Sunday, November 22, 2009

mujh se pehli si mohabbat meray mehbub na maang - Faiz Ahmed Faiz (English Translation)

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Don't ask me for the love I once gave you, my love

mein ne samjha tha kay tu hai to darakhshaan hai hayaat
tera gham hai to gham-e-dahar ka jhagdra kya hai
teri surat se hai aalam mein bahaaron ko sabaat
teri aankhon ke sivaa duniya mein rakkha kya hai

I had thought if I had you, life would shine eternally on me
If I had your sorrows, those of the universe would mean nothing
Your face would bring permanence to every spring
What is there but your eyes to see in the world anyway

tu jo mil jaaye to taqdir niguun ho jaaye
If I found you, my fate would bow down to me

yun na tha mein ne faqat chahaa tha yun ho jaaye
aur bhii dukh hain zamaane mein mohabbat ke sivaa
aahaten aur bhi vasl ki raahat ke sivaa
anaginat sadiyon ki taarik bahimanaa talism
resham-o-atalas-o-kamkhvaab mein bunavaaye huye
jaa-ba-jaa bikate huye kuuchaa-o-baazaar mein jism
khaak mein lithade huye khuun mein nahalaaye huye

This was not how it was, it was merely how I wished it to be
There are other heartaches in the world than those of lover
There is happiness other than the joy of union
The dreadful magic of uncountable dark years
Woven in silk, satin and brocade
In every corner are bodies sold in the market
Covered in dust, bathed in blood

jism nikale huye amaraaz ke tannuuron se
piip bahatii hu_ii galate huye naasuuron se
laut jaati hai udhar ko bhi nazar kyaa kije
ab bhi dilkash hai tera husn magar kya kije
aur bhii dukh hain zamaane mein mohabbat ke sivaa
raahaten aur bhi vasl ki raahat ke sivaa

Bodies retrieved from the cauldrons of disease
Discharge flowing from their rotten ulcers
Still returns my gaze in that direction, what can be done
Even now your beauty is tantalizing, but what can be done
There are other heartaches in the world than those of love
There is happiness other than the joy of union

mujh se pehli si mohabbat meray mehbub na maang
Don't ask me for the love I once gave you, my love...

~~ Faiz Ahmed Faiz....

14 comments:

  1. I arrived at your wonderful blog while looking for the translation of Faiz'a Mujhse pehle ... I must admire the accuracy of the translation while also imbibing the subtle spirit of the words. Great work! Thank you sir.

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  2. Ironically, most people think this is just another romantic song. Very few actually know the deep spiritual meanings of behind this gazal. The renaissance towards the Haqeeqat(reality) of this world. The repentance of a lover for the sake of greater cause. So beautiful, so rejuvenating...

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    1. would u please elaborate the underlying meaning/theme of this poem. thanks in advance :)

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    2. would u please elaborate the underlying meaning/theme of this poem. thanks in advance. :)

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    3. would u please elaborate the underlying meaning/theme of this poem. thanks in advance :)

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  3. Yup eagleyes, you are right.. the true essence of this song is vry painfull and hearttouching... The love and efforts for the motherland and nation..> !

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  4. For years I have been longing to know what Faiz was trying to say in this ghazal I have not got the correct answer.In a radio talk show here in Kenya I was one of the two people who interviewed his daughter Muneeza and she did not really know what her late father was putting across.She said she was very young when she wrote this and did not have the opportunity to discuss this with him.

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  5. lovely...love this poet...awesum poetry...legend faiz Sir...

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  6. An ex gave me this but could not understand ..Till found this ...

    touching .....

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  7. is ghazal ki wajah se inhe ayub khan ne jila watan kr diya tha...
    hammadbaig92@yahoo.com @ f.b

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  8. To me, this poem's true meaning is about the need to re-look at all that you may hold dear & love and allow yourself to see it for what it really is; not just it's beauty but also its ugliness and then let go and move on...this can be applied to aged traditions, fossilized religions and much more...

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  9. Any one help me for stylistically analyzing this poem of faiz

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  10. Can any one of u help me in stylistically analyzing this poem of faiz?

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