jibriil-o-ibliis

Published in baal-e jibriil (The Wing of Gabriel) (1935).
From: kulliyaat-e iqbaal urduu (Lahore: Shaikh Ghulam 'Ali and Sons Publishers, 1973 (and later reprints), *pp. 435-36*

a *ghazal*; *meter*: = - = = / = - = = / = - = = / = - =

Urdu spellings reflect adjustments made for the sake of the meter.
See the 'script bar' at the bottom of the page for viewing choices.

Here's *a serial glossary*.

   
 
jibriil
 
ham-dam-e derinah ! kaisaa hai jahaan-e rang-o-buu ?
   
 
ibliis
 
soz-o-saaz-o-dard-o-daa;G-o-justjuu-o-aarzuu !
  1)
  Jibril: Old friend! How is the world of color and scent?
Iblis: Burning and creativity and pain and wounds and searching and longing!
   
 
jibriil
 
har gha;Rii aflaak par rahtii hai terii guftaguu
kyaa nahii;N mumkin kih teraa chaak-e daaman ho rafuu ?
  2)
  Jibril: In the heavens, we constantly speak of you.
Isn't it possible that the rip in your garment-hem might be mended?
   
 
ibliis
 
aah ay jibriil tuu vaaqif nahii;N us raaz se
kar gayaa sarmast mujh ko ;Tuut kar meraa subuu !
  3)
  Iblis: Ah, oh Gabriel, you are not acquainted with that secret
that intoxicated me, my cup having broken!
  == It wasn't just that the secret "intoxicated" me [kiyaa]; rather, it "intoxicated me and then went away" [kar gayaa]. It's hard to convey the nuances in English. The same verb form occurs in verse (10) also.
== The secret did not break the cup; if it had, the verb would be to;R kar . The cup broke either spontaneously, or for unspecified reasons.
   
 
ab yahaa;N merii gu;zar mumkin nahii;N , mumkin nahii;N
kis qadar ;xaamosh hai yih ((aalam-e be-kaa;x-o-kuu !
  4)
  Now my access here is not possible, not possible.
How silent it is, this world without palaces and streets!
   
 
jis kii naumiidii se ho soz-daruun-e kaa))inaat
us ke ;haq me taqna:tuu achchhaa hai yaa laa-taqna:tuu ?
  5)
  The one through whose despair is the inner burning of creation--
with regard to him, is [Arabic] "Despair!" better, or [Arabic] "Do not despair!"?
  == These imperatives are from the Qur'an.
   
 
jibriil
 
kho diye inkaar se tuu ne maqaamaat-e buland
chashm-e yazdaa;N me;N firishto;N kii rahii kyaa aabruu !
  6)
  Jibril: You've lost, through refusal, lofty ranks/positions
In the eyes of God, what honor remained for the angels?
  == In other words, Iblis's behavior has discredited the whole group of angels.
 
ibliis
 
hai mirii jur))at se musht-e ;xaak me;N ;zauq-e namuu
mere fitne jaamah-e ((aql-o-;xirad kaa taar-o-puu !
  7)
  Iblis: Through my courage, in the handful of dust is the relish for growth
My mischiefs/rebellions are the warp and weft of the garment of wisdom and knowledge.
  == The "handful of dust" is of course what Adam was made from.
   
 
dekhtaa hai tuu faqa:t saa;hil se razm-e ;xair-o-shar
kaun :tuufaa;N ke :tamaa;Nche kha rahaa hai ? mai;N kih tuu ?
  8)
  You only look from shore at the battle of good and evil
Who is feeling the buffets of the typhoon-- I, or you?
   
 
;xi.zr bhii be-dast-o-paa , ilyaas bhii be-dast-o-paa
mere :tuufaa;N yam bah yam , daryaa bah daryaa , juu bah juu !
  9)
  Khizr too is helpless, Elias too is helpless
My typhoons are ocean by ocean, sea by sea, stream by stream!
  == Khizr and Elias are literally "without hand and food," and thus unable to swim.
   
 
gar kabhii ;xalvat muyassar ho to puuchh all;aah se
qi.s.sah-e aadam ko rangii;N kar gayaa kis kaa lahuu ?
  10)
  If sometime you would have a chance to be in private, then ask God,
Whose blood made colorful the story of Adam?
   
 
mai;N kha;Taktaa huu;N dil-e yazdaa;N me;N kaa;N;Te kii :tara;h ,
tuu faqat all;aah huu , all;aah huu , all;aah huu !
  11)
  I prick like a thorn in the heart of God,
You are only [in Arabic] "God is He, God is He, God is He"!
  == That is, Gabriel is just a yes-man who does nothing but blindly praise God.
   

 

 
 
 

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