Recitation
یکم مئ ۔ سید محمد جعفری
یہ مئ کی پہلی، دِن ہے بندۂ مزدور کا
مدتوں کے بعد دیکھا اِس نے جلوہ حور کا
یہ جو رشتہ دار تھا ہم سب کا لیکن دور کا
مِل کے مالک نے اِسے رتبہ دیا منصور کا
جب لگایا حق کا نعرہ دار پر کھینچا گیا
نخلِ صنعت اِس کے خوں کی دھار پر سینچا گیا
آج لیبر یونین میں شادمانی آئی ہے
آج مزدوروں کو یا د اپنی جوانی آئی ہے
مِل کے مالک کو مگر یاد اپنی نانی آئی ہے
یا اِلہیٰ کیا بلائے آسمانی آئی ہے
سنتے ہیں مزدور سے مالک کا مہرہ پٹ گیا
ایک جا حرفِ وفا لکھا تھا وہ بھی مِٹ گیا
ہوتا ہے مے ڈے کا اور مے پول کا جب انتظام
ناچتے ہیں بانس کے گرد آ کے یوروپی عوام
لیکن اب ناچے گا وہ ظالم کہ جو ہے بد لگام
بانس کے بل پر دِکھائے جیسے بندر اپنا کام
وہ جو پہلے تھا کبھی بندر مداری بن گیا
یعنی مزدور افسرِ سرمایہ کاری بن گیا
بعض ایسے تھے جو سرمائے کے ٹھیکیدار تھے
کہتے تھے مزدور کو خر اور خود خر کار تھے
چور بازاری کی جڑ تھے اور بڑے بٹ مار تھے
نفع خوری کے سوا ہر کام سے بیزار تھے
اب حلق میں اِن کے جو کھایا اٹک کر جائے گا
غیر ملکوں میں نہ سرمایہ بھٹک کر جائے گا
پوچھو اِن سرمایہ داروں سے کہ کب جاگو گے تم
یا یوں ہی پیتے ہی رہوگے بے مروت مئے کے خُم
دیکھو ہر سال آئے گی ماہ مئ کی یہ یکم
سنتے ہیں سیدھی نہیں ہوتی کبھی کُتّے کی دُم
تم مگر رکھتے ہو ایک اِنسان کی نوک اور پلک
بے نیازی حد سے گزری بندہ پرور کب تلک
قابلِ عزت ہیں اِس دُنیا کے محنت کش عوام
ملک کی دولت ہیں یہ، واجب ہے اِن کا احترام
اِس کے یہ ممبر ہیں لیبر یونین ہے جس کا نام
اِن کی محنت کے دئیے جائیں گے اِن کو پورے دام
یہ نہیں ہوگا خفا ہو کر دہاڑی کاٹ دی
آدھے رستے لائے اور اِنجن سے گاڑی کاٹ دی
यकुम मई – सय्यद मुहम्मद जाफ़री
ये मई की पहली, दिन है बन्दा-ए मज़दूर का
मुद्दतों के बाद देखा इस ने जलवा हूर का
ये जो रिश्ते दार था हम सब का लेकिन दूर का
मिल्ल के मालिक ने इसे रुतबा दिया मंसूर का
जब लगाया हक़ का नारा दार पर खींचा गया
नख़ल-ए सन’अत इस के खूं की धार पर सींचा गया
आज लेबर यूनियन में शादमानी आई है
आज मज़दूरों को याद अपनी जवानी आई है
मिल्ल के मालिक को मगर याद अपनी नानी आई है
या इलाही क्या बला-ए आस्मानी आई है
सुनते हैं मज़दूर से मालिक का मोहरा पिट गया
एक जा हर्फ़-ए वफ़ा लिक्खा था वो भी मिट गया
होता है मे डे का और मे पोल का जब इन्तेज़ाम
नाचते हैं बांस के गिर्द आ के योरोपी अवाम
लैकिन अब नाचेगा वो ज़ालिम के जो है बद लगाम
बांस के बल पर दिखाये जैसे बन्दर अपना काम
वो जो पहले था कभी बन्दर मदारी बन गया
यानि मज़दूर अफ़्सर-ए सरमाया कारी बन गया
बाज़ ऐसे थे जो सरमाये के ठेकेदार थे
कहते थे मज़दूर को ख़र और ख़ुद ख़र कार थे
चोर बाज़ारी की जड़ थे और बड़े बटमार थे
नफ़’अ ख़ोरी के सिवा हर काम से बेज़ार थे
अब हलक़ में इन के जो खाया अटक कर जाए गा
ग़ैर मुल्कों में न सरमाया भटक कर जाए गा
पूछो इन सरमायदारों से के कब जागोगे तुम
या युं ही पीते रहोगे बे मुरव्वत मै के ख़ुम
देखो हर साल आएगी माह-ए मै की ये यकुम
सुनते हैं सीधी न नहीं होती कभी कुत्ते की दुम
तुम मगर रखते हो एक इंसान की नोक और पलक
बे नियाज़ी हद्द से गुज़री बन्दा परवर कब तलक
क़ाबिल-ए इज़्ज़त हैं इस दुनिया के मेहनत कश अवाम
मुल्क की इज़्ज़त हैं ये, वाजिब है इन का एहतेराम
इस के ये मेमबर हैं लेबर यूनियन है जिस का नाम
इन की मेहनत के दिये जाएंगे इन को पूरे दाम
ये नहीं होगा, ख़फ़ा हो कर दिहाड़ी काट दी
आधे रस्ते लाए और इंजन से गाड़ी काट दी
yakum mai – syed muhammad jafari
Click on any passage for meanings and discussion.
