For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
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دِل مائلِ محراب نہیں ۔ مومن خاں مومنؔ
شبِ وصل اُس کے تغافل کی زبس تاب نہیں
تلخیِ مرگ ہے آنکھوں میں شکر خواب نہیں
حسرتیں میرے نصیبوں میں لکھی ہیں کیا کیا
اتنے دفتر میں کہیں فصل نہیں باب نہیں
دِل کا کیا حال کرے دیکھیے یہ گرمیِ حُسن
ٹھہرتا آئینۂ یار میں سیماب نہیں
سرفروشوں کے اگر آپ خریدار ہوئے
تو گراں ہووے گی وہ جِنس جو کمیاب نہیں
جب وہ بدمست اِدھر آیا تو عدو کے گھر سے
اپنی قسمت میں بجز دُرد مئے ناب نہیں
رستمی کا عوض افلاک سے لوں گا پسِ مرگ
قتلِ عاشق ہے یہ خوںریزیِ سہراب نہیں
کلبۂ تار میں کیوںکر ترے بِن گزرے گی
دن کو یاں دھوپ نہیں رات کو مہتاب نہیں
محتسب وہم ہے تو پہلے پِلا دیکھ مجھے
یہ لُنڈھا پی لے مئے ناب ہے زہرآب نہیں
عشق کیوں در پئے جاں، شوق ہے کیوں سینہ شگاف
دشمنی دل شکنی شیوۂ احباب نہیں
گلۂ چرخ عبث شکوۂ جاناں بے جا
یاس و حرماں کو مرے حاجتِ اسباب نہیں
کشِش ابروئے صنم کی سی کہاں اے مومنؔ
لاکھ سجدے کریں دل مائلِ محراب نہیں
दिल मा’एल-ए मेहराब नहीं – मोमिन ख़ाँ मोमिन
शब-ए वसल उस के तग़ाफ़ुल की ज़-बस ताब नहीं
तल्ख़ी-ए मर्ग है आँखों में शकर-ख़्वाब नहीं
हसरतें मेरे नसीबों में लिखी हैं क्या क्या
इतने दफ़्तर में कहीं फ़स्ल नहीं, बाब नहीं
दिल का क्या हाल करे देखिए ये गर्मी-ए हुस्न
ठहरता आइना-ए यार में सीमाब नहीं
सर-फ़रोशों के अगर आप ख़रीदार हुए
तो गिराँ होवेगी वो जिन्स जो कम्याब नहीं
जब वो बदमस्त इधर आया तो अदू के घर से
अपनी क़िस्मत में बजुज़ दुर्द, मय-ए नाब नहीं
रुस्तमी का एवज़ अफ़्लाक़ से लूँगा पस-ए मर्ग
क़त्ल-ए आशिक़ है ये ख़ूंरेज़ी-ए सोहराब नहीं
कुल्बा-ए तार में क्यूँकर तेरे बिन गुज़रेगी
दिन को यां धूप नहीं, रात को महताब नहीं
मोहतसिब वहम है तो पहले पिला देख मुझे
ये लुंढ़ा पी ले, मय-ए नाब है ज़हर-आब नहीं
इश्क़ क्यूं दरपै-ए जाँ, शौक़ है क्यूं सीना-शिगाफ़
दुश्मनी, दिल-शिकनी शेवा-ए अहबाब नहीं
गिला-ए चर्ख़ अबस, शिकवा-ए जानाँ बेजा
यास ओ हिर्माँ को मेरे हाजत-ए अस्बाब नहीं
कशिश अब्रू-ए सनम की सी कहाँ अए मोमिन
लाख सज्दे करें, दिल मा’एल-ए मेहराब नहीं
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. momin KhaaN momin (1800-1852), was a hakim following the profession of his father and grandfather. momin received education in arabi, faarsi, urdu and in medicine, mathematics, and astrology – which must have involved some study of astronomy, which he uses in his compositions. momin composed unabashedly about romantic themes with much witticism on his taKhallus.
