Thursday, April 23, 2009

Hum To Majboor Thay Is Dil Se

Hum to majboor thay is dil se keh jis mein her dum
Gardish-e-khoo.n se vo kohraam bipa rehta hai
Jesay rindaan-e-bala_nosh jo mil bathain baham
Mae-kaday mein safr-e-jaam bipa rehta hai
Soz-e-khaatir ko mila jab bhi sahaara koi
Daagh-e-harmaa.n koi ya dard-e-tamanna koi
Marham-e-yaas se maail ba shifa honay laga
Zakhm-e-ummeed koi phir se hara honay laga
Hum to majboor thay is dil se keh jis ki zidd per
Hum ne us raat ke maathay pe seher ki tehreer
Jis ke daaman mein andheray ke siva kuch bhi na tha
Hum ne us dasht ko thehra liya firdaus-e-nazeer
Jis mein juz san'at-e-khoon-e-sar-e-pa kuch bhi na tha
Dil ko tabeer koi aur gavaara he na thee
Kulfat-e-zeest to manzoor thee her taur magar
Raahat-e-marg kisi taur gavaara he na thee

~Faiz Ahmed Faiz

gardish = rotation
kohraam = chaos
bipa = present (as in state of being)

rindaan-e-bala_nosh = heavy drinkers
baham = together
mae-kaday = bar; a place where ppl drink
soz-e-khaatir = pains of the heart/soul
harmaa.n = privation
yaas = despair
maail = leaning towards
dasht = desert
firdaus-e-nazeer = sought out paradise
juz = except
san'at = industry

gavaara = tolerate
kulfat = problem' issue
zeest = life
raahat = peace; comfort
marg = death


(We were impelled by the heart
Where blood runs in excitement,
Like the circulatingwine glass
As the revelers gather in the tavern.
Whenever the heartaches received assistance -
A scar of privation, a pain of unfulfilled wish -
And began to heal with the treatment of disappointments;
Some new wounds of hope opened again.
We were impelled by the heart
On whose insistence
We wrote "morning" on the forehead of the "night",
Which has nothing but darkness on its lap.
We took this desert as our heaven
Although it has nothing but the industry of bloods-shed.
The heart would not accept any other meaning;
It would embrace life's miseries in all forms
But not the peace of death)

~Translation by: M. H. K. Qureshi

Tuesday, April 14, 2009

Abhi Ghunchon Ki Qismat

Abhi ghunchon ki qismat ko khizaayen likh raheen hon gee
Abhi guldaan aankhon mein puraanay phool rakh dena

Abhi khaabon ki mitti mein tum apna dard bo dena
Abhi hansnay ko dil chaahay, to ro dena

Abhi dil se na kuch kehna, abhi dil se na kuch sunna
Abhi tum dil ko rehnay do abhi chup chaap sehnay do

Abhi khaahish ke taaqon mein chiraaghon ko bujha dena
Abhi peron ke chaalon ko musaafat ki saza dena

Abhi apni muhabbat ko kisi kal per utha dena
Abhi ghunchon ki qismat ko khizaayen likh raheen hon gee

~Unknown

ghunchon = gardens
guldaan = vase
taaqon = hidden corners
musaafat = j0urney

Tuesday, April 7, 2009

Maraahil

Aik lamhay ko kabhi vaqt ki gardish na thami
Hasb-e-dastoor maah-o-saal badaltay he rahay
Aik lau, aik lagan, aik lehek dil mein liye
Hum mohabbat ki kathin raah pe chaltay he rahay
hasb-e-dastoor = as per tradition
lau = flame
lagan = passionate desire
lehek = unflinching devotion


(Time never stopped. I kept walking on the intricate path of love)

Kitnay pur-paich maraahil ko kiya tay hum ne
Vaadiyaan kitni mileen raah mein dushvaar guzaar
Sainkron sang-e-giraa.n raah mein haail thay magar
Aik lamhay ko bhi tooti na junoo.n ki raftaar
pur-paich = intricate
maraahil = stages
dushvaar guzaar = impassible
sainkron = hundreds
sang-e-giraa.n = massive path-blocking stone
haail = in the way
raftaar = speed


(I went through so many obstacles, without letting the hindrances lessen the intensity of my passion [love])