ye maii ki pahli, din hai banda-e mazdoor1 ka
muddatauN2 ke baad dekha is ne jalva3 hoor4 ka
ye jo rishte-daar5 tha hum sub ka laikin duur ka
mill6 ke maalik ne ise rutba7 diya mansoor8 ka
jab lagaaya haq9 ka naara10 daar11 par kheeNcha12 gaya
naKhl13-e san’at14 is ke KhooN ki dhaar par seeNcha15 gaya1.servant/creature of labour 2.ages, long time 3.face, beauty 4.heavenly angel 5.family relative 6.cloth/steel mill 7.status 8.Mansoor al Hallaj 9.truth, rights 10.call, demand 11.gallows 12.stretched, hung 13.tree 14.industry 15.irrigated
This is the first of May, the day of the worker. After many ages has he seen the face of some joy. He is our relation, who we have been treating as a distant/poor relative for too long. The owner of the mill has given him the status of Mansoor. Mansoor al Hallaj, a Sufi scholar, insisted on speaking his mind to orthodoxy. He was killed for refusing to recant. He is used in Urdu as a symbol of defiance/resistance. The poet gives the worker the same status of insisting on his rights. Whenever he (the worker) has called for his rights, he has been hung on the gallows even though the tree of industry has been nurtured with his blood.
aaj labour union meN shaadmaani1 aaii hai
aaj mazdoorauN ko yaad apni javaani2 aaii hai
mill ke maalik ko magar yaad apni nani aaii hai
ya ilaahi3 kya balaa4-e aasmaani aaii hai
sunte haiN mazdoor se maalik ka mohra5 piT6 gaya
ek ja7 harf-e vafa8 likkha tha vo bhi miT gaya1.joy, celebration 2.youth, strength 3.o god 4.calamity, curse 5.chess piece 6.defeated, overcome 7.place 8.word of fealty
There is joyous celebration in the labour union today. Today the worker recalls his own strength, but the mill owner is scared (nani yaad aana – to remember one’s grandmother is a saying used to mean getting scared). O god what calamity has befallen me (the mill owner). We hear that the mill owner has lost his bid. The word/call of loyalty has been erased.
hota hai may Day ka aur may pole1 ka jab intezaam2
naachte haiN baaNs3 ke gird4 aa ke yuropi5 avaam6
laikin ab naache ga vo zaalim7 ke jo hai bad-lagaam8
baaNs ke bal9 par dikhaaye jaise bandar apna kaam
vo jo pahle thha kabhi bandar madaari10 ban gaya
ya’ani mazdoor afsar-e sarmaaya-kaari11 ban gaya1. May Pole around which people dance in folk festivals sometimes coinciding with May Day 2.arrangement 3.bamboo pole 4.around 5.European 6.people 7.oppressor 8.wrong reins – meaning on the wrong path 9.strength (fear) 10.circus/ring master 11.work of capital, management
On May Day, Europeans dance around the May Pole. But today, the oppressor who is on the wrong path will perform tricks like a monkey fearful of a bamboo cane. He was a monkey earlier is now the ring master. The worker has taken control of the factory.
