For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
اُٹھائے ہوئے تو ہیں ۔ بیگم ممتاز میرزا ممتازؔ
۱
شمعِ خیالِ دوست جلائے ہوئے تو ہیں
ویرانۂ حیات بسائے ہوئے تو ہیں
۲
بزمِ تصوّرات سجائے ہوئے تو ہیں
غمہائے روزگار بُھلائے ہوئے تو ہیں
۳
اب اور کیا ستائے گا یہ آسماں ہمیں
اُس چشمِ فتنہ گر کے ستائے ہوئے تو ہیں
۴
اے تلخیِ حیات بتا اور کیا کریں
ہر نیشِ غم کو نوش بنائے ہوئے تو ہیں
۵
اُمّید و آرزُو کے ستارے تو بُجھ گئے
ہاں اشک کچھ چراغ جلائے ہوئے تو ہیں
۶
ممتازؔ اپنے دل پہ کریں اور جبر کیا
بارِ غمِ فِراق اُٹھائے ہوئے تو ہیں
उठाए हुए तो हैं – बेगम मुम्ताज़ मीर्ज़ा मुम्ताज़
१
शम’अ-ए ख़याल-ए दोस्त जलाए हुए तो हैं
वीराना-ए हयात बसाए हुए तो हैं
२
बज़्म-ए तसव्वुरात सजाए हुए तो हैं
ग़म हाए रोज़गार भुलाए हुए तो हैं
३
अब और क्या सताएगा ये आसमां हमें
उस चश्म-ए फ़ितना-गर के सताए हुए तो हैं
४
अए तल्ख़ी-ए हयात बता और क्या करें
हर नेश-ए ग़म को नोश बनाए हुए तो हैं
५
उम्मीद ओ अर्ज़ू के सितारे तो बुझ गए
हाँ अश्क कुछ चराग़ जलाए हुए तो हैं
६
मुम्ताज़ अपने दिल पे करें और जब्र क्या
बार-ए ग़म-ए फ़िराक़ उठाए हुए तो हैं
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. begum mumtaaz miirza mumtaaz (1929-1997) dehli. There is precious little information about her beyond her poetry. She apparently was born and lived in dehli all her life. She was very popular in the mushaa’era circuit because of her musical compositions and lyrical tarannum. I could find only one collection of Ghazal. This Ghazal is linked to other ham-radeef Ghazal on the Refrain Index page.
1
sham’a1-e Khayaal2-e dost3 jalaa’e hu’e to haiN
viiraana5-e hayaat6 basaa’e7 hu’e to haiN 1.lamp, candle 2.thought, memory 3.friend, beloved, god 5.desolation 6.life 7.live in, inhabit, settle
This is written in the spirit of ‘at least we have done this’ and ‘why are we still suffering’ is implied as the second half of that statement. At least we have kept the lamp of the memories of the beloved lit. At least we have settled in the desolation of life (then why are still suffering).
2
bazm1-e tasavvuraat2 sajaa’e3 hu’e to haiN
Gham-haa4-e rozgaar5 bhulaa’e6 hu’e to haiN 1.gathering, assembly 2.thoughts, imagination 3.arranged, embellished, adorned 4.plural of Gham-sorrows 5.daily life 6.forgotten, ignored, borne
At least we have adorned the assembly of imagination i.e., we continue to imagine beautiful thoughts (compose beautiful verse). At least we have put behind/ignored the sorrows/difficulties of daily sustenance.
3
ab aur kya sataa’egaa1 ye aasmaaN2 hameN
uss chashm3-e fitna-gar4 ke sataa’e1 hu’e to haiN 1.cause problems/pain 2.sky, fate 3.eye 4.mischief-creating
The ‘uss’ here is the beloved. It is his/her eye that is mischief creating. Their mischief-creating eye has already caused much pain for us/me. What more problems can fate cause now.
4
aye talKhii1-e hayaat2 bataa aur kya kareN
har nesh-e-Gham3 ko nosh4 banaa’e hu’e to haiN 1.bitterness 2.life 3.prick/pain of sorrow 4.morsel (to eat)
In urdu phraseology ‘Gham khaana’ literally ‘to eat sorrow’ means to suffer/bear sorrow. Thus, O bitterness of life, tell us what we can do. After all, we have made a morsel of every pain of sorrow i.e., we have already been bearing all pain.
