Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. mohammed zakaria zaki (1839-1903) of an aristocratic family of dehli with a tradition of scholarship. He was a formal and close shaagird of Ghalib. Also schooled in music, astrology, and calligraphy. He fled dehli in 1857 and after some moving around, he finally found refuge and employment in badaayun where he retired and died. He was a formal shaagird of Ghalib and this Ghazal is composed in the style of Ghalib’s ‘saaqi ne kuchh mila na diya ho sharaab meN’. panDit javaahar nath saaqi (1864-1916) was a formal shaagird of zaki and also composed Ghazal in the same style posted on this site.
1
ye sharmgiiN¹ nigah², ye tabassum³ naqaab⁴ meN
kya be-hijaabiyaaN⁵ haiN tumhaare hijaab⁴ meN    1.coy, shy, sly 2.glance 3.smile 4.veil 5.playfulness, daring, display, shamelessness
Behind her veil, the beloved casts sly glances and coyly smiles at the poet/lover. Depending on the context ‘be-hijaabi’ can mean playful exposure to shameless display. In this case it appears to be the shy and playful exposure – behind the veil.
2
soorat¹ nahiN sabaat² ki dahr³-e Kharaab⁴ meN
hasti⁵ hai ek naqsh⁶-e tilasm⁷-e habaab⁸ meN     1.means, capability 2.permanence 3.world 4.ruinous 5.existence, life 6.mark, sketch, image 7.enchantment, illusion 8.bubble
A bubble is an oft-used analogy for impermanence of life. Also, material existence is often thought of as an illusion – not the real thing. Thus, our (material) life is nothing but an illusary image and even that will burst like a bubble. That is why there is no way for us to find permanence in this ruinous world.
3
vo naala-haa¹-e dard se chauNk² uTThe Khwaab³ meN
ye aur izteraab⁴ hua izteraab meN    1.plural of ‘naala’ i.e., wailing 2.startled 3.sleep 4.restlessness
The poet/lover is restless/sorrowful because of separation. He wails/cries out loud all night long. The beloved who has been sleeping peacefully, is startled out of her sleep. This is an additional cause of restlessness/guilt for the poet/lover on top of the restlessness of love.
4
rashk¹-e adu² se bazm³ meN jalte the muttasil⁴
kuchh agli⁵ sohbatoN⁶ ka maza hai azaab⁷ meN    1.envy 2.rival, enemy 3.gathering 4.constantly, continously 5.past 6.companionship 7.punishment, torture
The poet/suitor recalls that he used to constantly burn with envy of the rival in the gathering of lovers around her, because the beloved showed favours to the rival. But in the past, before she began showing favours to the rival, he himself used to have the pleasure of her company. The torture that he is undergoing now is mixed with the pleasure of these memories.
5
us ki talab¹ meN har nafas² aaGhaaz³-e shauq⁴ hai
rakhta hai kaun umr-e-guzishta⁵ hisaab⁶ meN    1.desire, longing 2.breath 3.beginning 4.love 5.life 6.past 7.account
The longing for the beloved is such that every breath is like a new life of renewed love. She has tortured/teased him the past. He reckons, what is the use of carrying a count of past tortures of his past life. He is happy to move on with a new beginning with every breath.
6
jaur¹-e falak² sitam-zada³-e naaz⁴ par kahaaN
shaan⁵-e adaa⁶-e dost⁷ hai har inqelaab⁸ meN    1.oppression, cruelty 2.sky, fate 3.victim of tyranny 4.coquetry, mischief 5.pride, glory 6.style, actions, habits 7.friend, beloved 8.reversal, change
Normally, people claim to be victims of bad luck/fate. But here the poet says that that is not what happened to him. He is the victim of the tyranny of the coquetry of the beloved. It is the glory of her actions that are behind every change in his condition.
