For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
زُنّار رفتہ رفتہ ۔ میر تقی میرؔ
۱
ظالم یہ کیا نکالی رفتار رفتہ رفتہ
اس چال پر چلے گی تلوار رفتہ رفتہ
۲
ہر آن ہم کو تجھ بِن ایک اِک برس ہوئی ہے
کیا آ گیا زمانہ اے یار رفتہ رفتہ
۳
کیا کہیے کیونکہ جانیں بے پردہ جاتیاں ہیں
اس معنی کا بھی ہوگا اِظہار رفتہ رفتہ
۴
یہ ہی سُلُوک اُس کے اکثر چلے گئے تو
بیٹھیں گے اپنے گھر ہم ناچار رفتہ رفتہ
۵
پامال ہوں کہ اس میں ہوں خاک سے برابر
اب ہوگیا ہے سب کچھ ہموار رفتہ رفتہ
۶
چاہت میں دخل مت دے زِنہار آرزُو کو
کردے ہے دل کی خواہش بیمار رفتہ رفتہ
۷
خاطر نہ جمع رکھو اِن پلکوں کی خلِش سے
سر دل سے کاڑھتے ہیں یہاں خار رفتہ رفتہ
۸
تھے ایک ہم وے دونوں سو اِتّحاد کیسا
ہر بات پر اب آئی تکرار رفتہ رفتہ
۹
گر بت کدے میں جانا ایسا ہے میرؔ جی کا
تو تار سبحہ ہوگا زُنّار رفتہ رفتہ
ज़ुन्नार रफ़्ता-रफ़्ता – मीर तक़ी मीर
१
ज़ालिम ये क्या निकाली रफ़्तार रफ़्ता-रफ़्ता
इस चाल पर चलेगी तल्वार रफ़्ता-रफ़्ता
२
हर आन हम को तुझ बिन एक एक बरस हुई है
क्या आ गया ज़माना अए यार रफ़्ता-रफ़्ता
३
क्या कहिए क्यूँके जानें बे-पर्दा जातियाँ हैं
इस मा’नी का भी होगा इज़्हार रफ़्ता-रफ़्ता
४
ये ही सुलूक उस के अक्सर चले गए तो
बैठेंगे अपने घर हम नाचार रफ़्ता-रफ़्ता
५
पामाल हूँ के इस में हूँ ख़ाक से बराबर
अब हो गया है सब कुछ हमवार रफ़्ता-रफ़्ता
६
चाहत में दख़्ल मत दे ज़िन्हार आर्ज़ू को
कर दे है दिल की ख़्वाहिश बीमार रफ़्ता-रफ़्ता
७
ख़ातिर न जम’अ रक्खो इन पलकों की ख़लिश से
सर दिल से काढ़ते हैं याँ ख़ार रफ़्ता-रफ़्ता
८
थे एक हम वे दोनों सो इत्तिहाद कैसा
हर बात पर अब आई तक्रार रफ़्ता-रफ़्ता
९
गर बुत-कदे में जाना ऐसा है मीर-जी का
तो तार-ए सुब्हा होगा ज़ुन्नार रफ़्ता-रफ़्ता
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. mir taqi mir (1722-1810) pioneer of urdu language and Ghazal. Considered a poet of angst and sorrow. He speaks profound thoughts in simple language. This Ghazal is linked to the icon ‘aahista-aahista’ of the Refrain page.
1
zaalim1 ye kya nikaali raftaar2 rafta-rafta3
is chaal par chalegi talvaar4 rafta-rafta 1.torturer, beloved 2.speed, graceful gait 3.gradually 4.sword
In urdu poetic tradition the beloved is referred to as ‘zaalim’. A subtle picture emerges by reading between the lines. The beloved is coming of age and is developing a very graceful gait. Gradually this grace will work like a sword, slaughtering lovers. The ‘gradual’ part comes through because the beloved is gradually coming of age.
2
har aan1 ham ko tujh bin2 aek ek baras3 hui hai
kya aa gaya zamaana4 aye yaar5 rafta-rafta 1.moment 2.without 3.year 4.times, age 5.friend
For me, every moment without you is like a year. O friend, what kind of times have descended upon me.
