Ghazal
Jab Tak Dahan-e-zakhm Na Paida Kare Koi
जब तक दहान-ए-ज़ख़्म न पैदा करे कोई
In this reflective ghazal, Ghalib contemplates the profound agony and vulnerability required to communicate with the beloved, suggesting that true expression can only emerge through emotional wounds. He juxtaposes the widespread madness and existential despair of the world against the painful and elusive nature of desire.
Source: rekhta · HI
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1
जब तक दहान-ए-ज़ख़्म न पैदा करे कोई
मुश्किल कि तुझ से राह-ए-सुख़न वा करे कोई
Unless a wound is opened like a mouth to speak, / The path of conversation with you is hard to seek.
Unless someone creates the mouth of a wound to speak through, it is difficult for anyone to open a path of conversation with you.
2
आलम ग़ुबार-ए-वहशत-ए-मजनूँ है सर-ब-सर
कब तक ख़याल-ए-तुर्रा-ए-लैला करे कोई
The world from end to end is lost in the dust of Majnun's frenzy; how long can one dwell upon the tresses of Layla?
The entire world from end to end is covered in the dust of Majnun's madness; how long can one keep contemplating the tresses of Laila?
3
अफ़्सुर्दगी नहीं तरब-इंशा-ए-इल्तिफ़ात
हाँ दर्द बन के दिल में मगर जा करे कोई
Cold melancholy sparks no joy of tender regard; yet let someone enter the heart, if only as pain.
Melancholy does not bring the joy of someone's tender attention; yet, let someone at least make a place in the heart, even if only as pain.
4
रोने से ऐ नदीम मलामत न कर मुझे
आख़िर कभी तो उक़्दा-ए-दिल वा करे कोई
Reproach me not, O companion, for weeping; after all, at some point, one must untie the knot of the heart.
O companion, do not reproach me for weeping, for at some point one must untie the knot of the heart.
5
चाक-ए-जिगर से जब रह-ए-पुर्सिश न वा हुई
क्या फ़ाएदा कि जैब को रुस्वा करे कोई
When the heart's deep wound opened no path for caring inquiry, what use is tearing the collar open, inviting public infamy?
When even the torn wound of the heart could not open a path to elicit sympathy or inquiry, what is the use of tearing one's collar and bringing public disgrace upon oneself?
6
लख़्त-ए-जिगर से है रग-ए-हर-ख़ार शाख़-ए-गुल
ता चंद बाग़-बानी-ए-सहरा करे कोई
Fed by my bleeding heart, the vein of every thorn blooms like a rose bough; how long, alas, can one keep tending to the barren desert now?
My heart's blood has turned the vein of every thorn into a rose-branch; how long can one continue to garden a barren desert?
7
नाकामी-ए-निगाह है बर्क़-ए-नज़ारा-सोज़
तू वो नहीं कि तुझ को तमाशा करे कोई
The gaze's failure is a lightning that consumes all sight; / You are not one whom anyone could turn into a spectacle.
The failure of the gaze to behold you is like lightning that burns sight itself; you are not someone whom anyone could turn into a mere spectacle.
8
हर संग ओ ख़िश्त है सदफ़-ए-गौहर-ए-शिकस्त
नुक़साँ नहीं जुनूँ से जो सौदा करे कोई
Every stone and brick is an oyster shell bearing the pearl of shattering; there is no loss for one who strikes a bargain with madness.
Every stone and brick is like an oyster shell holding the pearl of shattering, so anyone who chooses the madness of love suffers no loss.
9
सर बर हुई न वादा-ए-सब्र-आज़मा से उम्र
फ़ुर्सत कहाँ कि तेरी तमन्ना करे कोई
Life could not outlast the promise that put my patience to the test; where is the leisure left for anyone to yearn for you?
Life could not even endure the patience-testing promise, so where is the leisure left now for anyone to yearn for you?
10
है वहशत-ए-तबीअत-ए-ईजाद यास-खेज़
ये दर्द वो नहीं कि न पैदा करे कोई
The inventive spirit's wild frenzy breeds deep despair; yet this is not a pain that one would fail to conjure into being.
The frenzy of an inventive mind generates despair, yet this pain is not something that one would not bring upon oneself.
11
बेकारी-ए-जुनूँ को है सर पीटने का शुग़्ल
जब हाथ टूट जाएँ तो फिर क्या करे कोई
Idle madness occupies itself by beating its head; but once the hands are broken, what can one do?
Madness in its idleness keeps itself occupied by beating its head, but what can one do when their hands themselves are broken?
12
हुस्न-ए-फ़रोग़-ए-शम्मा-ए-सुख़न दूर है 'असद'
पहले दिल-ए-गुदाख़्ता पैदा करे कोई
Far off is the radiant splendor of the candle of verse, Asad; first, let one bring forth a heart that melts away.
Asad, the radiant beauty of the candle of poetry is still far away; first, one must acquire a tender, melting heart capable of feeling.
13
वहशत कहाँ कि बे-ख़ुदी इंशा करे कोई
हस्ती को लफ़्ज़-ए-मानी-ए-अन्क़ा करे कोई
Where is that frenzy that one might author true oblivion, / Or turn existence into a word whose essence is the mythical Anqa?
Where is that frenzy that someone could create true selflessness, or reduce human existence to a mere word whose meaning is non-existent like the mythical Anqa?
14
जो कुछ है महव-ए-शोख़ी-ए-अबरू-ए-यार है
आँखों को रख के ताक़ पे देखा करे कोई
All that exists is entranced by the playful arch of the beloved's brow; setting one's eyes upon a shelf, let someone dare to gaze now.
Everything that exists is completely absorbed in the playful charm of the beloved's eyebrow; now let someone place their eyes upon a shelf and gaze.
15
अर्ज़-ए-सरिश्क पर है फ़ज़ा-ए-ज़माना तंग
सहरा कहाँ कि दावत-ए-दरिया करे कोई
Too narrow is the world's expanse to hold the torrent of my tears; where is a desert vast enough to play host to a river?
The expanse of the world is too narrow to hold the display of my tears; where is a desert vast enough to invite and accommodate a river?
16
वो शोख़ अपने हुस्न पे मग़रूर है 'असद'
दिखला के उस को आइना तोड़ा करे कोई
That playful beloved is far too proud of her beauty, Asad; someone ought to hold a mirror to her, and shatter it to shards.
Asad, that playful beloved is excessively proud of her beauty; someone should show her a mirror and then shatter it.
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