ba’az aise thhe jo sarmaaye1 ke Thekedaar2 thhe
kahte thhe mazdoor ko Khar3 aur Khud Khar-kaar4 thhe
chor bazaari ki jaR thhe aur baRe baTmaar5 thhe
nafa’a-Khori6 ke siva7 har kaam se bezaar8 thhe
ab halaq meN in ke jo khaaya aTak kar jaaye ga
Ghair-mulkauN9 meN na sarmaaya1 bhaTak10 kar jaaye ga1.wealth 2.monopolists 3.donkey, ass 4.work/nature of a donkey i.e. obstinate 5.highway robber 6.eating/appropriating profits 7.except for 8.disinterested 9.foreign countries 10.lost, by mistake
There were some who had monopoly over wealth. They called the worker an ass but were themselves obstinate like donkeys. They were the root of market manipulation and were highway robbers, not interested in anything except appropriating all gains. Now what they eat will get stuck in their throats. They will not be able to move their wealth to foreign lands even by mistake. (The poet is conflating capitalist exploitation and colonialism).
poochho in sarmaaya-daarauN1 se ke kab jaago ge tum
ya yuN hi peete rahoge be-muravvat2 mai3 ke Khum4
dekho har saal aayegi maah5-e maii ke ye yakum6
sunte haiN seedhi nahiN hoti kabhi kutte ki dum
tum magar rakhte ho ek insaan ki nok aur palak7
be-niyaazi8 hadd9 se guzri10 banda-parvar11 kab talak1.capitalist 2.without consideration (of others) 3.wine 4.flasks 5.month of (May) 6.first 7.point (nose) and eye lids 8.indifference 9.limit 10.gone beyond 11.lord, master
Ask these owners of capital when they will wake up (to reality). Or will they keep drinking of this bountiful wine without consideration of others. Remember, the first of May will come back every year. We hear that a dog’s tail will always remain crooked (a capitalist cannot change his nature). But you seem to be human. But o master, your indifference has gone beyond bounds.
qaabil-e izzat1 haiN is duniya ke mehnat-kash2 avaam3
mulk ki izzat haiN ye, vaajib4 hai in ka ehteraam5
is ke ye member haiN labour union hai jis ka naam
in ki mehnat ke diye jaaeNge in ko poore daam
ye nahiN hoga, Khafa6 ho kar dehaaRi7 kaaT di
aadhe raste laaye aur enjin se gaaRi kaaT di1.deserving of respect 2.working, labouring 3.public 4.necessary, duty bound 5.respect 6.disagree, get annoyed 7.daily (wages)
The working public is deserving of respect. They are the pride of the country and you are duty bound to respect them. They are members of the labour union and will get the full wages they deserve. This will not happen/will not be tolerated that you disagree and cut their daily wages, that they carry the locomotive along its path and you cut them off from the engine.
yakum mai – syed muhammad jafari
ye maii ki pahli, din hai banda-e mazdoor1 ka
muddatauN2 ke baad dekha is ne jalva3 hoor4 ka
ye jo rishte-daar5 tha hum sub ka laikin duur ka
mill6 ke maalik ne ise rutba7 diya mansoor8 ka
jab lagaaya haq9 ka naara10 daar11 par kheeNcha12 gaya
naKhl13-e san’at14 is ke KhooN ki dhaar par seeNcha15 gaya
1.servant/creature of labour 2.ages, long time 3.face, beauty 4.heavenly angel 5.family relative 6.cloth/steel mill 7.status 8.Mansoor al Hallaj 9.truth, rights 10.call, demand 11.gallows 12.stretched, hung 13.tree 14.industry 15.irrigated
This is the first of May, the day of the worker. After many ages has he seen the face of some joy. He is our relation, who we have been treating as a distant/poor relative for too long. The owner of the mill has given him the status of Mansoor. Mansoor al Hallaj, a Sufi scholar, insisted on speaking his mind to orthodoxy. He was killed for refusing to recant. He is used in Urdu as a symbol of defiance/resistance. The poet gives the worker the same status of insisting on his rights. Whenever he (the worker) has called for his rights, he has been hung on the gallows even though the tree of industry has been nurtured with his blood.
