneself in the mirror’ and realize how many faults you have. Thus, if you agree not to get annoyed, I can show you your reflection in the mirror. I agree that all fault is mine. The second misra appears to be a pre-emptive defensive statement.
7
jahaaN-panaah1-e mohabbat janaab shabnam2 haiN
zabaan3-e sh’er meN farmaan4-e shauq5 jaari6 hai 1.emporer 2.pen-name of the poet 3.language 4.edict 5.desire, love 6.promulgate
This appears to be addressed to the beloved, addressing her as janaab. O janaab, shabnam is the emporer of the domain of love. In the language of verse, he issues the edict of desire/love.
mirza aziim ahmed shabnam rumaani (1928-2009), shahjahaNpur, UP. He migrated to karachi after graduation (B.Com) from bareilly college in 1948. He was a regular contributor to magazines and has a several collections of nazm and Ghazal to his credit. I don’t know what kind of ‘day job’ he had. This Ghazal in the zamin of Ghalib’s, ‘kuchh to hai jis ki parda daari hai’ is linked to Ghalib naqsh-e qadam.
1
tamaam1 umr2 ki aavargi3 pe bhaari4 hai
vo ek shab5 jo teri yaad meN guzaari6 hai
1.all, total 2.life-span 3.wandering, lost 4.heavier 5.night 6.spent
The poet/lover has spent a very painful night missing/remembering the beloved. He says that one night was more difficult than a lifetime of aimless wandering.
2
us anjuman1 meN sunaa’e haiN maiN ne pyaar ke giit
jis anjuman meN ibaadat2 bhi kaarobaari3 hai
1.society, gathering 2.devotion, prayer 3.trade
For devotion/prayer to be a trade is hypocrisy. Such a gathering would be a gathering of hypocrites. Even in such a gathering the poet has remained true to his own feelings and he has recited songs of love.
3
nigaah1-e shauq2 ne mujh ko ye raaz3 samjhaaya
haya4 bhi dil ki nazaakat5 pe zarb6-e kaari7 hai
1.glance 2.desire, love 3.secret 4.coyness, shyness 5.delicacy 6.blow 7.fatal
It is the beloved who has coyly/slyly cast a loving, sidelong glance at the poet/lover and it has taught/explained to him the secret of life/love. It has taught him that even a sly/coy glance can be a fatal blow for a sensitive heart.
4
mujhe ye zo’m1 keh maiN husn2 ka musavvir3 huuN
unheN ye naaz4 keh tasviir to hamaari hai
1.pride 2.beauty 3.artist, painter 4.pride
I assert my pride that I sketch/paint great beauty. She is proud that it is her picture that I paint. Is it beautiful because he paints it, or is it beautiful of it is her picture.
5
ye kis ne chheR1 diya ruKhsat2-e bahaar3 ka giit
abhi to raqs4-e nasiim5-e bahaar3 jaari6 hai
1.started, broken out into 2.farewell, departure 3.winter 4.dance 5.fragrant breeze 6.underway, ongoing
Who is it that has broken out into the song of farewell to spring. The dance of the fragrant morning breeze is still underway i.e., it is too early for spring to depart.
6
Khafa1 na ho to dikha deN ham aaina tum ko
hameN qubool2 keh saari Khata3 hamaari hai
1.annoyed 2.agreed 3.fault
There is a nice play on words. At one level ‘aaina dikhaana’ is showing the beloved her reflection so she can see her own beauty. At another level, ‘aaine meN soorat dekhna’ is to ‘look at oneself in the mirror’ and realize how many faults you have. Thus, if you agree not to get annoyed, I can show you your reflection in the mirror. I agree that all fault is mine. The second misra appears to be a pre-emptive defensive statement.
7
jahaaN-panaah1-e mohabbat janaab shabnam2 haiN
zabaan3-e sh’er meN farmaan4-e shauq5 jaari6 hai
1.emporer 2.pen-name of the poet 3.language 4.edict 5.desire, love 6.promulgate
This appears to be addressed to the beloved, addressing her as janaab. O janaab, shabnam is the emporer of the domain of love. In the language of verse, he issues the edict of desire/love.
