Poetry Urdu Poetry

[Calazviel]

I would love to introduce you guys to Urdu poetry, the rhyming couple and poetry in general is seen as one of the highest forms of artistic expression in the sub-continent and also in Persian culture, Lebanese culture etc. People often gather to here poetry and this isn't an activity of the bourgeosie but for people rich and poor. Here are a rew favourites and hopefully I can post more going forward and I will post in the original Urdu followed by the literal translation:

Tishnaa Nazarein Mili Shokh Nazaron Se Jab, Mai Barasne Lagi Jaam Bharne Lagaa
Saaqiyaa Aaj Teri Zaroorat Nahin, Bin Piye Bin Pilaaye Khumaar Aa Gayaa
– Roshan Nadan

When my eyes filled with longing and desire met your attractive daring look, Wine started flowing, Goblets began to get filled. O bartender, I don’t need you to pour a drink today, Even without drinking, I feel intoxicated.

Gulshan ki faqat phoolon se nahin kaaton se bhi zeenat hoti hai,
jeene ke liye is duniya mein gham ki bhi zaroorat hoti hai.
– Saba Afghani

The beauty of a garden lies not only in its flowers, but also in the thorns
To live in this world, it is necessary to suffer pain as well

Unke dekhne se jo aa jaati hai muh par raunaq
Woh samajhte hai ke beemaar ka haal achchha hai
-Mirza Ghalib

On seeing her my face brightens up
She presumes the condition of the sick lover is better now

Hamko unse wafa ki hai ummeed
Jo naheen jaante wafa kya hai
-Mirza Ghalib

I hope for faith from one
Who doesn't know what it means to be faithful

 

[Calazviel]

Strange Currents
by Amir Khusrow
loose translation by Michael R. Burch

O Khusrow, the river of love
creates strange currents—
the one who would surface invariably drowns,
while the one who submerges, survives.

 

[Calazviel]

Exiles
by Mirza Ghalib
loose translation by Michael R. Burch

Often we have heard of Adam's banishment from Eden,
but with far greater humiliation, I depart your paradise.

 

[Calazviel]

The Mistake
by Mirza Ghalib
loose translation by Michael R. Burch

All your life, O Ghalib,
You kept repeating the same mistake:
Your face was dirty
But you were obsessed with cleaning the mirror

 

[FrankBlack]

Very interesting meter, I fear there is much lost in the translation...I love the concept in the mistake...

 

[xyzrp]

How come I never saw this before??!!!

One of my fave by Mirza Ghalib:

Hazaaron khwahishen aisi ke har khwahish pe dam nikle
Bohat niklay mere armaan, lekin phir bhi kam nikle

Daray kyon mera qaatil? kya rahega us ki gardan par?
Voh khoon, jo chashm-e-tar se umr bhar yoon dam-ba-dam nikle

Nikalna khuld se aadam ka soonte aaye hain lekin
Bahot be-aabru hokar tere kooche se hum nikle

Bharam khul jaaye zaalim! teri qaamat ki daraazi ka
Agar is tarahe par pech-o-kham ka pech-o-kham nikle

Magar likhvaaye koi usko khat, to hum se likhvaaye
Hui subaha, aur ghar se kaan par rakh kar qalam nikle

Hui is daur mein mansoob mujh se baada aashaami
Phir aaya voh zamaana, jo jahaan mein jaam-e-jaam nikle


Hui jin se tavaqqa khastagi ki daad paane ki
Voh ham se bhi zyaada khasta e tegh e sitam nikle

Mohabbat mein nahin hai farq jeenay aur marnay ka
Usi ko dekh kar jeetay hain, jis kaafir pe dam nikle


Zara kar jor seene par ki teer-e-pursitam niklejo
Wo nikle to dil nikle, jo dil nikle to dam nikle


Khuda ke waaste parda na kaabe se uthaa zaalim
Kaheen aisa na ho yaan bhi wahi kaafir sanam nikle

Kahaan maikhane ka darwaaza Ghalib aur kahaan vaaiz
Par itna jaantay hain kal voh jaata tha ke ham nikle

Hazaaron khwahishen aisi ke har khwahish pe dam nikle
Bohat niklay mere armaan, lekin phir bhi kam nikle...


TRANSLATION-


Thousands of desires, each worth dying for...
many of them I have realized...yet I yearn for more...