3
kya kahiye kyuNkeh1 jaaneN2 be-parda3 jaatiyaaN haiN
iss m’aani4 ka bhi hoga iz’haar5 rafta-rafta 1.how 2.know, find out, lives 3.unveiled 4.meaning, purpose 5.revealed, known
This she’r is an enigma to me. Normally jaatiyaaN – they go/are going is treated as a plural, but it may not have to be. Thus, this could be referring to a singular … the beloved. Thus, the first misra becomes – how can I/we know why she is going unveiled; and the second – the meaning of this will be revealed gradually. It is also possible that idiomatically m’aani ka izhaar hona can mean the consequences will become clear. The consequence of the beloved’s going be-parda will be that she will create a lot of ill-fated mad/passionate admirers/lovers. This may be a cautionary warning to all potential lover to watch out.
4
ye hii suluuk1 uss ke aksar2 chale ga’e3 to
baiTheNge apne ghar ham naa-chaar4 rafta-rafta 1.behaviour, treatment 2.often, frequently 3.promulgate, followed, implemented 4.helpless
‘uss ke’, kis ke? – the beloved’s. If the beloved continues to follow this kind of behaviour, then gradually we will be forced to sit inside our home, totally helpless.
5
paamaal1 huN keh is meN huN Khaak2 se baraabar3
ab ho gaya hai sab kuchh hamvaar4 rafta-rafta 1.trampled 2.dust 3.equal to 4.even, smoothed
I have been trampled and pounded down and in this, my condition has become equal to that of dust. Now everything has become smooth and even. What is ‘everything’ and what does it mean to say that it has become smooth. ‘Everything’ could be the emotional highs and lows, the ups and downs of life, the attention and indifference of the beloved or anything that we can imagine. ‘Becoming smooth and even’ can be that lover has become so numb (because he has been reduced to dust and insulted so much) that he has ceased to feel any pain or pleasure. Of course, ‘smooth and even’ is also ‘level’ like dust. Who has trampled him … we are left to guess.
6
chaahat1 meN daKhl2 mat de zinhaar3 aarzu4 ko
kar de hai dil ki Khwaahish bimaar rafta-rafta 1.love 2.interference, sway, control 3.never, under no conditions 4.desire, longing
Let us start with the second misra … the desire of the heart makes you sick gradually. Therefore, never let desire/longing have any sway/control in love i.e., love in a way that does not involve any desire to acquire the object of love; love for the sake of loving; love knowing full well that you will never succeed/acquire/possess.
7
Khaatir-na-jam’a-rakkho1 in palkoN2 ki Khalish3 se
sar dil se kaaRhte4 haiN yahaaN Khaar5 rafta-rafta 1.(see note below) do not collect hopes/expectations 2.eyelashes 3.pricking 4.sew, darn, stitch 5.thorn
Khaatir meN laana, Khaatir jam’a karna – are sayings that are used to mean – bringing into consideration, collecting hopes/expectations. Here the poet says – do not do this, do not collect … Khaatir meN na jam’a rakkho. Why not? Because with the pricking of the eyelashes the beloved stitches up the head to the heart gradually with thorns (eyelashes) i.e. your good sense is gradually sewn up/captivated by your heart/emotions.
8
th’e ek ham, ve donoN so ittehaad1 kaisa
har baat par ab aaii takraar2 rafta-rafta 1.alliance, amity, friendship 2.argument, disagreement
Here ham should be read as the first-person singular … the poet and ‘ve’ an old form of ‘voh’ is they – implying the beloved and the rival. Thus, I was one and ‘they’ were two, then how could there be an alliance. In all matters now there is disagreement/argument.
9
gar but-kade1 meN jaana aisa hai miir-ji2 ka
to taar3-e-subb’h4 hoga zunnaar5 rafta-rafta 1.idol house, temple 2.pen-name 3.thread 4.tashiih, islamic rosary 5.janev, brahminical ceremonial thread around the torso
If mir continues to go to the temple like this, then his tasbiih will turn into a janev. The but-kada could also be the beloved’s house. Elsewhere mir taqi mir says …
mir ke diin-o-mazhab ko, kya puuchho ho, un ne to
qashqa khaiNcha, da’er meN baiTha, kab ka tak islaam kiya
mir taqi mir (1722-1810) pioneer of urdu language and Ghazal. Considered a poet of angst and sorrow. He speaks profound thoughts in simple language. This Ghazal is linked to the icon ‘aahista-aahista’ of the Refrain page.
1
zaalim1 ye kya nikaali raftaar2 rafta-rafta3
is chaal par chalegi talvaar4 rafta-rafta
1.torturer, beloved 2.speed, graceful gait 3.gradually 4.sword
In urdu poetic tradition the beloved is referred to as ‘zaalim’. A subtle picture emerges by reading between the lines. The beloved is coming of age and is developing a very graceful gait. Gradually this grace will work like a sword, slaughtering lovers. The ‘gradual’ part comes through because the beloved is gradually coming of age.
