“Mat pooch ke kya haal hai mera teray peechey
Tu dekh ke kya rang tera meray aage”
Very powerful and romantic words from the renowned Mirza Ghalib (circa 19th century)
Roughly translated…
“Do not ask me about the colors draining from me after you leave
You worry about the colors that overcome you in my presence”
“Itni muddat baad miley ho
Kin sochon mein ghum rehtey ho?
Tez hawa ne mujhse poocha
“Ret pe kya likhte rehtey ho?”
Kaun si baat hai tum mein aisi?
Itni achche kyon lagte ho?
Humse na poochho hijr ke kisse
Apni kaho, ab tum kaise ho?”
Roughly translated…
“We meet today after such a long time
What thoughts are you so lost in?
The strong wind keeps asking me (sarcastically)
What am I trying to write in the sand?
What is so special about you?
Why do you look so beautiful (to me)?
Don’t ask me about our separation, please
You tell me – How are you doing these days?”
“Waiz! Teri duaon mein asar ho
To masjid ko hila kay dikha
Nahin to do ghoont pee,
Aur masjid ko hilta dekh”
To understand this beautiful couplet, one needs to understand the basis for Sufism – which was a liberal offshoot of Islam. The proponents of Sufism – the Sufis – composed a lot of beautiful poetry around three things that could purportedly put you in a transcendental high. The spirit of God, the intoxication of alcohol and the beauty of your woman. Some would argue that they actually merge at one level.
In fact, there are some interesting duels between those three concepts. This couplet is one of them. The poet is saying…
“If your prayers have that much power
Then make the mosque sway in front of me
Or else, come sit with me and take a couple of sips
And watch the minarets swing in front of your eyes” !!!
“Ankhiyon Ke Jharokhon Se Maine Dekha Jo Saanware
Tum Door Nazar Aaye Badi Door Nazar Aaye
Band Karke Jharokhon Ko Zara Baithee Jo Sochne
Man Mein Tumhi Muskaye Man Mein Tumhi Muskaye”
Roughly translated…
“From the window of my eyes, when I saw you – my Loved One
You seemed far, I saw you very far away
(And then) When I closed the windows of my eyes, and sat thinking
I saw you smiling; I saw you smiling in my own dear heart”
“Koi ummeed bar nahin aati
Koi soorat nazar nahin aati
Maut ka ek din mu’ayyan hai
Neend kyun raat bhar nahi aati?”
Roughly translated.. (Improvements always welcome…)
“I don’t see any hope coming my way
Nor a visage of a solution meets my sight
That death will come one day is definitely true
Then why is it that I cannot sleep all night?”
“Dard se mere hai tujhko beqaraari haae haae
Kya hua zalim teri ghaflat-ashiari haae haae
Tere dil mein gar na tha ashob-e-gham ka hausla
Tu ne phir kyun ki thi meri gham-gusari haae haae”
Roughly translated… and any help from experts in Urdu in refining this would be much appreciated…
“You seem to be oblivious to all my pains, Oh, my!
What an oppression of your total carelessness you inflict, Oh, my!!
If you did not have the strength to deal with the vagaries of pain
Why did you, once upon a time, offer sympathies for my pain, then?”
“Tu wo zaalim hai jo
Dil mein reh kar bhi
Mera na ban Saka
Aur Dil wo kafir jo
Mukh mein reh kar bhi
Tera hogaya…”
Roughly translated…
“You are such an oppressor that
In spite of living in my heart
You never become mine.
And my heart – it is so disloyal that
In spite of living within me
It shamelessly became yours!”
“Main shaayar to nahin / Magar ae haseen
Jab se dekha, maine tujhko / Mujhko shaayari aa gayee
Main aashiq to nahin / Magar ae haseen
Jab se dekha maine tujhko / Mujhko aashiqui aa gayee
Pyaar ka naam maine / Suna tha magar
Pyaar kya haii / Yeh mujhko na thi khabar
Main to uljha raha / Uljhanon ki tarha
Doston mein raha / Dushmanon ki tarha
Main dushman to nahin / Magar ae haseen
Jab se dekha maine tujhko / Mujhko dosti aa gayi
Sochta hoon agar / Main dua maangta
Haath apne uthaakar / ain kya maangta
Jab se tujhse mohabbat / Main karne laga
Tab se jaise ibaadat / Main karne laga
Main kaafir to nahin / Magar ae haseen
Jab se dekha maine tujhko / Mujhko bandagi aa gayi”
Roughly translated…
“I was never a poet; But your heavenly beauty
Ever since I saw you, poetry has been flowing in me
I was never a romantic; But your heavenly beauty
Ever since I saw you, love has come to me naturally
I had indeed heard about love;
But I had no clue what it was all about
I was entangled with all these confusion
And hid like an enemy even among my friends
But I am not anybody’s enemy; But your heavenly beauty
Ever since I saw you, friendship has come naturally to me
Sometimes I muse that if I were ever to pray
Raising my own hands, what would I ask for?
Ever since I fell in love with you,
I have started worshipping Almighty too!
I was never a non-believer; But your heavenly beauty
Ever since I saw you, faith and belief has naturally come to me”