1
shab1-e vasl2 uss ke taGhaaful3 ki ze-bas4 taab5 nahiiN
talKhi6-e marg7 hai aaNkhoN meN, shakar-Khwaab8 nahiiN 1.night of 2.union 3.indifference, neglect 4.plenty, enough 5.bear, endure 6.bitterness 7.death 8.sweet dreams, deep sleep
The night of union is poisoned by the beloved’s cold neglect; she seems indifferent and is sound asleep. The lover lacks the strength to endure this cruelty. What he sees in her closed eyes is not the sweetness of dreams, but the bitterness of death.
2
hasrateN1 mer’e nasiiboN2 meN likhi haiN kya kya
itn’e daftar3 meN kahiiN fasl4 nahiiN, baab5 nahiiN 1.longings, desires 2.destiny 3.list, volumes, records 4.book-section, harvest 5.chapter, door, opening
My fate is filled with a long list of countless desires. Yet in such vast records of longing, there’s not a single fruitful section or a meaningful chapter with a door to possibilites. This is a nice use of the double meaning of fasl and baab in conjunction with daftar.
3
dil ka kya haal1 kare dekhiye yeh garmi2-e husn3
Thahrta4 aa’iina5-e yaar6 meN seemaab7 nahiiN 1.condition, state 2.warmth, intensity 3.beauty 4.remain in one place 5.mirror 6.beloved 7.quicksilver, mercury
In the days of momin mirrors were made of polished metal sheets. In classical urdu poetry polish lines are often compared to eyelashes. But since about 1400 Venetian mirrors had been ‘silvered’ using mercury compounds. It is possible that some of these were used/known in India at that time. This early mirroring technique was notorious for its instability under hot humid conditions. Mercury separated or migrated. The poet seems to be comparing his heart to such a mirror. The warmth/heat of the beloved’s beauty causes instability in the mercury of her mirror when she looks uses it. If mercury cannot remain stable, what will the warmth of her beauty do to my heart! How can the heart, which reflects her beauty, remain stable/composed.
4
sarfaroshoN1 ke agar aap Khariidaar2 hu’e
to giraaN3 hovegi4 voh jins5 jo kam-yaab6 nahiiN 1.willing to offer their heads as devotional offering 2.buyer, demand, ask for 3.expensive 4.another form of hogi-will become 5.commodity 6.not easily available
The poet addresses the beloved – if you become a buyer of self-sacrificing lovers (sarfarosh), then that commodity which is currently not rare will suddenly become precious (giraaN, costly). Currently, such lovers are common, even in surplus throwing themselves at her metaphorical marketplace, seeking only notoreity. But if she, the beloved, were to actually begin to ‘buy’ them (i.e., take them seriously and demand their heads), their abundance would vanish. Why? The poet leaves this open-ended, but two readings emerge (a) because the beloved’s demand would test their sincerity, exposing the false ones, leaving only the truly devoted. Thus, the genuine ones would prove rare after all. (b) because her demand would be fatal – literally or emotionally. Once she begins “buying,” the lovers are consumed, killed off, or undone, making the commodity rare again. Given the lovers’ conventional claim that he is the ONLY true lover, the first interpretation is more likely.
