ummeedvaarauN ka-osman ali KhaaN

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

اُمیدواروں کا ۔ عثمان علی خاں

۱

نہ شیفتہ دِلِ ناداں ہو گلعذاروں کا

اُمیدِ وصل میں نکلا ہے دم ہزاروں کا

۲

جبینِ یار کی افشاں سے صاف ظاہر ہے

قمر کے گِرد ہے ہالہ کیٔ ستاروں کا

۳

تمہارے گیسو و مژگاں عجیب رہزن ہیں

جنھوں نے مار کے چھینا ہے دِل ہزاروں کا

۴

خوشی سے کیوں نہیں سینے میں دِل سماتا ہے

ابھی تو حال کھلا ہی نہیں اِشاروں کا

۵

چمکتی ہے شبِ ہجراں میں کس لۓ اے برق

کہیں نہ صبر پڑے تجھ پہ بیقراروں کا

۶

نگاہِ مہر سے دیکھو ذرا اِدھر بھی کبھی

برا ہے حال تمہارے اُمیدواروں کا

۷

الگ ہے سب سے مرا رنگِ مشرب اے عثماں

مرید شیخ کا ہوں میں نہ بادہ خواروں کا

उमीद्वारौं का – उस्मान अली ख़ां

न शेफ़्ता दिल-ए नादाँ हो गुल-अज़ारौं का

उमीद-ए वस्ल में निक्ला है दम हज़ारों का

जबीन-ए यार कि अफ़्शां से साफ़ ज़ाहिर है

क़मर के गिर्द है हाला कई सितारौं का

तुम्हारे गेसू ओ मिज़्शगां अजीब रहज़न हैं

जिन्हों ने मार के छीना है दिल हज़ारों का

ख़ुशी से क्यूं नहीं सीने में दिल समाता है

अभी तो हाल खुला ही नहीं इशारों का

चमकती है शब-ए हिज्राँ में किस लिए अए बर्क़

कहीं न सब्र पड़े तुझ पे बेक़रारौं का

निगाह-ए महर से देखो ज़रा इधर भी कभी

बुरा है हाल तुम्हारे उमीद्वारौं का

अलग है सब से मेरा रंग-ए मुश्रिब अए उस्मां

मुरीद शैख़ का हूं मैं न बादा-ख्व़ारों का

Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. This is a Ghazal about the cruelty of the beloved. In that sense it is a well worn topic about which many many shu’ara have written. It is a reasonably high quality of composition. The irony is that it is written by a man who kept scores of concubines and is talking about the cruelty of the beloved to the lover. If you can get over this irony and fogive the well worn theme, it is not bad.
1
na shefta1 dil-e naadaaN2 ho gul-azaarauN3 ka
umeed4-e vasl5 meN nikla hai dam hazaarauN ka
1.sad, disappointed 2.used here in the sense of innoncent 3.rosy cheeked 4.hope 5.union (with the beloved)
The heart of the rosy-cheeked beloved is clear of all sin … it is innocent even though it has every intention to kill. And may it never be disappointed/saddened. Let a thousand lovers die pining in the hope of union with her. The poet/lover is more concerned about her disappointment than about the death of lovers.

2
jabeen1-e yaar2 ki afshaaN3 se saaf4 zaahir5 hai
qamar6 ke gird7 hai haala8 kaii sitaarauN ka
1.forehead, brow 2.beloved 3.glitter 4.cearly 5.apparent 6.moon 7.around 8.halo
The beloved has applied specks of glitter on her forehead. Her forehead/brow is likened to the moon and shining glitter to stars. It is apparent that there is a halo of many stars around the moon.

3
tumhaare gesu1 o mizshgaaN2 ajeeb3 rahzan4 haiN
jinhoN ne maar ke chheena hai dil hazaarauN ka
1.hair, locks 2.eye-lashes 3.unusual, unusually effective 4.robbers
The locks of the beloved’s hair and her eye-lashes are unusual robbers who have killed and snatched the hearts of thousands.

4
Khushi se seene meN kyuN dil nahiN samaata1 hai
abhi to haal khula hi nahiN ishaarauN2 ka
1.contained within 2.signs, gestures, looks
The beloved has been sending some signals. The message of the signals may be completely different. It is not clear yet. It is even possible that the beloved is signalling that the lover get out of there. But seeing these signals his heart swells with joy and cannot be contained in the bosom, even though he does not understand them.

