Home | January '99 Index

Date: 07-Jan-99
Poet: Imam

i.nkaar me.n iqaraar kii baat aa hii ga_ii hai
baato.n me.n Gam-e-yaar kii baat aa hii ga_ii hai

aayaa hai kabhii zikr agar daar-o-rasan kaa
gesuu-va-qad-e-yaar kii baat aa hii ga_ii hai

[daar-o-rasan = scaffolding and a hangman's noose]
[gesuu-va-qad-e-yaar = the height and hair of one's beloved]

jab surKhi-e-gulashan kaa kabhii zikr huaa hai
tere lab-o-ruKhsaar kii baat aa hii ga_ii hai

[surKhi-e-gulashan = (red) colour of the garden]
[lab-o-ruKhsaar = lips and cheeks]

Dhuu.NDaa hai agar zaKhm-e-tamannaa ne mudaavaa
ik nargis-e-biimaar kii baat aa hii ga_ii hai

[zaKhm-e-tamannaa = wound caused by desire]
[mudaavaa = cure; nargis-e-biimaar = beloved's eyes (not a direct translation)]

[The beauty of a woman's eyes are often compared 
to that of the 'nargis' flower, which has an eye shape.
Iqbal used this metaphor beautifully in one of his sher:

hazaaro.n saal nargis apanii benuurii pe rotii hai
ba.Dii mushkil se hotaa hai chaman me.n diidaa-e-var paidaa

Of course Iqbal's sher is not in praise of anyone's eyes]

mil baiThe hai.n zi.ndaa.N me.n agar shaam ko ahabaab
tere dar-o-diivaar kii baat aa hii ga_ii hai

[zi.ndaa.N = prison; ahabaah = friends (plural of habiib)]
[dar = door; diivaar = walls]

chhe.Daa hai ko_ii talKh fasaanaa jo kisii ne
shiiriini-e-guftaar kii baat aa hii ga_ii hai

[talKh = bitter; fasaanaa = tale; shiiriini-e-guftaar = sweetness of (someone's) conversation]

The use of metaphors is striking. And the overall 
impression is of one who has loved and lost.