Saturday, May 10, 2014

Raah-e-Siyaah

Ab ek dosti si hai usse,
Bas ek zindagi si hai usse...

Na uske saath hoon na tanhaa,
Ajab dillagi si hai usse...

Khoye un aakhon mein zamaane guzre,
Ab talak bekhudi si hai usse...

Kaun hua kiska baqaul-e-Firaaq,
Ummeed aakhri si hai usse... [4]

Is zindagi-e-gunaah ke beech,
Ek paakeezgi si hai usse...

Zindagi yoon bhi guzar hi jaati,
Haan ek dilchaspi si hai usse...[6]

Main kahaan khatam wo kahaan shuru,
Kaisi be-takallufi si hai usse...[7]

Hain sitaare kab se gardish mein,
Meri duniya thami si hai usse...

Har taraf dard dhoondhta hai mujhe,
Dil mein par ek khushi si hai usse...

Ab jo hosh hai to us hi se hai,
Jo hai deewaangi si hai usse...

Masjid-o-mandir se kya lagaaein dil,
Qurbat roohaani si hai usse...[11]

Kya sitaare nazar mein tikte,
Jab aisi chaandni si hai usse...

Mujhko maaloom hai sab hai to wahi,
Par har ek shay nayi si hai usse...

Wo jo ek mod par gayaa chhod kar,
Har taraf ek kami si hai usse...

Wo mila jo baad-e-pyaas-e-umr,
To ek tishnagi si hai usse...

Hai ek silsilaa-e-naummeedi,
Kadi jiski bandhi si hai usse...

Ab duaon mein hi naam hai uska,
Namaaz ki paabandi si hai usse...[17]

Chalo is janam jo hua so hua,
Aakhirat to bani si hai usse...[18]

Hain us hi raah-e-siyaah par hum,
Duur wahi roshni si hai usse...[19]

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[4] "Baqaul-e-Firaaq": As stated by Firaaq. References the lament by Firaaq Gorakhpuri "Kisi ka yoon to hua kaun umr bhar phir bhi", which I translated quite a while back.

[6] Dilchaspi: interest / curiosity.

[7] Be-takallufi: frankness / informality.

[11] Qurbat: continual approach and coming nearer, implying a connection / link

[17] Pabandi: regularity. Roohaani: spiritual.

[18] Aakhirat: hereafter / afterlife.

[19] Sometimes an entire ghazal can be held up for long because the right maqtaa (closing couplet) does not manifest itself...finally it did - how many interpretations are possible for this?