masjid-e qur:tubah
*stanza three*

  ....  
1) oh holy place of Cordoba!
from passion, your existence
  
ay ;haram-e qur:tubah ! ((ishq se teraa vujuud
passion wholly eternal,
in which there's no going and coming		  
((ishq saraapaa davaam jis me;N nahii;N raft-o-buud
     
2) whether it be color or brick and stone,
whether it be the lute or word and voice
  
rang ho yaa ;xisht-o-sang , chung ho yaa ;harf-o-.saut
the manifestation of miracles of art
is from the blood of the liver		  
mu((jizah-e fan kii hai ;xuun-e jigar se namuud !
= In ghazal physiology, the liver is the maker of
fresh blood; thus it's an image of steadfastness
and the endurance of suffering over time.		    
     
3) a drop of the blood of the liver
makes a stone into a heart
  
qa:trah-e ;xuun-e jigar , sil ko banaataa hai dil
from the blood of the liver, voice,
burning and joy, and the song/lyre		  
;xuun-e jigar se .sadaa soz-o-suruur-o-sarod !
     
4) yours the heart-illumining expanse,
mine the breast-burning voice/song
  
terii fa.zaa dil-firoz , merii navaa siinah-soz
from you, the royal-presence of hearts,
from me, the opening of hearts		  
tujh se dilo;N kaa ;hu.zuur , mujh se dilo;N kii kushuud
   
5) not less than the lofty empyrean is the breast of Adam
  
((arsh-e mu((all;aa se kam siinah-e aadam nahii;N
although the limit of the handful of dust
is the azure sphere		  
garchih kaf-e ;xaak kii ;had hai sipihr-e kubuud
= Adam's body was made from a handful of dust,
and so is limited to this physical earth and sky;
his spirit however can attain higher realms.		    
     
6) if the Form of Light is granted
a prostration, so what?
  
paikar-e nuurii ko hai sijdah muyassar to kyaa
he does not obtain the burning and melting
of the act of prostration!		  
us ko muyassar nahii;N soz-o-gudaaz-e sujuud !

= An angel, formed of light, performs prostration,
but doesn't have human emotions when doing so.

    
     
7) I am an Indian infidel,
look at my relish and ardor
  
kaafir-e hindii huu;N mai;N , dekh miraa ;zauq-o-shauq
in my heart is prayer, and blessings on the Prophet,
on my lips is prayer, and blessings on the Prophet		  
dil me;N .sal;aat-o-duruud , lab pah .sal;aat-o-duruud

= kaafir can be used playfully; in the ghazal,
it's often applied to the beloved.

= Here as so often, hindii means 'pertaining
to Hind', or 'Indian'.

    
     
8) ardor is in my tune,
ardor is in my reed-flute
  
shauq mirii lay me;N hai, shauq mirii nay me;N hai
the melody of Allah-hu
is in my veins and sinews		  
na;Gmah-e all;aah huu mere rag-o-pai me;N hai
= Allah-hu is the beginning of the phrase 'God is great'    
   

*On to stanza four* -- *Masjid-e Qurtubah index page*

 
 
 

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