Mirza Ghaalib with Translation

by TruthSeeker Wed Feb 07, 2018 11:44 pm

When I first watched the movie "Roja" back in the day - My first reaction was - WTF! If I did not know this language and this movie was not translated. I'd miss this? THIS? I was mesmerized by the creativity in the movie, and the music back in the day.

Language restricts us to be open to an ocean.

Mirza Ghaalib has some very "deep" rooted expressions of feelings. Over ages.

I shall try to find ones with translations, but understand the lyrics, re-read them, if you will.

by TruthSeeker Wed Feb 07, 2018 11:55 pm

Kaun Jeeta Hai Tere Zulf ke Sar Hone Tak? :-))

by TruthSeeker Thu Feb 08, 2018 12:01 am

by TruthSeeker Thu Feb 08, 2018 12:14 am

by TruthSeeker Thu Feb 08, 2018 12:16 am

by TruthSeeker Thu Feb 08, 2018 12:19 am

Dil Hi To Hai Na Sang with English Translation

dil hi to hai na sang-o-khisht dard se bhar na aaye kyon?
royenge ham hazaar baar, koi hamein sataaye kyon?

It is only a heart and not some stone and bricks. Why will it not fill up with pain
I am crying endlessly for I am being subjected to torment

dair nahin, haram nahin, dar nahin, aastaan nahin
baithe hain rehguzar pe ham, ghair hamein uthaaye kyon?

it is not a temple, nor a mosque. It is neither a door, nor a home.
It is a pathway (public road) that I am sitting on, why are the others making me get up?

jab woh jamaal-e-dil_faroz, soorat-e-meher-e-neem_roz
aap hee ho nazzaara_soz, parde mein munh chupaaye kyon?

when that beauty of yours is so brilliant that it shines up the admirer's heart.
You are the one who is worth seeing, so why do you hide your face in the veil?

dashna-e-ghamza jaan_sitaan, naawak-e-naaz be_panaah
tera hee aks-e-rukh sahee, saamne tere aaye kyon?

with those dagger pointed amorous glances that literally take one's life away
with such deadly charm, even the reflection of your beautiful face can not can not afford to come before you for it will be waylaid by its bewitching glance

qaid-e-hayaat-o-band-e-gham asl mein dono ek hain
maut se pehle aadmee gham se nijaat paaye kyon?

prison of life and the chains of sorrow are both in fact essentially the same thing.
Why would man be released from pain before death?

husn aur uspe husn_zan rah gayee bulhawas ki sharm
apne pe 'eitmaad hai, ghair ko aazmaaye kyon?

The lusty stranger was able to keep his honour and not be ashamed.
There is calm confidence on oneself, but why do you want to test the other

wahan wo ghuroor-e-iz'z-o-naaz yaaN yeh hijaab-e-paas-e-waz'a
raah mein ham mile kahaan, bazm mein wo bulaaye kyon?

there is pride and vanity over the splendor and manners/grace. While over here there is modesty made possible due the respect and upright behavior.
Where would we meet on the road? Why would she call me to the social gathering that she is having.

haan wo naheen khuda_parast, jaao wo be_wafa sahi
jisko ho deen-o-dil 'azeez, uskee galee mein jaaye kyon?

she is not God-worshiper, she is unfaithful, agreed!
One who loves his faith and his heart, why would they go to her street

'ghalib'-e-khasta ke baghair kaun se kaam band hain?
roiye zaar-zaar kya, keejiye haay-haay kyon?

Since the wretched Ghalib is not more, what worldly activities have come to stop?
Why weep bitterly? Why wail about it now?

by TruthSeeker Thu Feb 08, 2018 12:23 am

by TruthSeeker Thu Feb 08, 2018 12:35 am

ranslation - Na Tha Kuch Toh (Ghalib)

na tha kuch toh khuda tha, kuch na hota toh khuda hota
duboyaa mujh ko hone ne, na hota main to kya hota

Line 1/2 - When there was nothing, God was there.. If there had been nothing, there would have been God. In emptiness, God would still exist. In nothingness Only God would exist. In the beginning nothing was there, except God. If there would have been nothing, God would have still been there. My existence has let me down. Becoming (My being) has defeated me. If I did not exist, what would I be? If I did not existed, what harm would it be?

An alternate meaning of these two lines could be -
If I were nothing, then I would be God. If I am nothing, I would have been God implying God is a personal experience. Now having become God, I have become alienated from my True Self by all the vices and corruption of the human existence. What good was my life? If I did not existed, would it have really mattered?

hua jab gham se yuun behis to gham kya sar ke katne ka
na hota gar judaa tan se to zaannon par dharaa hota

Line 3/4 - When the mere existence has become a burden and a curse by the pain and suffering all around, then what is pain at the head being cut off? My loss of faith in God has made life such a misery that death looks to be the only solution and I have no qualms about it. If it would have not been cut off (for God is merciful, and He would spare my life from this violent death), it would always be bent to my knees in devotion to the God to make amends to my faithless and immoral existence.

hui muddat ke ghalib mar gayaa par yaad aataa hai
woh har ek baat pe kahna ke yuun hota to kya hota

Line 5/6 - A long time has passed since Ghalib passed away, but he still comes back to the memory. Saying every-time that had it not been this way, then how it would have been? The contemplation that if I have lived my life differently [followed the correct way] what would have I been. Would it have mattered? Would it have amounted to anything other than death because eventually death is the final Truth?

Meaning of difficult words: -
behis : shocked
zaannon : knees

Source: https://rahulnegi.blogspot.com/2012/03/na-tha-kuch-toh.html