A beautiful ghazal of Qateel Shifaayi.
(Acknowledgment: From Naqoosh, Lahore, August 1969)
The translation in English is given at the end.(I am aware of my limitatiomns. I only try to include translations from Urdu to help some dear readers of my blog who cannot read Urdu but love poetry)
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A beautiful ghazal of QATEEL SHIFAYEE
1. Jab bhi chaheN ek nayi soorat bana lete hai log
Ek chere pe kayi chere saja lete heiN log
2. Mil bhi lete haiN gale se apne matlab ke liye
Aa pade mushkil to nazreN bhi chura lete haiN log
3. Khud farebi ki unheN aadat si shayyed pad gayi
Har naye rahzan ko seene se laga lete haiN log
4. Hai baja un ki shikayat lekin is ka kya ilaaj
BijliyaaN khud apne gulshan pe gira lete haiN log
5. Ho khushi bhi un ko haasil, yeh zaroori to nahiN
Gham chhupane ke liye bhi muskura lete haiN log
6. Is qadar nafrat hai un ko tairgi ke naam se
Roz e roshan meiN bhi ab shammeN jala lete haiN log
7. Yeh bhi dekha hai ke jab aa jaye ghairat ka muqaam
Apni sooli apne kaaNdhe par utha lete haiN log
8. Roshni hai un ka eemaN, rok mat un ko QATEEL
Dil jalate haiN yeh apna tera kya lete haiN log
Context: This ghazal mostly deals with the attitudes of general people in the society. It is indeed different from the set practice of most of the shayers that they use the medium of love, beloved, pub, booze, wine cup, etc. Ghalib says in one his famous couplet:
Har chand ho mushahedah e haq ki guftugoo
Banti nahin hai badah o saghar kahe beghair.
(Even when one tries to discuss the stark realities of life, one cannot but dwell upon mentioning booze and the cup.)
But Qateel above has managed to avoid mention of liquor etc. Now the translatin follows:
.
1. People in general are good at putting a new mask on their faces at will, They are capable of masquerading several faces on their real ones.
2. When they need us, they can even lock themselves in embrace with me; and once I am in difficulty, they look the other way.
3. There are some who will recklessly deal with any one, be it even a robber, it looks like they have become used to this type of behavior.
4. Many are such that they cry after causing the lightening strike their own garden themselves.
5. Every one that smiles is not necessarily happy. There are some who smile just to hide their sadness.
6. They hate the darkness so much that some light their lamps even in broad day light.
7. I have on occasions witnessed even this. That some people will agree to carry their cross on their own shoulders when their honour is at stake.
8. O QATEEL, do not try to stop those who burn their own hearts, perhaps their very purpose is to have light at any cost, and they are not even bothering you.