aaj labour union meN shaadmaani1 aaii hai
aaj mazdoorauN ko yaad apni javaani2 aaii hai
mill ke maalik ko magar yaad apni nani aaii hai
ya ilaahi3 kya balaa4-e aasmaani aaii hai
sunte haiN mazdoor se maalik ka mohra5 piT6 gaya
ek ja7 harf-e vafa8 likkha tha vo bhi miT gaya
1.joy, celebration 2.youth, strength 3.o god 4.calamity, curse 5.chess piece 6.defeated, overcome 7.place 8.word of fealty
There is joyous celebration in the labour union today. Today the worker recalls his own strength, but the mill owner is scared (nani yaad aana – to remember one’s grandmother is a saying used to mean getting scared). O god what calamity has befallen me (the mill owner). We hear that the mill owner has lost his bid. The word/call of loyalty has been erased.
hota hai may Day ka aur may pole1 ka jab intezaam2
naachte haiN baaNs3 ke gird4 aa ke yuropi5 avaam6
laikin ab naache ga vo zaalim7 ke jo hai bad-lagaam8
baaNs ke bal9 par dikhaaye jaise bandar apna kaam
vo jo pahle thha kabhi bandar madaari10 ban gaya
ya’ani mazdoor afsar-e sarmaaya-kaari11 ban gaya
1. May Pole around which people dance in folk festivals sometimes coinciding with May Day 2.arrangement 3.bamboo pole 4.around 5.European 6.people 7.oppressor 8.wrong reins – meaning on the wrong path 9.strength (fear) 10.circus/ring master 11.work of capital, management
On May Day, Europeans dance around the May Pole. But today, the oppressor who is on the wrong path will perform tricks like a monkey fearful of a bamboo cane. He was a monkey earlier is now the ring master. The worker has taken control of the factory.
ba’az aise thhe jo sarmaaye1 ke Thekedaar2 thhe
kahte thhe mazdoor ko Khar3 aur Khud Khar-kaar4 thhe
chor bazaari ki jaR thhe aur baRe baTmaar5 thhe
nafa’a-Khori6 ke siva7 har kaam se bezaar8 thhe
ab halaq meN in ke jo khaaya aTak kar jaaye ga
Ghair-mulkauN9 meN na sarmaaya1 bhaTak10 kar jaaye ga
1.wealth 2.monopolists 3.donkey, ass 4.work/nature of a donkey i.e. obstinate 5.highway robber 6.eating/appropriating profits 7.except for 8.disinterested 9.foreign countries 10.lost, by mistake
There were some who had monopoly over wealth. They called the worker an ass but were themselves obstinate like donkeys. They were the root of market manipulation and were highway robbers, not interested in anything except appropriating all gains. Now what they eat will get stuck in their throats. They will not be able to move their wealth to foreign lands even by mistake. (The poet is conflating capitalist exploitation and colonialism).
poochho in sarmaaya-daarauN1 se ke kab jaago ge tum
ya yuN hi peete rahoge be-muravvat2 mai3 ke Khum4
dekho har saal aayegi maah5-e maii ke ye yakum6
sunte haiN seedhi nahiN hoti kabhi kutte ki dum
tum magar rakhte ho ek insaan ki nok aur palak7
be-niyaazi8 hadd9 se guzri10 banda-parvar11 kab talak
1.capitalist 2.without consideration (of others) 3.wine 4.flasks 5.month of (May) 6.first 7.point (nose) and eye lids 8.indifference 9.limit 10.gone beyond 11.lord, master
Ask these owners of capital when they will wake up (to reality). Or will they keep drinking of this bountiful wine without consideration of others. Remember, the first of May will come back every year. We hear that a dog’s tail will always remain crooked (a capitalist cannot change his nature). But you seem to be human. But o master, your indifference has gone beyond bounds.
qaabil-e izzat1 haiN is duniya ke mehnat-kash2 avaam3
mulk ki izzat haiN ye, vaajib4 hai in ka ehteraam5
is ke ye member haiN labour union hai jis ka naam
in ki mehnat ke diye jaaeNge in ko poore daam
ye nahiN hoga, Khafa6 ho kar dehaaRi7 kaaT di
aadhe raste laaye aur enjin se gaaRi kaaT di
1.deserving of respect 2.working, labouring 3.public 4.necessary, duty bound 5.respect 6.disagree, get annoyed 7.daily (wages)
The working public is deserving of respect. They are the pride of the country and you are duty bound to respect them. They are members of the labour union and will get the full wages they deserve. This will not happen/will not be tolerated that you disagree and cut their daily wages, that they carry the locomotive along its path and you cut them off from the engine.
