I live at many levels
Flying high above Shanghai clouds
Firaq's earthen vernacular
Faiz's hope
Jazbi's despondency
All are me.
[By Siyaah/Black. Somewhere in Shanghai airspace, circa mid-2000's]
Wednesday, November 15, 2006
Thursday, November 09, 2006
Existential Dilemma: a translation
Existential Dilemma
[By Moin Ahsan Jazbi. Interpretive translation from the Urdu by Siyaah]
Why pray for death, why hope for life?
This world or the other- why desire either?
The fire that you lit- was doused by tears,
That which the tears have sparked, what will put out?
When the ship was safe and sound- who desired the shore,
Now, on this wreck- why desire it at all?
The world abandoned you Jazbi, why not abandon the world?
You've understood the world- why cry for it anymore?
--
The poet's nom-de-plume, Jazbi, means "one who absorbs / attracts".
The verses of this ghazal are ripe with idiomatic expressions. I have attempted to 'save the soul' and also kept it as literally close to the original as possible.
--
Update: As promised, here's a high quality recording of this ghazal rendered by Habib Wali. I noticed that this one is more classical, while the earlier one has more 'movie-song' type music:
[By Moin Ahsan Jazbi. Interpretive translation from the Urdu by Siyaah]
Why pray for death, why hope for life?
This world or the other- why desire either?
The fire that you lit- was doused by tears,
That which the tears have sparked, what will put out?
When the ship was safe and sound- who desired the shore,
Now, on this wreck- why desire it at all?
The world abandoned you Jazbi, why not abandon the world?
You've understood the world- why cry for it anymore?
--
The poet's nom-de-plume, Jazbi, means "one who absorbs / attracts".
The verses of this ghazal are ripe with idiomatic expressions. I have attempted to 'save the soul' and also kept it as literally close to the original as possible.
--
Update: As promised, here's a high quality recording of this ghazal rendered by Habib Wali. I noticed that this one is more classical, while the earlier one has more 'movie-song' type music:
Saturday, November 04, 2006
Duniya: Existential Dilemma
Duniya
[By Moin Ahsan Jazbi]
Marne ki duaein kyun maangoon, jeene ki tamanna kaun kare,
Ye duniya ho ya wo duniya, ab khwahish-e-duniya kaun kare.
Jo aag lagayi thi tum ne, usko to bujhaaya ashkon ne,
Jo ashkon ne bhaRhkai hai, us aag ko thanda kaun kare.
Jab kashti saabit-o-saalim thi, saahil ki tamanna kisko thi,
Ab aisi shikasta kashti par, saahil ki tamanna kaun kare.
Duniya ne humein chhoRha Jazbi, hum chhoRh na dein kyun duniya ko,
Duniya ko samajh kar baithe hain, ab duniya duniya kaun kare.
Jazbi (1912-2005) was born in Azamgarh and had a long association with Aligarh, where he received his Ph.D. in Urdu and continued as an academic. He is counted among the most prominent 20th century Urdu poets. His most famous poetry is excessively morose and even deals directly with existential issues. The ghazal above, which I have titled "Duniya", is one of his most well known works, and is typical of his style - highly lyrical yet easily interwoven with the most difficult themes.
Listen here to a quaint rendition of the above ghazal by the lesser known but highly regarded, Habib Wali (the sound quality isn't all that great. I might upload from my collection later).
[By Moin Ahsan Jazbi]
Marne ki duaein kyun maangoon, jeene ki tamanna kaun kare,
Ye duniya ho ya wo duniya, ab khwahish-e-duniya kaun kare.
Jo aag lagayi thi tum ne, usko to bujhaaya ashkon ne,
Jo ashkon ne bhaRhkai hai, us aag ko thanda kaun kare.
Jab kashti saabit-o-saalim thi, saahil ki tamanna kisko thi,
Ab aisi shikasta kashti par, saahil ki tamanna kaun kare.