Why should my killer (lover) be afraid? No one will hold her responsible
for the blood which will continuously flow through my eyes all my life

We have heard about the dismissal of Adam from Heaven,
With a more humiliation, I am leaving the street on which you live...

Oh tyrant, your true personality will be known to all
if the curls of my hair slip through my turban!

But if someone wants to write her a letter, they can ask me,
every morning I leave my house with my pen on my ear.

In that age, I turned to drinking (alcohol)
and then the time came when my entire world was occupied by alcohol

From whom I expected justice/praise for my weakness
turned out to be more injured with the same cruel sword

When in love, there is little difference between life and death
we live by looking at the infidel who we are willing to die for

Put some pressure on your heart to remove that cruel arrow,
for if the arrow comes out, so will your heart...and your life.

For god's sake, don't lift the cover off any secrets you tyrant
the infidel might turn out to be my lover!

The preacher and the bar's entrance are way apart
yet I saw him entering the bar as I was leaving!

thousands of desires, each worth dying for...
many of them I have realized...yet I yearn for more

 

[xyzrp]

Another one by Mirza Ghalib. I think this was the first Urdu poetry I was ever introduced to. Needless to say, I was wet af.

Dil-e-naadaan tujhe hua kya hai ?
Aakhir is dard kee dawa kya hai
O innocent heart, what happened to you
What is the cure for this pain, after all?

Hamko unse wafa ki hai ummeed
Jo naheen jaante wafa kya hai
I hope for faith from one
Who doesn’t know what it means to be faithful

Ham hain mushtaaq aur woh bezaar
Ya ilaahee ! Yeh maajra kya hai ?
I am anxious and eager, he is cold and displeased
Oh God, what is this mystery?

Main bhi muh me zabaan rakhataa hun
Kaash puchho ki mudda kyaa hai
I too have a tongue in my mouth (I too have an opinion)
If only I was I asked my intention (mudda’ is a distorted form of the actual Urdu word ‘mudua’ which means ‘ intention’, ‘will’ or ‘objective’)

Jab ki tujh bin naheen koyi maujood
Fir ye hangaama, ‘ei khuda ! Kya hai
If there is no one except you in my world
Then why this ruckus, what is this world, O God?

Ye pari chehra log kaise hain
Gamaza-o-ishwa-o-ada kya hai
What are these beautiful angelic-faced women like?
What are all the airs and graces about? (their amorous glances, their coquettishness and their enticing style)

Shikan-e-zulf-e-ambari kyon hai
Nigah-e-chashm-e-surma sa kya hai
Why do these fragrant curls exist? (referring to a woman’s tresses)
What is the meaning of the glance of your eyes lined with kohl?

Sabz-o-gul kahaan se aaye hai
Abr kyaa chiz hai, havaa kyaa hai
Where has this beautiful greenery and nature come from?
What is this cloud and the wind?

Jaan tum par nisaar karta hoon
Main naheen jaanata duaa kya hai
I am willing to sacrifice my life for you
I do not know what else is prayer?

Haan bhalaa kar, teraa bhalaa hogaa
Aur daravesh ki sadaa kyaa hai
Yes, do good, and good will come to you
What, but this does the dervish say?

Maine maanaa ki kuchh nahi “Ghalib”
Muft haath aaye, to buraa kyaa hai
I agree that ‘Ghalib’ is ‘nothing’,
But what harm does it do, if you get him for ‘nothing’?

 

[xyzrp]

Hum ne mohabaton ke nashe mei aa kar usey khuda bana dala
Hosh tab aya jab usne kaha ki khuda kisi ek ka nahin hota
Intoxicated in love, I ended up making him/her/them God
Came to my senses when they said, God does not belong to just one.

 

[Thalassa]

Hum ne mohabaton ke nashe mei aa kar usey khuda bana dala
Hosh tab aya jab usne kaha ki khuda kisi ek ka nahin hota
Intoxicated in love, I ended up making him/her/them God
Came to my senses when they said, God does not belong to just one.

By whom?

 

[Thalassa]

Strange Currents
by Amir Khusrow
loose translation by Michael R. Burch

O Khusrow, the river of love
creates strange currents—
the one who would surface invariably drowns,
while the one who submerges, survives.

Transliteration of the poem:
Khusrau darya prem ka, ulti wa ki dhaar,
Jo utra so doob gaya, jo dooba so paar.