5
jab voh badmast1 idhar aaya to aduu2 ke ghar se
apni qismat meN bajuz3 durd4, mai-e-naab5 nahiiN 1.stone drunk 2.enemy, rival 3.except for 4.dregs, bottom/bitter layer 5.pure wine
When the beloved came tome she arrived from the rival’s house, stone drunk. What I had in my fate was nothing other than the dregs, bitter/bottom layer – no pure wine for me. All her love (pure wine) was spent on the rival. Ghalib wishes to be spared this fate-
raat ke vaqt mai piye, saath raqiib ko liye
aayeN to voh Khuda kar, par na kare Khuda keh yuN
6
rustami1 ka ‘ewaz2 aflaak3 se luuNga pas4-e marg5
qatl6-e aashiq hai, yeh KhooN-rezi7-e sohraab8 nahiiN 1.the valour of rustam-legendary warrior 2.compensation 3.heavens 4.after 5.death 6.killing 7.bloodshed 8.rustam’s son, whom he unknowingly killed
This has reference to the legend of sohrab and rustam. rustam was an adventurer and warrior whose son was born while he was away. His wife hid her son, for fear that he might too, become a warrior and die, and raised him unbeknownst to rustam. sohrab became a warrior anyway and met his father in battle (neither one knowing their relationship). sohraab gets killed in this battle. The poet/lover claims that his death was not out of such unawareness. He claims, after I die, I will demand from the heavens, my reward for my heroic (rustami) suffering (at the hands of the beloved). This is not a tragic mistake like sohrab’s killing, this was the intentional and wilful killing of a lover.
7
kulbah1-e taar2 meN kyuNkar3 tere bin4 guzr’e5 gi
din ko yaaN dhoop nahiiN, raat ko mahtaab6 nahiiN 1.hut, cell 2.dark 3.how 4.without 5.pass 6.moonlight
How will life pass in this dark hut without you? There is no sunshine by day, no moonlight by night. The beloved brings light into his life.
8
muhtasib1 vahm2 hai to pahl’e3 pila dekh mujhe
yeh lunDha4 pii le, mai-e-naab5 hai, zahr-aab6 nahiiN 1.morality inspector/enforcer 2.doubt 3.first 4.pour generously 5.pure wine 6.poisonous water
The moralist has been going around trying to enforce abstinence. In the process of lecturing the poet/wine lover he may have said – ‘this is poisonous’ – in a figurative way. To this the poet/wine lover replies this is not poison, if you have any doubt, let me drink first, then we can pour a generous helping for you! Alternatively, the moralist is out to get a drink on the sly. The poet/wine-lover discovers this and encourages him … go ahead pour out a generous portion to drink and if you have any doubt about it being poisonous, I am happy to go first.
9
ishq kyuN darpai1-e jaaN2, shauq3 hai kyuN siinah4-shigaaf5
dushmani6, dil-shikani7 sheva8-e ahbaab9 nahiiN 1.bent upon, determined to 2.(take) life i.e., kill 3.desire 4.chest, heart 5.hole 6.enmity 7.breaking/tearing the heart 8.manner, habit 9.friends
The poet/lover classifies love and desire personified as his friends. Friends do not hate/kill friends. Why then does love threaten my life? Why does desire tear open the chest/heart? Enmity and tearing the heart is not the way of true friends.
10
gila1-e charKh2 ‘abas3, shikva4-e jaanaaN5 be-jaa6
yaas7 o hirmaan8 ko mere haajet9-e asbaab10 nahiiN 1.complaint 2.sky, fate 3.in vain 4.grievance 5.beloved 6.yearning, despair 7.despondence, misfortune 9.need 10.basis, reason, justification
Complaining about fate or the beloved is pointless. My despair and deprivation have been written into my fate, they do not need reasons/justification; they simply exist; are a part of my life.
11
kashish1 abruu2-e sanam3 kii si4 kahaaN aye momin5
laakh sajde6 kareN, dil maa’el7-e mehraab8 nahiiN 1.pull, attraction 2.eyebrow 3.beloved 4.short for jaisi-like, comparable to 5.pen-name 6.prostration 7.inclined towards, agreeable to 8.prayer niche, central arch in a mosque
momin, the poet/(ironically) the pious one, compares the central arch/prayer niche
mehraab, to the arched eyebrow of the beloved. The
mehraab simply does not have the same attraction as the arch of the beloved’s
abruu. It doesn’t matter how many thousands of prostrations he may peform, his heart does not get inclined towards the
mehraab – towards ritual prayer. He would rather offer his devotion to the beloved.
momin KhaaN momin (1800-1852), was a hakim following the profession of his father and grandfather. momin received education in arabi, faarsi, urdu and in medicine, mathematics, and astrology – which must have involved some study of astronomy, which he uses in his compositions. momin composed unabashedly about romantic themes with much witticism on his taKhallus.
