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Click above to listen this nazm in Faiz’s own voice.
Source: Library of Congress
mujh se pahlii sii muhabbat merii mahbuub na maaNg
maine samjhaa thaa ke tuu hai to daraKhshaaN hai hayaat
teraa Gham hai to Gham-e-dah’r kaa jhagRaa kyaa hai
terii suurat se hai aalam meN bahaaroN ko sabaat
terii aaNkhoN ke sivaa duniyaa meN rakhaa kyaa hai
tuu jo mil jaaye to taqdiir niguuN ho jaaye
yuuN na thaa maiN ne faqat chaahaa thaa yuuN ho jaaye
aur bhii dukh haiN zamaane meN muhabbat ke sivaa
raahateN aur bhii haiN vasl kii raahat ke sivaa
mujh se pahlii sii muhabbat merii mahbuub na maaNg
anginat sadiyoN ke taariik bahimaanaa talism
resham-o-atlas-o-kam-Khvaab meN bunvaaye hu’e
jaa-ba-jaa bikte hu’e kuuchaa-o-baazaar meN jism
Khaak meN lithaRe hu’e Khuun meN nahlaaye hu’e
lauT jaatii hai udhar ko bhii nazar kyaa kiijiye
ab bhii dil-kash hai teraa husn magar kyaa kiijiye
aur bhii dukh haiN zamaane meN muhabbat ke sivaa
raahateN aur bhii haiN vasl kii raahat ke sivaa
mujh se pahlii sii muhabbat merii mahbuub na maaNg
Faiz Ahmed Faiz
English Translation by MAR Habib from An Anthology of Modern Urdu Poetry
Do not ask, my love, for the love we had before:
You existed, I told myself, so all existence shone,
Grief for me was you; the world’s grief was far.
Spring was ever renewed in your face:
Beyond your eyes, what could the world hold?
Had I won you, Fate’s head would hang, defeated.
Yet all this was not so, I merely wished it so.
The world knows sorrows other than those of love,
Pleasures beyond those of romance:
The dread dark spell of countless centuries
Woven with silk and satin and gold braocade,
Bodies sold everywhere, in streets and markets,
Besmeared with dirt, bathed in blood,
Crawling from infested ovens,
My gaze returns to these: what can I do?
Your beauty still haunts me: what can I do?
The world is burdened by sorrows beyond love,
By pleasures beyond romance,
Do not demand that love which can be no more.
{ 10 comments… read them below or add one }
Kya baat hai…wah.
I have been trying to listen to this nazm for so long.
Thank you.
Did you listen to Noor Jehan singing this nazm? I have it on the Radio in the sidebar.
Am overwhelmed to hear this wonderful poet’s voice. Many many thanks.
wonderful …. sukriah.. i never thought i will list in poets own voice.
Listening to this lovely nazm, that too in Maestro’s own voice is wonderful,a rare experience.
I am delighted..
Well, Great Job.
Thank You.
simply stupendous – wonderful nazm.
I never thought that I will be able to listen to this nazm in the Poet’s own voice. Great. Just so unique. I love his poems. The magic of words which can make anyone 4get about their surrounding!
He wrote these words not to forget about your surroundings.. but in fact to become more aware of them then ever before. He was acting out against what he preceived as injustice.. this poem is such an attempt.
Can someone please post the translation for Chand nikle kisi janib teri zebai ka ? I’ve been looking all over the web but cannot find it, maybe it’s not as popular as I’d like it to be …Thanks in advance !
good
i love this kind of poetry,thx
for keep it in co,,ection!