Ghazals of Ghalib
Translated by
Of Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci is reputed to have said :
Angelo started a school and also closed it
I do not make any such claim for genius. My effort is centered round convincing people that to keep alive a language script is merely a matter of detail. I have only tried to translate obviating the difficulty of carrying a dictionary along or even while surfing jumping frames. Mine is not an interpretation, an elucidation or an elaboration. If it helps people to memorise the couplet and recite it confidently it establishes a school without a structure or a teacher. In course of time errors are corrected the grass is grazed or burnt and new greenery established. It will certainly please Ghalib who lamented:
Varakh thamaam huvaa aur madaha baaqi haye
Safeena chahiye iss bahre bae-karaan kae liyae
In the present section I have provided a number of couplets which I liked and would have loved to translate but I should not be greedy. With the global village ready to welcome visitors my task is fulfilled as Ghalib explains :
*****
1. Haye khalaqe hasad qamaash ladnae kae liyae
Vahshath kadahe thalaash ladnae kae liyae
Har baar soorathe kaagaz-baad
Milthae hain yeh badmaash ladnae kae liyae
2. Aathishbaazi haye jaisae shaglae athfaal
Haye soaze-jigar koe bhee isee thaur kaa haal
Thaa moajade ishq bhee khayaamath koayee
Ladkoan kae liyae gayaa haye kyaa khael nikaal !
3. Shab zulf-vo-ruqe arq-fishaan kaa gham thaa
Kyaa sharah karoon keh tharfah-thar aalam thaa’
Roayaa maye hazaar aankh sae subah thalak
Har khathrahe ashk deedahe pur-nam thaa.
4. Dil saqth nisrand hoe gayaa haye goayaa
Oos sae gilah-mand hoe gayaa haye goayaa
Par yaar kae aagae boal sakthae hee naheen
Ghalib munh band hoe gayaa haye goyaa.
5. Dukh jee kae pasand hoe gayaa haye Ghalib
Dil ruk-ruk kar band hoe gayaa haye Ghalib
Vaallah keh shab koe neend aathee hee naheen
Soanaa saugand hoe gayaa haye Ghalib
6. Iss rishthae mae laakh thaar hoan, balke-sivaa
Ithnae hee baras shumaar hoan balke-sivaa
Har saenkdae koe yeak girah faraz karaen
Aisee girehain hazaar hoan, balke-sivaa
7. Kahthae hain keh ab voh mardum aazaar naheen
Oosshaaq kee pursish sae usae aar naheen
Joe haath keh zulm sae oothaayaa hoagaa
Kyunkar maanoon keh oos mae thalwaar naheen.
8. Ham garche banae salaam karnae waalae
Karthae hain dirang, kaam karnae waalae
Kahthae hain khuda sae, allah, allah !
Voh aap hain subah-vo-shaam karnae waalae!
9. Saamaane khuroe-khwaab kahaan sae lavoon?
Aaraam kae asbaab kahaan sae laavoon?
Roazah maera eemaan haye Ghalib! laikin
Khaskhaanah-vo-barfab kahaan sae laavoon?
10. In seem kae beejoan koe koyee kyaa jaanae
Bhaejae hain joe armukhaan shahe-waalaa nae
Gin kar daewain-gae ham duwaayaen sau baar
Fairoazae kee thasbeeh kae hain yeh daanae
11. Bhaejee haye joe mujh koe shaahe-jam-jaah nae daal
Haye luthf-vo-inaayaathe shahanshaah peh daal
Yeh shaah pasand daal bhae-bahas-vo-jidaal
Haye daulath-vo-deen-vo-doonish-vo-daad kee daal
12. Goe yaek baadshaah kae sab khaan-zaad hain
Darbaar daar loag baham aashna naheen
Kaanoan peh haath dharthae hain karthae huvae salaam
Iss sae haye yeh muraad keh ham aashnaa naheen
13. Na pooch iss kee haqeeqath, huzoore-waalaa nae
Mujhae joe bhaejee haye baesan kee roaghanee roatee
Na khaathae gaehoon, nikalthae na khuld sae baahar
Joe khaathae hazrathae-Aadam yeh baesanee roatee
14. Ifthaare-soam kee jisae kuch dasthgoah hoe
Oos shaqs koe zaroor haye roazah rakhaa karae
Jis paas roazah khoal keh khaanae koe kuch na hoe
Roazah agar na khaaye thoe naachaar kyaa karae ?