1
shab1-e vasl2 uss ke taGhaaful3 ki ze-bas4 taab5 nahiiN
talKhi6-e marg7 hai aaNkhoN meN, shakar-Khwaab8 nahiiN
1.night of 2.union 3.indifference, neglect 4.plenty, enough 5.bear, endure 6.bitterness 7.death 8.sweet dreams, deep sleep
The night of union is poisoned by the beloved’s cold neglect; she seems indifferent and is sound asleep. The lover lacks the strength to endure this cruelty. What he sees in her closed eyes is not the sweetness of dreams, but the bitterness of death.
2
hasrateN1 mer’e nasiiboN2 meN likhi haiN kya kya
itn’e daftar3 meN kahiiN fasl4 nahiiN, baab5 nahiiN
1.longings, desires 2.destiny 3.list, volumes, records 4.book-section, harvest 5.chapter, door, opening
My fate is filled with a long list of countless desires. Yet in such vast records of longing, there’s not a single fruitful section or a meaningful chapter with a door to possibilites. This is a nice use of the double meaning of fasl and baab in conjunction with daftar.
3
dil ka kya haal1 kare dekhiye yeh garmi2-e husn3
Thahrta4 aa’iina5-e yaar6 meN seemaab7 nahiiN
1.condition, state 2.warmth, intensity 3.beauty 4.remain in one place 5.mirror 6.beloved 7.quicksilver, mercury
In the days of momin mirrors were made of polished metal sheets. In classical urdu poetry polish lines are often compared to eyelashes. But since about 1400 Venetian mirrors had been ‘silvered’ using mercury compounds. It is possible that some of these were used/known in India at that time. This early mirroring technique was notorious for its instability under hot humid conditions. Mercury separated or migrated. The poet seems to be comparing his heart to such a mirror. The warmth/heat of the beloved’s beauty causes instability in the mercury of her mirror when she looks uses it. If mercury cannot remain stable, what will the warmth of her beauty do to my heart! How can the heart, which reflects her beauty, remain stable/composed.
4
sarfaroshoN1 ke agar aap Khariidaar2 hu’e
to giraaN3 hovegi4 voh jins5 jo kam-yaab6 nahiiN
1.willing to offer their heads as devotional offering 2.buyer, demand, ask for 3.expensive 4.another form of hogi-will become 5.commodity 6.not easily available
The poet addresses the beloved – if you become a buyer of self-sacrificing lovers (sarfarosh), then that commodity which is currently not rare will suddenly become precious (giraaN, costly). Currently, such lovers are common, even in surplus throwing themselves at her metaphorical marketplace, seeking only notoreity. But if she, the beloved, were to actually begin to ‘buy’ them (i.e., take them seriously and demand their heads), their abundance would vanish. Why? The poet leaves this open-ended, but two readings emerge (a) because the beloved’s demand would test their sincerity, exposing the false ones, leaving only the truly devoted. Thus, the genuine ones would prove rare after all. (b) because her demand would be fatal – literally or emotionally. Once she begins “buying,” the lovers are consumed, killed off, or undone, making the commodity rare again. Given the lovers’ conventional claim that he is the ONLY true lover, the first interpretation is more likely.