5
chamakti hai shab1-e hijraaN2 meN kis liye aye barq3
kahiN na sabr4 paRe tujh pe be-qaraarauN5 ka
1.night of 2.separation (from the beloved) 3.lightning 4.patience 5.restless, eager
It is the night of separation and the loves, pining for union are restless and eager. Why then is the lightning flashing about as it has reason to be restless. Why does it not take a lesson from the patience of the restless lovers.

6
nigaah1-e mehr2 se dekho zara idhar bhi kabhi
bura hai haal tumhaare umeedvaarauN3 ka
1.glance 2.favour as in mehrbaani 3.hopeful ones
The poet/lover calls upon the beloved to look at her lovers once in a while with glances of favour. The condition of those who are hoping for some favour is really bad.

7
alag1 hai sub se mera raNg2-e mushrib3 aye usmaaN
mureed4 shaiKh ka huN maiN, na baada-KhwaarauN5 ka
1.different 2.colour, style, ways 3.faith, belief 4.follower, disciple 5.wine drinker used as a metaphor for liberal thinker, not orthodox
The style of my faith is different, O usmaan. Neither am I a disciple of the orthodox shaiKh nor do I follow the unorthodox imbiber (usually used metaphorically to mean liberal thinker). Perhaps he is declaring his secularism.

This is a Ghazal about the cruelty of the beloved.  In that sense it is a well worn topic about which many many shu’ara have written.  It is a reasonably high quality of composition.  The irony is that it is written by a man who kept scores of concubines and is talking about the cruelty of the beloved to the lover.  If you can get over this irony and fogive the well worn theme, it is not bad.

1
na shefta1 dil-e naadaaN2 ho gul-azaarauN3 ka
umeed4-e vasl5 meN nikla hai dam hazaarauN ka

1.sad, disappointed 2.used here in the sense of innoncent 3.rosy cheeked 4.hope 5.union (with the beloved)

The heart of the rosy-cheeked beloved is clear of all sin … it is innocent even though it has killed many lovers.  And may it never be disappointed/saddened.  Let a thousand lovers die pining in the hope of union with her.  The poet/lover is more concerned about her disappointment than about the death of lovers.
2
jabeen1-e yaar2 ki afshaaN3 se saaf4 zaahir5 hai
qamar6 ke gird7 hai haala8 kaii sitaarauN ka

1.forehead, brow 2.beloved 3.glitter 4.cearly 5.apparent 6.moon 7.around 8.halo

The beloved has applied specks of glitter on her forehead.  Her forehead/brow is likened to the moon and shining glitter to stars.  It is apparent that there is a halo of many stars around the moon.
3
tumhaare gesu1 o mizshgaaN2 ajeeb3 rahzan4 haiN
jinhoN ne maar ke chheena hai dil hazaarauN ka

1.hair, locks 2.eye-lashes 3.unusual, unusually effective 4.robbers

The locks of the beloved’s hair and her eye-lashes are unusual robbers who have killed and snatched the hearts of thousands.
4
Khushi se seene meN kyuN dil nahiN samaata1 hai
abhi to haal khula hi nahiN ishaarauN2 ka

1.contained within 2.signs, gestures, looks

The beloved has been sending some signals.  The message of the signals may be completely different.  It is not clear yet.  It is even possible that the beloved is signalling that the lover get out of there.  But seeing these signals his heart swells with joy and cannot be contained in the bosom, even though he does not understand them.
5
chamakti hai shab1-e hijraaN2 meN kis liye aye barq3
kahiN na sabr4 paRe tujh pe be-qaraarauN5 ka

1.night of 2.separation (from the beloved) 3.lightning 4.patience 5.restless, eager

It is the night of separation and the lovers, pining for union are restless and eager.  Why then is the lightning flashing about as if it too has reason to be restless.  Why does it not take a lesson from the patience of the restless lovers.
6
nigaah1-e mehr2 se dekho zara idhar bhi kabhi
bura hai haal tumhaare umeedvaarauN3 ka

1.glance 2.favour as in mehrbaani 3.hopeful ones

The poet/lover calls upon the beloved to look at her lovers once in a while with glances of favour.  The condition of those who are hoping for some favour is really bad.
7
alag1 hai sub se mera raNg2-e mushrib3 aye usmaaN
mureed4 shaiKh ka huN maiN, na baada-KhwaarauN5 ka

1.different 2.colour, style, ways 3.faith, belief 4.follower, disciple 5.wine drinker used as a metaphor for liberal thinker, not orthodox

The style of my faith is different, O usmaan.  Neither am I a disciple of the orthodox shaiKh nor do I follow the unorthodox imbiber (usually used metaphorically to mean liberal thinker).  Perhaps he is declaring his secularism.

Key Search Words: romantic, secular