15. Khathrahe-mayee baskeh hayrath sae nafas parwar huvaa
khatthe jaame mayae saraasar, rishthaye gauhar huvaa
Eithibaare-ishq kee khaana kharaabee daekhna
Gair nae kee aah, laikin voh khafaa mujh par huvaa
16. Jab bah thaqreebe safar yaar nae mahmil bandhaa
Thapish shaukh nae har zarrae peh yeh dil baandhaa
Ahle bainish nae bah hayrath kadahe shaukhee naaz
Jauhare aayinah koe thoethiye bismil baandhaa
Yaas-vo-ummeed nae yek arbadah maidaan maangaa
Aize-himmath nae thilsime dil saayil baandhaa
Na bandhae thashnagee zauq kae mazmoon Ghalib
Garcheh dil khoel kae daryaa koe bhee saahil baandhaa.
17. Maye aur bazme-mayae sae yoon thashna kaam aavoon
Haye aek theer jis mae doenoe chadae padae hain
Voh din gayae keh apnaa dil sae jigar judaa thaa
Darmaandgee mae Ghalib kuch ban padae thoe jaanoon
Jab rishthah bae girah thaa, naakhun girah kushaa thaa.
18. Ghar hamaara joe na roathae bhee thoe veeraan hoethaa
Bahar gar bahar na hoathaa thoe bayaabaan hoethaa
Thangee dil kaa gilaa kyaa yeh voh kaafir dil haye
Keh agar thang na hoathaa thoe paraeshaan hoethaa
Baad yek umre-dara baar thoe daethaa baarae
Kaash Rizwaan hee dariyaa kaa darbaan hoethaa
19. Aayinah daekh apna sa mooh lae kae rah gayae
Saahab koe dil na daene peh kithna garoor thaa
Khaasid koe apne haath sae gardan na maariyae
Oos kee khathaa naheen haye yeh maera khusoor thaa.
20. Afsoas keh wandaan kaa kya rizq falak nae
Jis loagoan kee thee darkhaare iqde guhar angushth
Kaafee haye nishaanee thaeri, challae koe na daenaa
Khaalee mujhe dikhlaa-kae ba-waqthe safar angushth
Likhthaa hoon Asad soazishe dil zoe sukhan garam
Thaa rakh na sakae koyee maesre harf par angushth.
21. Mand gayeen khoelthae hee khoelthae aankhaen Ghalib
Yaar laayae maeri baalain pah usae par kis waqth
22. Kyun kar oos buth sae rakhoon jaan azeez
Kya naheen haye mujhe eemaan azeez
Dil sae niklaa,pah na niklaa dil sae
Haye thaere theer ka paikaan azeez
Thaab laaye hee banaegee Ghalib
Waquia saqth haye aur jaan azeez
23. Mujh koe dayaare gair mae maaraa vathan sae door
Rakh lee maere khudaa nae maeri baekasee kee sharm
Who halqa haaye zulf kameen mae hain aye khuda
Rakh leejoe maere dawayee waarasthagee kee sharm
24. Loon waam baqthe khufthah sae yek khwaab khush walae
Ghalib yeh khauf haye keh kahaan sae adaa karoon
25. Donoe jahaan dae kae voh samjha yeh khush rahaa
Yaan aa padee yeh sharm keh thakraar kyaa karaen
Thak thak keh har mukhaam peh doe chaar rah gayae
Thaera patha na paayain tho naachaar kyaa karaen
Kyaa shama kae naheen hain hawaa-khwaah ahle bazm
Hoe gham hi jaan-gudaaz thoe gham-khwaar kyaa karaen.
26. Hoe gayee haye gair kee sheereen-bayaani kaar-gar
Ishq kaa oos koe gumaan ham bae-zabaanoen par naheen
27. Khayaamath haye keh sun Laila ka dashthe Khais main aanaa
Tha-ajjub sae voh boelaa, yoon bhee hoethaa haye zamaanae mae?