5
jab voh badmast1 idhar aaya to aduu2 ke ghar se
apni qismat meN bajuz3 durd4, mai-e-naab5 nahiiN
1.stone drunk 2.enemy, rival 3.except for 4.dregs, bottom/bitter layer 5.pure wine
When the beloved came tome she arrived from the rival’s house, stone drunk. What I had in my fate was nothing other than the dregs, bitter/bottom layer – no pure wine for me. All her love (pure wine) was spent on the rival. Ghalib wishes to be spared this fate-
raat ke vaqt mai piye, saath raqiib ko liye
aayeN to voh Khuda kar, par na kare Khuda keh yuN
6
rustami1 ka ‘ewaz2 aflaak3 se luuNga pas4-e marg5
qatl6-e aashiq hai, yeh KhooN-rezi7-e sohraab8 nahiiN
1.the valour of rustam-legendary warrior 2.compensation 3.heavens 4.after 5.death 6.killing 7.bloodshed 8.rustam’s son, whom he unknowingly killed
This has reference to the legend of sohrab and rustam. rustam was an adventurer and warrior whose son was born while he was away. His wife hid her son, for fear that he might too, become a warrior and die, and raised him unbeknownst to rustam. sohrab became a warrior anyway and met his father in battle (neither one knowing their relationship). sohraab gets killed in this battle. The poet/lover claims that his death was not out of such unawareness. He claims, after I die, I will demand from the heavens, my reward for my heroic (rustami) suffering (at the hands of the beloved). This is not a tragic mistake like sohrab’s killing, this was the intentional and wilful killing of a lover.
7
kulbah1-e taar2 meN kyuNkar3 tere bin4 guzr’e5 gi
din ko yaaN dhoop nahiiN, raat ko mahtaab6 nahiiN
1.hut, cell 2.dark 3.how 4.without 5.pass 6.moonlight
How will life pass in this dark hut without you? There is no sunshine by day, no moonlight by night. The beloved brings light into his life.
8
muhtasib1 vahm2 hai to pahl’e3 pila dekh mujhe
yeh lunDha4 pii le, mai-e-naab5 hai, zahr-aab6 nahiiN
1.morality inspector/enforcer 2.doubt 3.first 4.pour generously 5.pure wine 6.poisonous water
The moralist has been going around trying to enforce abstinence. In the process of lecturing the poet/wine lover he may have said – ‘this is poisonous’ – in a figurative way. To this the poet/wine lover replies this is not poison, if you have any doubt, let me drink first, then we can pour a generous helping for you! Alternatively, the moralist is out to get a drink on the sly. The poet/wine-lover discovers this and encourages him … go ahead pour out a generous portion to drink and if you have any doubt about it being poisonous, I am happy to go first.
9
ishq kyuN darpai1-e jaaN2, shauq3 hai kyuN siinah4-shigaaf5
dushmani6, dil-shikani7 sheva8-e ahbaab9 nahiiN
1.bent upon, determined to 2.(take) life i.e., kill 3.desire 4.chest, heart 5.hole 6.enmity 7.breaking/tearing the heart 8.manner, habit 9.friends
The poet/lover classifies love and desire personified as his friends. Friends do not hate/kill friends. Why then does love threaten my life? Why does desire tear open the chest/heart? Enmity and tearing the heart is not the way of true friends.
10
gila1-e charKh2 ‘abas3, shikva4-e jaanaaN5 be-jaa6
yaas7 o hirmaan8 ko mere haajet9-e asbaab10 nahiiN
1.complaint 2.sky, fate 3.in vain 4.grievance 5.beloved 6.yearning, despair 7.despondence, misfortune 9.need 10.basis, reason, justification
Complaining about fate or the beloved is pointless. My despair and deprivation have been written into my fate, they do not need reasons/justification; they simply exist; are a part of my life.
11
kashish1 abruu2-e sanam3 kii si4 kahaaN aye momin5
laakh sajde6 kareN, dil maa’el7-e mehraab8 nahiiN
1.pull, attraction 2.eyebrow 3.beloved 4.short for jaisi-like, comparable to 5.pen-name 6.prostration 7.inclined towards, agreeable to 8.prayer niche, central arch in a mosque
momin, the poet/(ironically) the pious one, compares the central arch/prayer niche mehraab, to the arched eyebrow of the beloved. The mehraab simply does not have the same attraction as the arch of the beloved’s abruu. It doesn’t matter how many thousands of prostrations he may peform, his heart does not get inclined towards the mehraab – towards ritual prayer. He would rather offer his devotion to the beloved.
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