Free The Taste of Words: An Introduction to Urdu Poetry by Mir, Raza Page B

translators of varying temperaments, some of whom take extraordinary liberties with his work (for example, a recent book referred to his ghazals as ‘sonnets’), while others take a more literal approach, choosing not to muck around with genius. I am an agnostic in this debate; I enjoy both kinds of efforts. Likewise, Ghalib has been the subject of relentless scholarly analysis. A friend who is an Urdu scholar estimates that over a thousand PhD theses have been done on Ghalib in India alone, and possibly as many in Pakistan. There are over twenty-five
sharah
s (explanatory volumes) of his deevan in print, many of which disagree quite violently on the meanings and contexts of his verse. I would recommend that the Ghalib neophyte start instead with a visual introduction—by watching Naseeruddin Shah portray him in Gulzar’s magnificent TV serial. 2
    In deference to Ghalib’s stature, I beg your indulgence for having chosen to translate five ghazals. I have translated only the first two rhythmically, choosing to let Ghalib’s words speak for themselves in the other three without too much wordsmithing on my part. These ghazals have all been performed multiple times by a veritable pantheon of singers, and many performances are available in the public domain. 3
1 Aah ko chaahiye
    Aah ko chaahiye ek umr asar hone tak
    Kaun jeeta hai teri zulf ke sar hone tak?
    Daam-e har mauj mein hai halqaa-e sadkaam-e nahang
    Dekhen kya guzre hai qatre pe gohar hone tak
    Aashiqi sabr-talab aur tamanna betaab
    Dil ka kya rang karoon khoon-e jigar hone tak
    Hum ne maana ke taghaaful na karoge lekin
    Khaak ho jaayenge hum tum ko khabar hone tak
    Partav-e khur se hai shabnam ko fanaa ki taaleem
    Main bhi hoon ek inaayat ki nazar hone tak
    Ek nazar besh nahin fursat-e hasti ghaafil
    Garmi-e bazm hai ek raqs-e sharar hone tak
    Gham-e hasti ka, Asad, kis se ho juz marg ilaaj
    Shama har rang mein jalti hai sahar hone tak
A cry needs
    For a cry to lead to redress, it often takes an age
    Who can remain alive while you with your stray curls engage?
    Each wave of the ocean harbours a hundred crocodiles
    What lies in store before the drop achieves a pearly stage 4 ?
    Love counsels patience while passion betrays its anxiety
    How should I paint my bloodied heart while these duellists rage?
    I know that you won’t shrink from familiarity but
    Before you hear of my sad plight, I would have died off-stage
    The new sunbeam pronounces imminent death upon dewdrops
    I too await the gaze that will both kill and assuage
    A mere glance is sufficient for you to complete your task
    A spark needs but a moment to kindle a fire’s rage
    What is the cure to life’s sorrow save death, my dear Asad?
    The taper burns all night, awaits the dawn to be upstaged.
2 Bas ke dushwaar hai
    Bas ke dushwaar hai har kaam ka aasaan hona
    Aadmi ko bhi mayassar nahin insan hona
    Ishrat-e qatlgah-e ahl-e tamanna mat poochh
    Eed-e nazaara hai shamsheer kaa uriyaan hona
    Ki mere qatl ke baad us ne jafa se tauba
    Hai us zood-pashemaan ka pashemaan hona
    Haif us chaar-girah kapde ki qismat, Ghalib
    Jis ki qismat mein ho aashiq ka garebaan hona
It’s impossible
    It’s impossible for all tasks to be facile, that’s all
    People find it so tough to answer humanity’s call.
    Measure not the desire for death in the passionate
    The sight of the killer’s sword presages the festival. 5
    After killing me, my tormentor forswore all murder
    That swift repenter was contrite and rueful, I recall. 6
    Spare a thought for the ill-fated cloth of four measures that
    Was destined to become a lover’s shirt, tunic or shawl. 7
3 Sab kahaan? kuchh
    Sab kahaan? Kuchh laala-o-gul mein numaayaan ho gai’n
    Khaak mein kya sooratein hongi ki pinhaan ho gai’n
    Yaad thi hum ko bhi ranga rang bazm-aaraaiyan
    Lekin ab naqsh-o-nigaar-e taaq-e nisyaan ho gai’n
    Thi banaatun-naash-e gardoon din ko parde mein nihaan
    Shab ko un ke ji mein kya aaya ki uriyan ho gai’n
    Joo-e khoon aankhon se bahne do ke hai shaam-e