5
ummiid1 o aarzu2 ke sitaare to bujh3 ga’e
haaN ashk4 kuchh charaaGh5 jalaa’e6 hu’e to haiN 1.hope 2.desire, longing 3.extinguished 4.tears 5.lamps 6.lit
The stars of hope and longing have already set i.e., there is complete darkness. But at least, our tears have kept some lamps (of hope/love) lit. Thus, shining tears are compared to brilliant stars.
6
mumtaaz1 apne dil pe kareN aur jabr2 kya
baar3-e Gham-e-firaaq4 uThaa’e hu’e to haiN 1.pen-name of the poet 2.force, compel 3.burden 4.sorrow of separation
O mumtaaze how much more can I force/compel my heart. Afterall, it is already bearing the burden of the pain of separation.
begum mumtaaz miirza mumtaaz (1929-1997) dehli. There is precious little information about her beyond her poetry. She apparently was born and lived in dehli all her life. She was very popular in the mushaa’era circuit because of her musical compositions and lyrical tarannum. I could find only one collection of Ghazal. This Ghazal is linked to other ham-radeef Ghazal on the Refrain Index page.
1
sham’a1-e Khayaal2-e dost3 jalaa’e hu’e to haiN
viiraana5-e hayaat6 basaa’e7 hu’e to haiN
1.lamp, candle 2.thought, memory 3.friend, beloved, god 5.desolation 6.life 7.live in, inhabit, settle
This is written in the spirit of ‘at least we have done this’ and ‘why are we still suffering’ is implied as the second half of that statement. At least we have kept the lamp of the memories of the beloved lit. At least we have settled in the desolation of life (then why are still suffering).
2
bazm1-e tasavvuraat2 sajaa’e3 hu’e to haiN
Gham-haa4-e rozgaar5 bhulaa’e6 hu’e to haiN
1.gathering, assembly 2.thoughts, imagination 3.arranged, embellished, adorned 4.plural of Gham-sorrows 5.daily life 6.forgotten, ignored, borne
At least we have adorned the assembly of imagination i.e., we continue to imagine beautiful thoughts (compose beautiful verse). At least we have put behind/ignored the sorrows/difficulties of daily sustenance.
3
ab aur kya sataa’egaa1 ye aasmaaN2 hameN
uss chashm3-e fitna-gar4 ke sataa’e1 hu’e to haiN
1.cause problems/pain 2.sky, fate 3.eye 4.mischief-creating
The ‘uss’ here is the beloved. It is his/her eye that is mischief creating. Their mischief-creating eye has already caused much pain for us/me. What more problems can fate cause now.
4
aye talKhii1-e hayaat2 bataa aur kya kareN
har nesh-e-Gham3 ko nosh4 banaa’e hu’e to haiN
1.bitterness 2.life 3.prick/pain of sorrow 4.morsel (to eat)
In urdu phraseology ‘Gham khaana’ literally ‘to eat sorrow’ means to suffer/bear sorrow. Thus, O bitterness of life, tell us what we can do. After all, we have made a morsel of every pain of sorrow i.e., we have already been bearing all pain.
5
ummiid1 o aarzu2 ke sitaare to bujh3 ga’e
haaN ashk4 kuchh charaaGh5 jalaa’e6 hu’e to haiN
1.hope 2.desire, longing 3.extinguished 4.tears 5.lamps 6.lit
The stars of hope and longing have already set i.e., there is complete darkness. But at least, our tears have kept some lamps (of hope/love) lit. Thus, shining tears are compared to brilliant stars.
6
mumtaaz1 apne dil pe kareN aur jabr2 kya
baar3-e Gham-e-firaaq4 uThaa’e hu’e to haiN
1.pen-name of the poet 2.force, compel 3.burden 4.sorrow of separation
O mumtaaze how much more can I force/compel my heart. Afterall, it is already bearing the burden of the pain of separation.