Duniya ne humein chhoRha Jazbi, hum chhoRh na dein kyun duniya ko,
Duniya ko samajh kar baithe hain, ab duniya duniya kaun kare.
Jazbi (1912-2005) was born in Azamgarh and had a long association with Aligarh, where he received his Ph.D. in Urdu and continued as an academic. He is counted among the most prominent 20th century Urdu poets. His most famous poetry is excessively morose and even deals directly with existential issues. The ghazal above, which I have titled "Duniya", is one of his most well known works, and is typical of his style - highly lyrical yet easily interwoven with the most difficult themes.
Listen here to a quaint rendition of the above ghazal by the lesser known but highly regarded, Habib Wali (the sound quality isn't all that great. I might upload from my collection later).
Saturday, October 28, 2006
Still...
Still...
[By Firaq Gorakhpuri. Translated from the Urdu by Siyaah]
Who has ever belonged to another for life? Still...
This beauty and love is all deception; but still...
A thousand times has the world traversed through here-
Something about your passage is new still.
A lifetime has gone by in avoiding your gaze-
The dagger has pierced through to life's artery still. [3]
[3] rag could literally mean vein or artery.
neshtar literally means lancet, but the meaning contained in 'dagger' is closer to the context.
[By Firaq Gorakhpuri. Translated from the Urdu by Siyaah]
Who has ever belonged to another for life? Still...
This beauty and love is all deception; but still...
A thousand times has the world traversed through here-
Something about your passage is new still.
A lifetime has gone by in avoiding your gaze-
The dagger has pierced through to life's artery still. [3]
[3] rag could literally mean vein or artery.
neshtar literally means lancet, but the meaning contained in 'dagger' is closer to the context.
Thursday, October 26, 2006
Phir Bhi
Phir Bhi
[By Firaq Gorakhpuri]
Kisi ka yun to hua kaun umr bhar, phir bhi,
Ye husn-o-ishq to dhoka hai sab, magar phir bhi.
Hazaar baar zamaana idhar se guzra hai,
Nayi nayi si hai kuchh teri rahguzar phir bhi.
Teri nigaah se bachne mein umr guzari hai,
Utar gaya rag-e-jaan mein ye neshtar phir bhi.
I'm not aware if any prominent singer other than Jagjit (listen here) has sung this ghazal...though I wish there were more versions.
Raghupati Sahai Firaq (1896-1982) has a distinctive voice in many ways. He often used a mellifluous vernacular style based on the language spoken around his native region, Eastern Uttar Pradesh. The content of his poetry almost always borders on the melancholic, with night and darkness as repetitive metaphors and themes. The first couplet of his poem above reveals a rare cynicism with the more affable themes of ghazals...but it also suggests that he came to accept and live with his own disposition. Is it any surprise that I am drawn to his work...I'll render this into English verse soon...
[By Firaq Gorakhpuri]
Kisi ka yun to hua kaun umr bhar, phir bhi,
Ye husn-o-ishq to dhoka hai sab, magar phir bhi.
Hazaar baar zamaana idhar se guzra hai,
Nayi nayi si hai kuchh teri rahguzar phir bhi.
Teri nigaah se bachne mein umr guzari hai,
Utar gaya rag-e-jaan mein ye neshtar phir bhi.
I'm not aware if any prominent singer other than Jagjit (listen here) has sung this ghazal...though I wish there were more versions.
Raghupati Sahai Firaq (1896-1982) has a distinctive voice in many ways. He often used a mellifluous vernacular style based on the language spoken around his native region, Eastern Uttar Pradesh. The content of his poetry almost always borders on the melancholic, with night and darkness as repetitive metaphors and themes. The first couplet of his poem above reveals a rare cynicism with the more affable themes of ghazals...but it also suggests that he came to accept and live with his own disposition. Is it any surprise that I am drawn to his work...I'll render this into English verse soon...
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