 

[Thalassa]

How come I never saw this before??!!!

One of my fave by Mirza Ghalib:

Hazaaron khwahishen aisi ke har khwahish pe dam nikle
Bohat niklay mere armaan, lekin phir bhi kam nikle

Daray kyon mera qaatil? kya rahega us ki gardan par?
Voh khoon, jo chashm-e-tar se umr bhar yoon dam-ba-dam nikle

Nikalna khuld se aadam ka soonte aaye hain lekin
Bahot be-aabru hokar tere kooche se hum nikle

Bharam khul jaaye zaalim! teri qaamat ki daraazi ka
Agar is tarahe par pech-o-kham ka pech-o-kham nikle

Magar likhvaaye koi usko khat, to hum se likhvaaye
Hui subaha, aur ghar se kaan par rakh kar qalam nikle

Hui is daur mein mansoob mujh se baada aashaami
Phir aaya voh zamaana, jo jahaan mein jaam-e-jaam nikle


Hui jin se tavaqqa khastagi ki daad paane ki
Voh ham se bhi zyaada khasta e tegh e sitam nikle

Mohabbat mein nahin hai farq jeenay aur marnay ka
Usi ko dekh kar jeetay hain, jis kaafir pe dam nikle


Zara kar jor seene par ki teer-e-pursitam niklejo
Wo nikle to dil nikle, jo dil nikle to dam nikle


Khuda ke waaste parda na kaabe se uthaa zaalim
Kaheen aisa na ho yaan bhi wahi kaafir sanam nikle

Kahaan maikhane ka darwaaza Ghalib aur kahaan vaaiz
Par itna jaantay hain kal voh jaata tha ke ham nikle

Hazaaron khwahishen aisi ke har khwahish pe dam nikle
Bohat niklay mere armaan, lekin phir bhi kam nikle...


TRANSLATION-


Thousands of desires, each worth dying for...
many of them I have realized...yet I yearn for more...

Why should my killer (lover) be afraid? No one will hold her responsible
for the blood which will continuously flow through my eyes all my life

We have heard about the dismissal of Adam from Heaven,
With a more humiliation, I am leaving the street on which you live...

Oh tyrant, your true personality will be known to all
if the curls of my hair slip through my turban!

But if someone wants to write her a letter, they can ask me,
every morning I leave my house with my pen on my ear.

In that age, I turned to drinking (alcohol)
and then the time came when my entire world was occupied by alcohol

From whom I expected justice/praise for my weakness
turned out to be more injured with the same cruel sword

When in love, there is little difference between life and death
we live by looking at the infidel who we are willing to die for

Put some pressure on your heart to remove that cruel arrow,
for if the arrow comes out, so will your heart...and your life.

For god's sake, don't lift the cover off any secrets you tyrant
the infidel might turn out to be my lover!

The preacher and the bar's entrance are way apart
yet I saw him entering the bar as I was leaving!

thousands of desires, each worth dying for...
many of them I have realized...yet I yearn for more

Beauty.

 

[Deleted member 1136740]

Very interesting meter, I fear there is much lost in the translation...I love the concept in the mistake...

I completely agree. The beauty and the magic of these Urdu/Hindi poems are lost in the translation. The main thing is that in Urdu/Hindi, there can be multiple words to describe something but that translates to a very sophisticated word in English and the Magic is lost.

But thank you @Calazviel for this thread.

 

[xyzrp]

By whom?

By Mirza Ghalib

 

[xyzrp]

My heart

 

[xyzrp]

My heart

Do not ask, my love, for the love we had before:
You existed, I told myself, so all existence shone,
Grief for me was you; the world’s grief was far.
Spring was ever renewed in your face:
Beyond your eyes, what could the world hold?
Had I won you, Fate’s head would hang, defeated.
Yet all this was not so, I merely wished it so.
The world knows sorrows other than those of love,
Pleasures beyond those of romance:
The dread dark spell of countless centuries
Woven with silk and satin and gold braocade,
Bodies sold everywhere, in streets and markets,
Besmeared with dirt, bathed in blood,
Crawling from infested ovens,
My gaze returns to these: what can I do?
Your beauty still haunts me: what can I do?
The world is burdened by sorrows beyond love,
By pleasures beyond romance,
Do not demand that love which can be no more.

- Faiz Ahmed Faiz