Aaj chaaye hain vo ghanghor andheray lekin
Jin mein dhoonday se bhi miltay nahin raahon ke suraagh
Vo andheray keh nikaltay huay darti hai nigaah
Saamnay ho to nazar aaye na manzil ka chiraagh
ghanghor = utter; complete
suraagh = sign


(Today an utter darkness covers all. We can't find signs of roads - no guidance. Not even glances dare leave the eyes; and destination's lamps, though closeby, are blotted out)

Mujh se badzan na ho ai dost keh meri nazrain
Kiya hua paich-o-kham-e-raah mein uljhi hain agar
Rood-o-kohsaar ki her lamha bhatakti maujain
Apni manzil ki taraf he to raheen garm-e-safar
badzan = misunderstand
paich-o-kham-e-raah = labyrinth
rood = streams
kohsaar = mountains
maujain = tides
garm-e-safar = in journey


(Don't be upset with me, my dear, if I seem to be lost or distracted. [I'll find my way back to you, just like] the mountain streams ever losing their way still flows onward to their destination)

Mujh se bargashta na ho tu keh mera dil hai vahi
Kiya hua fikr ke chaaye hain jo gehray baadal
Chashm-e-zaahir se jo chup jaaye to chup jaanay de
Abr mein bujh nahin jaati hai qamar ki mish'al
bargashta = angry
chashm-e-zaahir = sight
abr = rain
qamar = moon
mish'al = [guiding] light


(Don't be angry with me [because I seem to be mentally absent]. So what worry's dark clouds have gathered? Clouds can't turn off moon's guiding light [just like the love in my heart for you, our guiding light, can't be erased by any amount of worry])

Mujh se bezaar na ho tu keh meray zehen mein aaj
Kiya hua sirf jo bedaar hai manzil ka kheyaal
Moj-e-subh ki khaatir he to bunta hai falak
Zulmat-e-shab mein yeh taaron ka chamakta hua jaal
bezaar = dejected
bedaar = awake
moj-e-subh = morning light
bunta = weave
falak = sky
zulmat-e-shab = hopeless dark of the night
jaal = net


(Don't be frustrated with me because I'm only thinking about the destination [the end of the bothersome road that we're on in search of love - for all this struggle is ultimately for us to reach our end]. For the sky in the darkness of the night weaves a glittering net of stars to create morning light)

Meray chehray pe jo hai vaqt ka shabgoo.n partu
Hai usi aks se dhundla tira aaina-e-dil
Aa keh yeh lamha-e-haazir nahin haasil apna
Hai paray aaj ki zulmaat se apni manzil
shabgoo.n = nocturnal
partu = reflection
aks = mirror image
dhundla = blurred
aaina-e-dil = mirror of the heart
paray = away from


(What my face presents is simply the residue of sleepless nights spent in thoughts and worries - this is not me. This present moment is not the one you should be concerned with, for our future lies away from the harsh realities of today)

In dhuaa.nDhaar andheron se guzarnay ke liye
Khoon-e-dil se koi mish'al to jalaani ho gee
Ishq ke rafta-o-sargashta junoo.n ko ai dost
Zindagaani ki ada aaj sikhaani ho gee
dhuaa.nDhaar = blinding
rafta-o-sargashta = mad wandering


(But to pass through these obstacles, we must turn a light on - light from within - and teach love the shaping of life)

Overall Summary: Main mushkil raaston se ho ke aayeen hoon, musaafat buri tarah thaka chuki hai per safar abhi khatam nahin hua. Saathi ki talaash hai, aur tum meray saath raho. Meray chehray ko mat dekho, meri zaahiri beegangi pe mat jaao. Meray dil mein tumhaaray liye mohabbat aur wafa ke dheron diye jal rahay hain. Waqt se pehlay unhain na tumhain de sakti hoon na dikha sakti hoon, per yeh sari mohabbat tumhaari hai. Tum meray zaahir ke ilavah kuch aur dekhnay ki koshish to karo.

~Jan Nisar Ahkter

Saturday, April 4, 2009

Mohabbat Yaad Rakhti Hai

Meri ammi ke liye; jin ke baaray mein log yeh samajhtay hain keh beetay huay maah-o-saal ne hamaaray dilon se unhain khurach daala hai. Shayed is liye keh log unhain bhula chukay hain.

jisay saaray bhula daalain,
muhabbat yaad rakhti hai