Dilae-naazuk peh oos kae raham aathaa haye mujhe Ghalib
Na kar sar garm oos kaafir koe ulfath aazmaanae mae
28. Dil lagaa kar lag gayaa unkoe bhi thanhaa baithnaa
Baare apnee baekasee kee ham nae paayee daad yaan
Hain zawaal aamaadah ajzaa afraenish kae thamaam
Mehr gardoen haye charaage rahguzaare baad yaan
29. Ghalib! maere kalaam mae kyunkar mazah na hoe
Peethaa hoon dhoe kae Khusroo-ye-Sheereen sukhan kae paanv
30. Thaa, ham koe shikaayath kee bhi baaqi na rahae jaa
Sun laethae hain, goe zikr hamaara naheen karthae
Ghalib thaera ahwaal sunaa daenge ham unkoe
Voh sun kae bul;aa-laen, yeh ijaara naheen karthae
31. Haye armeedgee mae nikoehish bajaa mujhae
Sooje vathan haye khandaye vandaan-numaa mujhae
Dhoonda haye oos muannee-ye-aathish nafas koe jee
Jis kee sadaa hoe jalwa-hae barqe fanaa mujhae
Masthaana thayae karoon hoon rahe-waadayee khayaal
Thaa, baaz-gashth sae na rahae muddaa mujhae
Karthaa haye baskeh baagh mae thoo bae-hijaabiyaan
Aanae lagee haye nikhathe gul sae hayaa mujhae
Khilthaa kisee peh kyoon maere dil kaa muaamilah
Shiaroon kae inthikhaab nae ruswaa kiyaa mujhae
32. Hujoome gam sae yaan thak sar-nigooni mujh koe haasil haye
Keh thaare daman vo thaare nazar mae farq mushkil haye
Rafooye zaqm sae mathlab haye lazzath zaqme-soazan kee
Samjhiyoe math keh paase dard sae deewaana ghaafil haye
Voh gul jis gulisthaan mae jalwah-farmaayee karae
Chitaknaa gunchaye-gul kaa sadaaye khandaye dil haye
33. Thagaaful dusth hoon, maera dimaag ajz aalee haye
Agar pahloo thahee keejae thoe jaa maeri bhi qaali haye
Rahaa aabaad aalam ahle himmath kae na hoenae sae
Bharae hain jis khadar jaam-vo-saboo maikhana qaali haye
34. Khathar haye rishthaye ulfath rage-gardan na hoe jaavae
Guroore doesthee aafath haye, thoe dushman na hoe jaavae
Samajh iss fasal mae koethaahiyee nashoenama Ghalib
Agar gul saroe kae khaamath pah pairaahan na hoe jaavae
35. Ham rashk koe apnae bhi gawaara naheen karthae
Marthae hain, valae unkee thamanna naheen karthae
Dar pardah unhain gair sae haye rabthe nihaanee
Zaahir kaa yeh pardah haye keh pardaah nahee karthae
Yeh baaise naumeediyi arbaabe hawas haye
Ghalib koe buraa kahthae hoe achchaa naheen karthae!
36. Roundee huvee haye Koekabar Shaharyaar kee
Ithraaye kyun na khaak sare rahguzaar kee
Jab ooske daekhnae kae liyae aayain baadshaah
Loagoen mae kyun na hoe lala zaar kee
Bhookae naheen hain sair gulsithaan kae ham walae
Khynkar na khaayiyae keh hawaa haye bahaar kee.
37. Koeh kae hoon baare khaathir, gar sadaa hoe jaayiyae
Bae-thakalluf, aye sharaare jasthah! Kyaa hoe jaayiyae
Baizah asaa, nange baal-vo-par haye yeh kunje khafas
Az sare nau-zindagi hoe, gar rihaa hoe jaayiyae
38. Masthee, ba zauqe ghaflathe saaqi, halaak haye
Maujae sharaab, yek misrahe khwaab-naak haye
Juz zaqme-thaeghe-naaz, naheen dil mae aarzoo
Jaybae-khayaal bhee thaere haathoen sae chaak haye
Joeshe-junoon sae kuch nazar aathaa naheen Asad!
Sahraa hamaari aankh mae yek mushthe-khaak haye.
