Ghazal
Raftagan Mein Jahan Ke Ham Bhi Hain
रफ़्तगाँ में जहाँ के हम भी हैं
This ghazal explores themes of self-identity and shared existence. The poet asserts that they belong to the place of 'raftagaan' (oblivion/forgetfulness) and are part of the caravan. It expresses a deep sense of belonging to a vast and shared human experience, claiming a place even within the relationship between the garden and the nightingale.
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1
रफ़्तगाँ में जहाँ के हम भी हैं
साथ उस कारवाँ के हम भी हैं
In the procession of travelers, we too are present,
We too are part of that caravan.
Literally, the couplet states that we are present in the procession of travelers, and we are also a part of that caravan.
2
शम्अ ही सर न दे गई बर्बाद
कुश्ता अपनी ज़बाँ के हम भी हैं
I am also ruined by my own tongue, not by the sword or the arrow.
I am ruined by my own tongue, not by the sword or the arrow. This means that the speaker's downfall comes from their own words rather than from external weapons.
3
हम को मजनूँ को इश्क़ में मत बूझ
नंग उस ख़ानदाँ के हम भी हैं
Do not mistake us for Majnu's love, / We too belong to that noble lineage.
Do not mistake us for Majnu's love; we also belong to that noble lineage.
4
जिस चमन-ज़ार का है तू गुल-ए-तर
बुलबुल इस गुलसिताँ के हम भी हैं
Whichever garden of yours is the bloom-filled garden,
We too are the nightingales of this flower-garden.
If you are the most beautiful bloom of a garden, know that we are also the nightingales of this flower garden.
5
नहीं मजनूँ से दिल क़वी लेकिन
यार उस ना-तवाँ के हम भी हैं
Not the heart of Majnun, but a love for the unattainable,
We too are like that one, the beloved's distant call.
Not a poet's heart like Majnun's, but we too are like that love for the unattainable, the beloved's distant call.
6
बोसा मत दे किसू के दर पे नसीम
ख़ाक उस आस्ताँ के हम भी हैं
Do not give any devotion at the threshold, O breeze,
We too are the dust of that very doorstep.
O breeze, do not offer any devotion at the threshold, because we ourselves are also the dust of that very doorstep.
7
गो शब उस दर से दूर पहरों फिरें
पास तो पासबाँ के हम भी हैं
We wander far from that gate, through passing nights,
Yet we are near, like guards who watch the sights.
We wander far from that gate through passing nights, yet we are near, like guards who watch the sights.
8
वजह-ए-बेगानगी नहीं मालूम
तुम जहाँ के हो वाँ के हम भी हैं
I do not know the reason for this estrangement,
For where you are, we too shall be.
I do not know the reason for this estrangement, but where you are, we too will be.
9
मर गए मर गए नहीं तो नहीं
ख़ाक से मुँह को ढाँके हम भी हैं
We died, we died, or perhaps we did not; / We too are those who cover their faces with dust.
Whether we died or not is uncertain; we too are those who cover their faces with dust.
10
अपना शेवा नहीं कजी यूँ तो
यार जी टेढ़े बाँके हम भी हैं
It's not that I'm a false lover, dear friend,
We too are crooked and bent in our ways.
Dear friend, we too are crooked and bent in our ways. (This suggests that we are also somewhat unconventional or flawed.)
11
इस सिरे की है पारसाई 'मीर'
मो'तक़िद उस जवाँ के हम भी हैं
This edge is the boundary of the pampered 'Mir',
We too are that devoted youth, the beloved.
The couplet means that this edge is the boundary (or limit), and we too are devoted to that youth.
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