Tanhaai

Khwaab ki tarah bikhar jaane ko jee chaahta hai
Aisi tanhaai ke mar jaane ko jee chaahta hai
[Iftikhar Arif]

To shatter like a dream, I wish
Such loneliness- that to die, I wish
[Translated by Siyaah]

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Not much more to say these days.

Is Dard Se...

Is dard se nejaat paaun to kaise
Waapas ab us duniya mein jaaun to kaise... [1]

Abhi tak tumhaara khwaab meri aankhon mein hai
Main apna sab kuchh chhorh jaaun to kaise...

Main khush hoon bohot, pareshaan hoon bohot
Apni haalat tumhein samjhaaun to kaise...

Main kuchh bhi sochun tum aa jaate ho khayaalon mein
Khayaalon ke is jaal ko ab suljhaaun to kaise...

Tumhi the chaand, tumhi suraj, tumhi taaron ka falak
Din raat main ab apne bachaaun to kaise... [5]

Tum aaye the to yaad aaya tha ke zindaa hoon main
Ab zindagi ke mai'ne phir se bhulaaun to kaise...

Khushiyon ki horh mein hai har koi mubtelaa
Kamzarfon ko gham apne dikhaaun to kaise... [7]

Lo kehne laga phir se kuchh sher Siyaah
Ab hosh mein main aaun to kaise... [8]

[by Siyaah]


[1]nejaat: escape, to become free of (especially hardships)
[5]falak: celestial sphere, sky, also used for orbit, which gives this couplet a nice touch with reference to day and night in the second verse
[7]mubtelaa: deeply involved, especially in misfortune, misery, difficulties...thus bringing out the irony here with 'khushiyon ki...'
kamzarf: literally, those with less wit, capability, elegance, beauty
[8] Siyaah is used here as a takhallus, and could also be read as a characteristic of the sher...both interpretations connect to the last verse.

O Dusk of Grief: A Translation

O Dusk of Grief
[By Firaq Gorakhpuri. Translated from the Urdu by Siyaah]

O dusk of grief- somewhat of that graceful gaze, let’s talk
Unconsciousness increases- of the secret, let’s talk [1]

This graceful silence, this rupturing of the heart’s veins
In silence, somewhat of that organ’s defeat, let’s talk [2]

Somewhat from the cage’s bars- something like light filters through
Somewhat of the skies, somewhat of the desire to fly, let’s talk [3]

The fragrance of hair tousled, tale of dusk of grief
Till dawn- in this very style, let’s talk... [4]

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Translator's Notes

I have tried to convey the poet's words and ideas while leaving the interpretations somewhat open in places, as in the original.

[1] nigaah-e-naaz: gaze of grace / one with the graceful gaze / graceful gaze

[2] sukoot: silence; ragon: blood vessels - I have used veins for poetic effect; shikast-e-saaz: defeat of (musical) instrument - I have used organ as it carries the meaning of musical instrument and also connects to 'heart' in the previous line.

[3] qafas: cage; noor: light, typically with deeper positive connotations often of a spiritual nature; fazaa: atmosphere / skies / space, also suggesting the conditions of these i.e. the weather; hasrat-e-parwaz: desire to fly

[4] nakhat: breath of air / fragrance; zulf-e-pareshaan: hair that is tousled / disarrayed, typically invoking beauty and mystery.

Shaam-e-Ghum: Firaq

Shaam-e-Ghum
[By Firaq Gorakhpuri]

Shaam-e-ghum kuchh us nigaah-e-naaz ki baatein karo
Bekhudi badhti chali hai, raaz ki baatein karo

Ye sukoot-e-naaz, ye dil ki ragon ka tootna
Khamoshi mein kuchh shikast-e-saaz ki baatein karo

Kuchh qafas ki teeliyon se chhan rahaa hai noor saa,
Kuchh fazaa kuchh hasrat-e-parwaaz ki baatein karo

Nakhat-e-zulf-e-pareshaan dastaan-e-shaam-e-ghum
Subho hone tak isi andaaz ki batein karo



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This is one of my favorite ghazals from Firaq's repertoire, rendered so well by Vinod Sehgal. I'm trying to translate this...let's see how it turns out...

Kya poochte ho...

A comment on my earlier post asked: "Where are you?"

I am still wondering how to answer. It is at once a simple yet philosophical question, depending on the mood you're in. Not to turn this into a series of posts from my own inventory, but I could not resist letting these stand-alone verses go through in response...


Kya poochhte ho kahaan hain hum
Shikasta kashti mein aur toofaan ke darmiyaan hain hum...

Kya poochhte ho ke kaise hain
Ek dard se nikle hain abhi, ek ki taak mein baithe hain...


Before I start testing everyone's patience with my own scribbles, I'll be back with translations next...