SECTION 2b *back to section 2a*
(we're now on page *dāl , continued*)   

Rusva: All right, Umrao Jan! Then recite some other ghazal.
Umrao: Let's see, if something comes to mind then I would present it. (After a little while):

1) The night of separation doesn't come to an end
The dawn doesn't come, doesn't come

The members of the gathering: vah vah, praise be to God, what can I say!
Umrao: [taslims]. Let this verse be considered:

===========
==The meter of the ghazal is #16 in the *meter list*

rusvā -- umrāʾo jān achchhā - to koʾī aur ġhazal paṛho -
umrāʾo -- dekhiye kuchh yād āʾe to ʿarẓ karūñ - ( thoṛī der ke baʿd )

shab-e farqat basar nahīñ hotī
nahīñ hotī saḥar nahīñ hotī

ḥuẓẓār-e jalsah -- vāh vā subḥān ullâh kyā kahnā -
umrāʾo -- ( taslīmeñ kar ke ) yih shiʿr mulāḥazah ho -

2) The sound of lamentation reached to the sky
But that one is unaware of it

Rusva: What a verse she's composed! (The gathering also praised it.)
Umrao: It's your graciousness [to say so]. [taslim taslim]

shor-e faryād tā falak pahuñchā
magar us ko ḳhabar nahīñ hotī

rusvā -- kyā shiʿr kahā hai ( ḥuẓẓār ne bhī taʿrīf kī )
umrāʾo -- āp kī ʿināyat - taslīm - taslīm -

3) The voiceless ones of your street
Have no lust for weath and gold

The friends: praise.
Umrao: [taslim]

tire kūche ke be-navāʾoñ ko
havas-e māl-o-zar nahīñ hotī

aḥbāb -- taʿrīf -
umrāʾo -- taslīm -

4) It was necessary to give up life for someone
Life doesn't pass in just any old way

Rusva: Vah! Khan Sahib, just consider this verse!
Khan Sahib: Praise be to God! In truth, what a verse she's composed!
Umrao: [taslim] All you gentlemen are pleased to over-praise me-- [quoting a line of poetry:] 'otherwise, what am I, what status do I have?'

===========
==The little ʿain mark before the quoted line signals the approach of a single miṣraʿ

jān denā kisī pah lāzim thā
zindagī yūñ basar nahīñ hotī

rusvā -- vāh ! ḳhāñ ṣāḥib yih shiʿr mulāḥazah ho -
ḳhāñ ṣāḥib -- subḥān ullâh - ḥaqīqat meñ kyā shiʿr kahā -
umrāʾo -- taslīm - āp sab ṣāḥib qadar-afzāʾī farmāte haiñ " varnah maiñ kyā mirī ḥaqīqat kyā " -

5) It's certain that that one won't come, nevertheless
When is my glance not toward the door?

Khan Sahib: This one too she composed well.
Pandit Sahib: What a style of poetry she has!
Umrao: [doing taslim]

hai yaqīñ vuh nah āʾeñge phir bhī
kab nigah sū-e dar nahīñ hotī

ḳhāñ ṣāḥib -- yih bhī ḳhūb kahā -
pañḍit ṣāḥib -- kyā t̤arz-e kalām hai -
umrāʾo : -- taslīm kar ke -

6) Now on what hope is my gaze?
It does not complain about its effect

Khan Sahib: Has she composed a good one? 'Persianness' is dripping [from it].
Munshi Sahib: In any case, the 'theme' is good.
Umrao: [taslim]

===========
==The 'theme' [maẓmūn] is not just any old topic, but a matter of poetic style; certain themes are acceptable or not, attractive or not, shopworn or not; and there can easily be debate about this.

[*he*] ab kis ummīd par naz̤ar merī
shikvah-sanj-e aṡar nahīñ hotī

ḳhāñ ṣāḥib -- kyā achchhā kahā hai, fārsiyat ṭapak rahī hai -
munshī ṣāḥib -- jo kuchh ho , maẓmūn achchhā hai -
umrāʾo -- taslīm -

7) In us captives of passion, oh Hunter,
There is no desire for feather and wing

The friends: praise.
Umrao: [taslim]

ham asīrān-e ʿishq ko ṣayyād
havas-e bāl-o-par nahīñ hotī

aḥbāb -- taʿrīf -
umrāʾo -- taslīm -

8) Even if that gaze is full of misunderstanding
Why is it not directed toward my condition?

Khan Sahib: Indeed, that's how it should be. She's composed a fine one.
Umrao: [taslim] Let the closing-verse be considered:

ġhalat̤-andāz hī sahī vuh naz̤ar
kyūñ mire ḥāl par nahīñ hotī

ḳhāñ ṣāḥib -- hāñ honā chāhiye - ḳhūb kahā hai -
umrāʾo -- taslīm - maqt̤aʿ mulāḥazah ho -

9) Oh Ada, we will never agree--
A heart knows nothing about a heart

Khan Sahib: What a closing-verse she's composed! Here you mention your own experience, and people's opinion is against that.
Umrao: Whatever my individual experience may be, I have composed a poetic [='poet-like'] 'theme'.

ay adā ham kabhī nah māneñge
dil ko dil kī ḳhabar nahīñ hotī

ḳhāñ ṣāḥib -- kyā maqt̤aʿ kahā hai - yih āp apnā tajrubah bayān kartī haiñ - aur logoñ kī rāʾe us ke ḳhilāf hai -
umrāʾo -- żātī tajrubah jo kuchh ho - maiñ ne to ik shāʿirānah maẓmūn kahā hai -

Rusva: All right, please just recite it again.
Umrao Jan recited it again.
Rusva: To me it seems that both aspects of this theme can emerge from this verse.
Khan Sahib: Truly, Mirza Sahib, what a fine utterance she's composed!
The friends: From closing-verse to opening-verse, the ghazal is in a single mood.
Agha Sahib: Be pleased to consider the placing ['seating'] of the words be considered.
Pandit Sahib: What gold-scattering she's performed!
Umrao Jan: (standing up) [taslim]
rusvā -- achchā żarā phir to paṛhiye -
umrāʾo jān ne phir paṛhā -
rusvā -- mujhe to aisā maʿlūm hotā hai kih is maẓmūn ke donoñ pahlū is shiʿr se nikal sakte haiñ -
ḳhāñ ṣāḥib -- vāqiʿa mirzā ṣāḥib kyā ḳhūb bāt kahī -
aḥbāb -- ġhazal az maqt̤aʿ tā mat̤laʿ ek rang meñ hai -
āġhā ṣāḥib : -- nishast-e alfāz̤ mulāḥaz̤ah kījiye -
pañḍit ṣāḥib -- kyā zar-afshānī kī hai -
umrāʾo jān -- ( khaṛī ho ke ) taslīm -
 
 

 
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