Sarv-o-Saman Bhi

Sarv-o-Saman Bhi
[by Moin Ahsan Jazbi]

Sarv-o-saman bhi, mauj-e-naseem-e-sahar bhi hai
Ay gul tere chaman mein koi chasm-e-tar bhi hai?

Kuchh der pi le kakul-o-aariz ki chhaaon mein
Jaadu-e-shaam bhi hai, fusoon-e-sahar bhi hai

Duniya sune to qissa-e-gham hai bohot taveel
Haan tum suno to qissa-e-gham mukhtasar bhi hai

Ab shaayaraan-e-Hind mein Jazbi, Jigar ke baad
Ye sochta hoon main koi saahib nazar bhi hai...

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I have been listening obsessively to this one for a while, beautifully sung by Abida (I'll try and post a higher quality version later). I've found that listening to a ghazal to the point of complete immersion is where proper translation possiblities begin to form...

Jazbi is very much in his melancholy element here, and reserves a special honor for Jigar Moradabadi in the last couplet, lamenting the loss of Jigar from the poetic world. Perhaps that is what makes this ghazal even more special for me, since both are among my favorites.

Let's see how I translate this one...