Tag: Nazm

Posted in Love

Umeed | Urdu | Nazm

Posted on by Shaily Agrawal

Baad-e-naseem ki aashnai me

Naseeb ki hawa narm nhi chalti.

Kul jama zindagi ka ye nikla–

Umeed lagane se duniya nhi milti.

…

Wo tajir h jo chahta h mohabbat ka sila,

Ulfat k bazar me arzoo nhi chalti.

Mangane pe karde jo ishq me dakhil,

Mehboob k dil me wo qitab nhi milti.

Umeed lagane se duniya nhi milti.

…

Chand ki khwahish rakhne walo me

Sitaro ki auqat b nhi milti.

Jinke muntazir ho guzari thi umr humne,

Unke ishq me wo raahat ab nhi milti.

Umeed lagane se duniya nhi milti.

Love for zypher of the west,

Didn’t keep away the tempest.

The sum of my life came to be,

Hope didn’t win the world for me.

…

Love-for-love only traders aspire.

Alas! In the market of desire

Longing isn’t a currency.

You wouldn’t find the register

in one’s heart to enter

Your soul’s muted pleas.

…

Hope didn’t win the world for me.

…

Who ask for the moon in the night

Oft don’t deserve the starlight,

Quit at onset of the journey.

A life wasted pining a-quiet

For love that doesn’t give respite

As once happened to be.

…

Hope didn’t win the world for me.

Author’s note: Urdu Nazm has several Quartets (4 liners) stitched together to convey the same idea. While translating, I have converted it into a combination of a Quartet and a couple of Sestets (6 liners) with rhyme, which is a first for me since, in English, I usually write in free verse. I couldn’t match the scale without changing meaning though. 🙂

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Posted in Love

Khabar | Urdu | Poetry | Nazm

Posted on by Shaily Agrawal

Teri khidkiyo se hawa takra k laut jati h,

Tu zulf dhoop me ab sukhaata nhi.

Andhero me doobi hui h duniya,

Tu khul k ab khilkhilaata nhi.

—

Mitti me ab wo khushboo nhi h,

Tu barisho me ab chhat pe aata nhi.

Meri kabr bohot maayus h, humdum,

Mausam ab teri khabar lata nhi.

______________________

Translation:

Breeze knocks on your windows and returns,

You stopped drying your hair in the sun.

The world is slowly drowning in dark,

Awaiting your laughter to bring the spark.

The ground does not hold its familiar fragrance.

Don’t you step on roof now when it the rains?

My grave is gloomy and desolate, love.

The seasons don’t bring your tidings now.

Authors Note: A Nazm is a piece of Urdu poetry that is made of several quartets, each carrying the same thought.

Posted in Love

Hawain (Breeze) | Urdu | Poetry

Posted on by Shaily Agrawal

Jo chhod aaye the baad-e-naseem mashriq me jane ko,

Surkh khursheed ke phoolo se sehera khilane ko,

Laut aaye hain gulistan me sukoon pane ko,

Kehte hain hawao ne unka sath nhi diya.

*****

Tapish-e-shams se jab parwaz khak ho gye,

Au’ hauslo k angaar tufaano me bujh gye,

Bujhi hui mohabbat ki shama jalane ko,

Laut aaye hain gulistan me sukoon pane ko,

Kehte hain hawao ne unka sath nhi diya.

English Translation:

He who turned his boat to east

Leaving breeze of west grieving

To fill the desert with the

flowers of the blushing sun,

has returned to the garden

to seek the lost devotion.

He blames the breeze

had pushed his boat away.

*****

When the fiery sun

burnt his wings to ash

and the storms blew out

the embers within,

He returned to light

the candles of love again,

has returned to the garden

to seek the lost devotion.

He blames the beeeze

had pushed him away.

Author’s note: A Nazm is an Urdu poetry style where the same thought is followed in each quartet. Mine is a short and rather imprecise version since this is my first attempt.

Like most Urdu poetry, this one has dual reference where breeze of west or baad-e-naseem is considered as female. It also means the wind that comes from Mecca.