Home | December '99 Index

Date: 16-Dec-99
Poet: Mirza Ghalib

Ghalib is never an easy poet to read and understand. 
More than 70 of his well known ghazals are archived at 
http://www.urdupoetry.com/ghalib.html

I have provided the meanings of difficult words but 
that in itself is never sufficient to understand his poetry. 
For those of you who may be interested, I would 
recommend making queries on alt.language.urdu.poetry 
newsgroup to take advantage of the very knowledgeable 
and helpful 'ustads' who frequent this newsgroup.

The newsgroup can be accessed through newsgroup 
browsers like DejaNews (http://www.deja.com) or 
Remarq (http://www.remarq.com)


meharam nahii.n hai tuu hii navaa-haaye raaz kaa
yaa.N varnaa jo hijaab hai pardaa hai saaz kaa

[meharam = secret; navaa = sound; hijaab = shyness]

rang-e-shikastaa subah-e-bahaar-e-nazaaraa hai
ye vaqt hai shaguftan-e-gul haaye naaz kaa

[rang-e-shikastaa = lack of colour; nazaaraa = view]
[shaguftan-e-gul haaye naaz = pride in the smile of flowers]

tuu aur suu-e-Gair nazar haaye tez-tez
main aur dukh terii mizshaa haaye daraaz kaa

[suu-e-Gair = in the direction of rivals/strangers]
[mizshaa haaye daraaz = long eyelashes]

sarfaa hai zabt-e-aah me.n meraa vaGarnaa mai.n
to'maa huu.N ek hii nafs-e-jaa.N-gudaaz kaa

[sarfaa = stinginess; zabt = restraint; vaGarnaa = otherwise]
[to'maa = enjoyment; nafs-e-jaa.N-gudaaz = fatal sigh]

hai.n bas ke josh-e-baadaa se shiishe uchhal rahe
har goshaa-e-bisaat hai sar shiishaabaaz kaa

[baadaa = wine; goshaa = corner; bisaat = bed; shiishaabaaz = open bottle]

kaavish kaa dil kare hai taqaazaa ke hai hanoz
naaKhuun pe qarz us girah-e-niim-baaz kaa

[taqaazaa = want; hanoz = yet/till now]

taaraaz-e-kaavish-e-Gam-e-hijaraa.N huaa "Asad"
siinaa ke thaa dafiinaa gauhar haaye raaz kaa

[taaraaz = decoration; kaavish = thought; Gam-e-hijaraa.N = sorrow of separation]
[dafiinaa gauhar haaye raaz = secret of the hidden pearl]