For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
نظر نہیں آتی ۔ مہندر سنگھ بیدی سحرؔ
۱
اِس میں امید اگر نہیں آتی
عمر کٹتی نظر نہیں آتی
۲
جس میں پل بھر سکون حاصل ہو
وہ گھڑی عمر بھر نہیں آتی
۳
عشق جب تک کہ رہبری نہ کرے
زندگی راہ پر نہیں آتی
۴
وہ نہ آئے نہ اُن کو آنا ہے
موت کیوں چارہ گر نہیں آتی
۵
مطربہ گیت، ساقیا اِک جام
زندگی لوٹ کر نہیں آتی
۶
دل تو مشکل پسند ہے، لیکن
کوئی مشکل نظر نہیں آتی
۷
نالۂ دل کی دُھن وہ دُھن ہے سحرؔ
جو کسی ساز پر نہیں آتی
नज़र नहीं आती – मोहेंदर सिंध बेदी सहर
१
इस में उम्मीद अगर नहीं आती
उम्र कटती नज़र नजीं आती
२
जिस में पल भर सुकून हासिल हो
वो घड़ी उम्र भर नहीं आती
३
इश्क़ जब तक के रहबरी न करे
ज़िंदगी राह पर नहीं आती
४
वो न आए न उन को आना है
मौत क्युं चारा-गर नहीं आती
५
मुत्रिबा गीत, साक़िया एक जाम
ज़िंदगी लौट कर नहीं आती
६
दिल तो मुश्किल पसंद है, लैकिन
कोई मुश्किल नज़र नहीं आती
७
नाला-ए दिल कि धुन वो धुन है सहर
जो किसी साज़ पर नहीं आती
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. kuNwar mohindar singh bedi sahr (1909-1992) had to migrate to the Indian side after partition. In his writings he has reached across religious lines and national boundaries, writing about peace and harmony and odes to islamic as well hindu figures. This is a Ghazal composed in the style of Ghalib’s ‘koii ummeed bar nahiN aati’.
1
is meN ummeed1 agar2 nahiN aati
umr3 kaTti4 nazar5 nahiN aati 1.hope 2.if 3.life 4.used here to mean – passing 5.see
The ‘is – meaning – this’ is used here to mean life. If there is no hope in life, then I don’t see how it can be passed/borne.
2
jis meN pal1 bhar sukoon2 haasil3 ho
vo ghaRi4 umr5 bhar nahiN aati 1.moment 2.satisfaction 3.obtained, reached 4.time 5.life, life-span
There is not a single moment in this life-time that you can obtain/get complete satisfaction. The implication is that that will have to wait for the next life.
3
ishq1 jab tak keh rahbari2 na kare
zindagi raah3 par nahiN aati 1.love 2.guidance 3.path (right, virtuous)
Life does not get to the right path until love provides guidance.
4
vo1 na aaye na un ko aana hai
maut2 kyuN chaara-gar3 nahiN aati 1.she, beloved 2.death 3.healer
These are old (perhaps obsolete) poetic conventions. The poet/lover is on his death bed, having waited all his life for the beloved to show up. She has never come, she will not ever come, why does Death not show up and end this charade!
5
mutriba1 geet, saaqiya ek jaam2
zindagi lauT3 kar nahiN aati 1.singer 2.cup (of wine) 3.return
Life i.e. time/opportunity, once lost does not come back. To enjoy the present moment the poet calls for the singer to sing and the saaqiya to serve up a cup of wine.
6
dil to mushkil-pasand hai, laikin
koii mushkil nazar nahiN aati The heart is ready/willing/desirous to face difficulties, but the poet does not see any. I am not sure what he implies when he says that there are no challenges facing him.
7
naala-e dil ki dhun vo dhun hai sahr
jo kisi saaz par nahiN aati 1.wailing 2.tune 3.pen-name of poet 4.(musical) instrument, harp
O, sahr, the tune of the wailing heart is such a tune that it cannot be played on any harp i.e. it has to be felt by the heart itself.
kuNwar mohindar singh bedi sahr (1909-1992) had to migrate to the Indian side after partition. In his writings he has reached across religious lines and national boundaries, writing about peace and harmony and odes to islamic as well hindu figures. This is a Ghazal composed in the style of Ghalib’s ‘koii ummeed bar nahiN aati’.
1
is meN ummeed1 agar2 nahiN aati
umr3 kaTti4 nazar5 nahiN aati
1.hope 2.if 3.life 4.used here to mean – passing 5.see
The ‘is – meaning – this’ is used here to mean life. If there is no hope in life, then I don’t see how it can be passed/borne.
2
jis meN pal1 bhar sukoon2 haasil3 ho
vo ghaRi4 umr5 bhar nahiN aati
1.moment 2.satisfaction 3.obtained, reached 4.time 5.life, life-span
There is not a single moment in this life-time that you can obtain/get complete satisfaction. The implication is that that will have to wait for the next life.
3
ishq1 jab tak keh rahbari2 na kare
zindagi raah3 par nahiN aati
1.love 2.guidance 3.path (right, virtuous)
Life does not get to the right path until love provides guidance.
4
vo1 na aaye na un ko aana hai
maut2 kyuN chaara-gar3 nahiN aati
1.she, beloved 2.death 3.healer
These are old (perhaps obsolete) poetic conventions. The poet/lover is on his death bed, having waited all his life for the beloved to show up. She has never come, she will not ever come, why does Death not show up and end this charade!
5
mutriba1 geet, saaqiya ek jaam2
zindagi lauT3 kar nahiN aati
1.singer 2.cup (of wine) 3.return
Life i.e. time/opportunity, once lost does not come back. To enjoy the present moment the poet calls for the singer to sing and the saaqiya to serve up a cup of wine.
6
dil to mushkil-pasand hai, laikin
koii mushkil nazar nahiN aati
The heart is ready/willing/desirous to face difficulties, but the poet does not see any. I am not sure what he implies when he says that there are no challenges facing him.
7
naala-e dil ki dhun vo dhun hai sahr
jo kisi saaz par nahiN aati
1.wailing 2.tune 3.pen-name of poet 4.(musical) instrument, harp
O, sahr, the tune of the wailing heart is such a tune that it cannot be played on any harp i.e. it has to be felt by the heart itself.