2
har aan1 ham ko tujh bin2 aek ek baras3 hui hai
kya aa gaya zamaana4 aye yaar5 rafta-rafta
1.moment 2.without 3.year 4.times, age 5.friend
For me, every moment without you is like a year. O friend, what kind of times have descended upon me.
3
kya kahiye kyuNkeh1 jaaneN2 be-parda3 jaatiyaaN haiN
iss m’aani4 ka bhi hoga iz’haar5 rafta-rafta
1.how 2.know, find out, lives 3.unveiled 4.meaning, purpose 5.revealed, known
This she’r is an enigma to me. Normally jaatiyaaN – they go/are going is treated as a plural, but it may not have to be. Thus, this could be referring to a singular … the beloved. Thus, the first misra becomes – how can I/we know why she is going unveiled; and the second – the meaning of this will be revealed gradually. It is also possible that idiomatically m’aani ka izhaar hona can mean the consequences will become clear. The consequence of the beloved’s going be-parda will be that she will create a lot of ill-fated mad/passionate admirers/lovers. This may be a cautionary warning to all potential lover to watch out.
4
ye hii suluuk1 uss ke aksar2 chale ga’e3 to
baiTheNge apne ghar ham naa-chaar4 rafta-rafta
1.behaviour, treatment 2.often, frequently 3.promulgate, followed, implemented 4.helpless
‘uss ke’, kis ke? – the beloved’s. If the beloved continues to follow this kind of behaviour, then gradually we will be forced to sit inside our home, totally helpless.
5
paamaal1 huN keh is meN huN Khaak2 se baraabar3
ab ho gaya hai sab kuchh hamvaar4 rafta-rafta
1.trampled 2.dust 3.equal to 4.even, smoothed
I have been trampled and pounded down and in this, my condition has become equal to that of dust. Now everything has become smooth and even. What is ‘everything’ and what does it mean to say that it has become smooth. ‘Everything’ could be the emotional highs and lows, the ups and downs of life, the attention and indifference of the beloved or anything that we can imagine. ‘Becoming smooth and even’ can be that lover has become so numb (because he has been reduced to dust and insulted so much) that he has ceased to feel any pain or pleasure. Of course, ‘smooth and even’ is also ‘level’ like dust. Who has trampled him … we are left to guess.
6
chaahat1 meN daKhl2 mat de zinhaar3 aarzu4 ko
kar de hai dil ki Khwaahish bimaar rafta-rafta
1.love 2.interference, sway, control 3.never, under no conditions 4.desire, longing
Let us start with the second misra … the desire of the heart makes you sick gradually. Therefore, never let desire/longing have any sway/control in love i.e., love in a way that does not involve any desire to acquire the object of love; love for the sake of loving; love knowing full well that you will never succeed/acquire/possess.
7
Khaatir-na-jam’a-rakkho1 in palkoN2 ki Khalish3 se
sar dil se kaaRhte4 haiN yahaaN Khaar5 rafta-rafta
1.(see note below) do not collect hopes/expectations 2.eyelashes 3.pricking 4.sew, darn, stitch 5.thorn
Khaatir meN laana, Khaatir jam’a karna – are sayings that are used to mean – bringing into consideration, collecting hopes/expectations. Here the poet says – do not do this, do not collect … Khaatir meN na jam’a rakkho. Why not? Because with the pricking of the eyelashes the beloved stitches up the head to the heart gradually with thorns (eyelashes) i.e. your good sense is gradually sewn up/captivated by your heart/emotions.
8
th’e ek ham, ve donoN so ittehaad1 kaisa
har baat par ab aaii takraar2 rafta-rafta
1.alliance, amity, friendship 2.argument, disagreement
Here ham should be read as the first-person singular … the poet and ‘ve’ an old form of ‘voh’ is they – implying the beloved and the rival. Thus, I was one and ‘they’ were two, then how could there be an alliance. In all matters now there is disagreement/argument.
9
gar but-kade1 meN jaana aisa hai miir-ji2 ka
to taar3-e-subb’h4 hoga zunnaar5 rafta-rafta
1.idol house, temple 2.pen-name 3.thread 4.tashiih, islamic rosary 5.janev, brahminical ceremonial thread around the torso
If mir continues to go to the temple like this, then his tasbiih will turn into a janev. The but-kada could also be the beloved’s house. Elsewhere mir taqi mir says …
mir ke diin-o-mazhab ko, kya puuchho ho, un ne to
qashqa khaiNcha, da’er meN baiTha, kab ka tak islaam kiya