39. Hoon maye bhee thamaashaayi naerange thamanna
Mathlab naheen kuch iss sae keh mathlab hee bar aawae
40. Siyaahee jaisae gir jaavae dame thahreer kaagaz par
Maeri khismath mae yoon thasweer haye shab haaye hijraan kee
41. Khamooshiyoen mae thamaashaa adaa nikalthee haye
Nigaah dil sae thaeri surmah saa nikalthee haye
Fishaare thangayi khalwath sae banthee haye shabnam
Saba joe ghunchae kae pardae mae jaa nikalthee haye
Na pooch seenaye aashiq sae aabe thaeghe nigaah
Keh zaqme rauzane dar sae hawaa nikalthee haye
42. Bikhraa gaesooye maskeen uthaa saboo saaqi
Maye daekhoon kis tharah duniya jawaan naheen hoethee
43. Khoel kar darwaazaye maikhaana bolaa mai-faroash
Ab shikasthe thoeba, maikhwaaron koe fathah albaab haye
44. Saaqi thujhe ek thoedi see thakleef thoe hoegee
Saagar koe zaraa thaam, maye kuch soach rahaa hoon
45. Asad yeh dard-vo-alam bhee thoe maqthanam haye keh aakhir
Na giriya sahree haye na aah neem shabee haye
46. Asad shikwah kufr vo-duva naa-sapaasi
Hujoome thamanna sae laachaar hain ham
47. Sar par maere vabaale nazaar aarzoo rahae
Yaarab maye kis ghareeb ka baqthe rameed hoon
48. Hoon maye bhi thamashaayi naerange thamanna
Mathlab naheen kuch iss sae keh mathlab hee bar aawae
49. Khizaan kyaa fasle-gul kahthae hain kiskoe koeyi mausam hoe
Wahee ham hain khafas haye aur maatham baal-vo-parka haye
50. Falak sae ham koe aishe-rafthah kaa kya kya thakhaaza haye
Mathaaye bardah koe samjhae huwae hain kharz rahzan par
51. Haye naaz muflisaan zaraaz dasth rafthah par
Hoon gul-faroash shaukhiye daage-kuhan hanooz
52. Hasad sae dil agar afsardah haye garmae thamaasha hoe
Keh chashme-thang shaayad kasrath nazzaarah sae waa hoe
53. Dil lagee kee aarzoo baechain rakhthee haye hamain
Warnah yaan bae-raunaqi saude-chiraage kashthah haye
54. Daero-haram aayinaye thakraare thamanna
Waa maandgayi shaukh tharaashae haye panaahain
55. Hain zawaal aamaadah ajzaa aafarneesh kae thamaam
Mahre-gardoan haye charaage rahguzaar baad yaan
56. Khumree kafe khaakasthar-vo-bulbul khafa se rang
Aye naala nishaane jigar soakhthah kyaa haye
57. Nawaazishe nafse aashnaa kahaan, warnah
Barang nae haye nihaan har dar asthkhwaan fariyaad
58. Paida naheen haye asl thag-vo-thaaze justhajoo
Maaninde mauje aab zabaaane bareedah hoon
59. Baais eezaa haye barham khurdane bazme saroor
Laqth laqthe sheeshah bash kasthah juz nashthar naheen
60. Haasile ulfath na daekha juz shikasthe aarzoo
Dil badal pyoasthah goyaa yek lab afsoas thaa
61. Haye ajab murdoen koe gaflath haaye ahle dahr par
Sabzah joon angushthe hayrath dar dahaane goer haye
62. Koeyi aagaah naheen baathane ham-deegar sae
Haye har yek fard jahaan mae warqe-nakhwaanidah
63. Hinaaye paaye khizaan haye bahaar agar haye yahee
Dawaam kalfathe khaathir haye aysh duniya kaa
64. Fana koe soamp gar mushthaaq haye apni haqeeqath kaa
Farooge thaalia khaashaak haye maufooq gulkhan par
65. Baizah-aasaa nange-baal-vo-par haye yeh kanje khafas
Az sare nau-zindagi hoe gar rihaa hoe jaayiyae
66. Haye thajallee thaere saamaene-wajood
Zarrah bae-parthawae khursheed naheen
67. Nafas na anjumane aarzoo sae baahar kheeneh
Agar sharaab naheen, inthezaare saagar kheeneh
Kamaale garmai sayee thalaashe deed na pooch
Ba range khaar maere aayinae sae jawhar kheench
Thujhe bahaanaye raahath haye inthezaar aye dil
Kiya haye kis nae ishaarah keh naaze bisthar kheench
Thaeri tharah haye, ba-hasrath, nazzaarah nargis
Ba koerayi dil-vo-choshme raqeeb saagar kheench
Bah neem ghamzah ada kar haqe wadeeathe naaz
Niyaame pardahe zaqme jigar sae khanjar kheench
Maere khadah mae haye sahbaaye aathishe pinhaan
Ba-rooye sufrah kabaabe-dil samandar kheench.
68. Na thaa kuch thoe khuda thaa
Kuch na hoathaa thoe khuda hoatha
Duboeyaa mujh koe hoanae nae,
Na hoathaa main thoe kya hoathaa
Huvaa jab gham sae yoon bae-his,
Thoe gham kya sar kae katnae kaa
Na hoathaa gar judaa than sae,
Thoe zaaanoan par dharaa hoathaa
Huvee muddath keh Ghalib mar gayaa
Par yaad aathaa haye
Voh har yek baath par kahnaa
Keh yoon hoathaa thoe kya hoathaa.
*****