Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. prem lal shifa dehlavi (1914-xxxx) najafgaRh (near dehli). Completed his medical degree 1934 and started practice. Learnt Russian and French taking degrees in 1954. Seven languages urdu, hindi, sanskrit, English, Russian, French and some German. He did urdu translations of classical Russian poems. Interested in urdu shaa’eri from childhood, memorizing ash’aar of many masters. Started composing and became shaagird of fazl-e ilaahi maKhmoor dehlavi. First publication was translation of Russian poems. His own collection of urdu was published in 1959. This Ghazal is linked to n’aat-e masiihi under k’aaba kaashi on the Theme page.
1
rumooz¹-e ziist² samjhaane masiih³-e Khush-bayaaN⁴ aaya
Khuda ka noor⁵, asraar⁶-e Khuda ka tarjumaaN⁷ aaya     1.hints, clues 2.life 3.healer, Jesus 4.well-spoken 5.light 6.mysteries 7.intepreter
To explain the clues/guidance of the way of life, Jesus (has come) is born. The light of god, the interpreter of the mysteries of god is born.
2
baGhair¹ uss ke bhaTakte² phir rahay thay qaafile³ vaale
qadam⁴ manzil⁵ ne choomay⁶ jab voh miir-e-kaarvaaN⁷ aaya    1.without 2.wandering aimlessly, lost 3.caravan 4.feet 5.destination 6.kissed 7.leader of the caravan
Without him, the people of the caravan (of humanity) were lost, wandering aimlessly. When the leader of the caravan arrived, the destination itself came forward to kiss his feet.
3
duaa’eN ho gaiiN maqbool¹, aaKhir² tishna-kaamoN³ ki
mai⁴-e vahdat⁵ ke chhalkay⁶ jaam⁷ jab piir-e-muGhaaN⁸ aaya    1.accepted 2.at last 3.thirsty 4.wine 5.one-ness (of god) 6.spilled over, full to the brim 7.cup (of wine) 8.chief of the wine-makers
Here Jesus is portrayed as ‘piir-e muGhaaN’ – chief of wine-makers. He served the wine of unity of god … spirituality and filled cups to the brim. Thus, at last the prayers of the people thirsty for faith, were accepted.
4
jabiin¹-e shauq² ke sajdoN³ ko aaKhir⁴ mil gaya markaz⁵
adab⁶ se jhuk gaiiN aaNkheN diloN ka hukmraaN⁷ aaya   1.forehead 2.desire 3.bowing down, prostration 4.at last 5.center, focus 6.respect 7.ruler
The foreheads of desire/lover at last found a focus for their prostration. Eyes were lowered in respect, the ruler of hearts was born.
5
giraaN¹ guzri² diloN par jab chaman-zaaroN³ ki viiraani⁴
to paiGhaam⁵-e bahaar⁶-e nau⁷ liye voh baaGhbaaN⁸ aaya     1.heavy, unbearable 2.happened, passed 3.garden 4.desolation 5.message 6.spring, renewal 7.new 8.gardener
When the desolation of the garden became unbearable on the hearts, that gardener arrived bearing the message of a new spring.
6
kiyaa ahl-e-tashaddud¹ ko haqiiqat-aashna² uss ne
GhariiboN aur mohtaajoN³ ka ban kar paasbaaN⁴ aaya    1.oppressors 2.aware of truth 3.helpless, deprived 4.protector, guardian
He spoke truth to the oppressor. He came as a protector of the poor and deprived.
7
bataa’e¹ uss ne asraar²-e nehaaN³ duniya o uqba⁴ ke
Gharaz⁵ voh le ke paiGhaam⁶-e hayaat⁷-e jaavedaaN⁸ aaya    1.showed, revealed 2.mysteries 3.hidden 4.hereafter 5.as an expression-in other words 6.message 7.life 8.eternal
He revealed the hidden secrets of the here and hereafter. In other words, he came bearing a message of eternal life.
8
nishaaN¹ milta na tha jin ko hariim²-e dost³ ka koii
voh unn mushtaaq⁴ nazroN⁵ ke liye ban kar nishaaN¹ aaya    1.clue, directions, path 2.sanctuary 3.friend, god 4.eager 5.eyes
Eager eyes were searching for directions to the sanctuary of god. He came personified as a path to god.
9
ham apnay dost¹ ke paiGhaambar² ko pyaar kartay haiN
jo le kar aye shifa³ uss ka nishaaN⁴ uss ki zabaaN⁵ aaya    1.friend, god 2.messenger 3.pen-name of the poet 4.directions, path 5.tongue, words
O shifa, we offer our love to the messenger of our god, who came bringing with him a clear path and the words of god.