7
har suu¹ hai mere aatish²-e daaGh³-e jigar⁴ mohiit⁵
goya⁶ sukoon⁷ hai kurah⁸-e aaftaab⁹ meN   1.direction 2.fire 3.wound, scar 4.liver/heart 5.overwhelming, hovering over, surrounding 6.as if 7.calm, contentment 8.pile, ball 9.sun
Traditionally it is thought (unscientific) that the centre of the sun is calm. All the fire and tumult takes place on the surface surrounding the centre. Thus, in all directions around, the fire of the wounds of my heart, surround me. But in the centre, I remain calm (because the pain of love is valued and nurtured). It is just like the centre of the sun, surrounded by fire, remains calm.
8
har baat meN havaala¹ hai, har bahas² meN sanad³
naasih⁴ ko maante haiN hum ahl⁵-e kitaab⁶ meN     1.reference 2.argument 3.certificate, testimony 4.moralize, pontificate, preacher 5.people of 6.book, qur’aan
Everytime he speaks, he uses a reference (to some religious text). His every argument is clothed in certification/authentication by (some religious text). I concede and am willing to accept the preacher as a person of the book – knowledgable of the qur’aan. This does not necessarily mean that he is accepted as wise or good.
9
Thahra Khumaar¹-e be-Khabari² zauq³-e be-Khudi⁴
nashsha⁵ hai chashm⁶-e yaar⁷ ka jaam⁸-e sharaab meN    1.inebriation 2.unawareness, trance 3.taste, desire 4.forgetting oneself, merging into the great spirit 5.intoxication 6.eyes 7.beloved 8.cup
The poet/sufi/devotee is inebriated/elated/in a trance and oblivious of his own existence because he is focused on his one-ness with the great spirit – vahdat-ul-vujood. His intoxication is because of the eyes of the beloved – beauty of the (divine) beloved, just like the intoxication of a cup of wine. In a similar spirit, mohammed raf’ii sauda said …
TooTe teri nigaah se agar dil habaab ka
paani bhi gar piyeN to maza ho sharaab ka
10
kahte hi mujh ko aaii shab¹-e Gham adu² ke maut³
hoti hai mustajaab⁴ dua izteraab⁵ meN    1.night of 2.rival 3.death 4.accepted, answered 5.restlessness, agitation
It is the night of sorrow, either because it is the night of separation (as usual) or because the beloved is getting extremely annoyed with the poet/lover and is showing favours to the rival. The poet/lover is extremely agitated and prays, his agitation giving sincerity to his prayers. His prayers are answered, but in an unusual way. The death that should have come upon the rival, comes upon him!
11
kyuN aauN hosh¹ meN keh ho phir hasrat²-e faraaGh³
zauq⁴-e Khayaal⁵-e yaar⁶ se huN mahv⁷ Khwaab⁸ meN    1.senses 2.longing 3.relief (from pain) 4.taste, desire 5.thoughts, memories 6.friend, beloved 7.engrossed 8.sleep, trance
The poet/lover/sufi/devotee is intoxicated or is in a trance, engrossed in thoughts of the beloved (or of the divine beloved). He prefers to remain in that state, fearing that coming to his senses will cause him to want relief from his pain/sorrow.
12
eqraar¹-e bandagi² se nahiN banda-parvari³
madd-e-nazar⁴ ye tha keh suneN haaN⁵ javaab⁶ meN     1.acknowledgement, acceptance 2.devotion, servitude 3.cherishing the servant/slave 4.before the eyes, the real intent 5.yes (accepting/reciprocating love) 6.answer
Mere acknowledgement of my devotion is not the same as cherishing my love. My real intent is to hear a ‘yes’ in answer to my devotional offering.
13
likhte ho is qadar¹ Ghazal-e muKhtasar² zaki³
aazurda⁴ hoNge ahl⁵-e mazaaq⁶ inteKhaab⁷ meN   1.so much 2.brief 3.pen-name of the poet 4.grieved, annoyed, vexed 5.people of 6.discriminating taste 7.selection
People of discriminating taste, masters of verse, are faced with having to make a choice – either of the best Ghazal at the mushaa’era or of the few good ash’aar from the poet’s Ghazal. In either case, the poet has not given them enough material to choose from, so they might get annoyed by his brief Ghazal.