Translation - Koi Din Gar Zindaganee Aur Hai (Ghalib)

koi din gar zindaganee aur hai
apne jee mein hamne thaanee aur hai

Line 1/2 - Ghalib says that only some of his life is left now. He is at the last stage of his life. He is old now. He is dejected as well by all the sorrow and grief he has seen in his life. And yet, he has decided that he will do something with his remaining life. It could also mean that we may plan something different with our lives, but the life has its own plans.

aatish-e-dozakh mein ye garmee kahaan
soz-e-gham hai nihaanee aur hai

Line 3/4 - The fires of hell are not as hot as the burning from the everlasting grief that is hidden and internal. Ghalib could be referring to the dejection and grief of seeing all his children die in infancy. The wound is there, hidden deep in his psyche that has scarred him all his life.

baarha dekhee hain unki ranjishain
par kuch ab ke sar-giraanee aur hai

Line 5/6 - Ghalib refers to his lover, and says that he has seen his lover angry so many times but all the times eventually they compromised and sorted their differences. But he laments that this time it will be difficult to compromise because this time differences have hit the ego and pride of his lover.

deke khat munh dekhta hai naamabar
kuchch to paighaam-e-zabanee aur hai

Line 7/8 - The messenger came and gave a letter from his lover. He is looking at his face for my reactions on reading the letter. But the message is different from what the messenger actually wanted to tell. His eyes are telling a different story from what is written in the letter, though he is not saying anything.

qaata-e-'amaar hai aksar nujoom
woh balaa-e-aasmaanee aur hai

Line 9/10 - Ghalib says that sometimes stars define the destiny and the future of man. Sometimes unfavorable stars can cut short the life of someone. But this lover of his (described here as beauty of such repute that she is a natural calamity where ever she goes) is something different. Ghalib also says for others stars could have a negative effect but for him his lover is the guiding star of faith.

ho chuki 'ghalib' balaayen sab tamaam
ek marg-e-naagahaanee aur hai

Line 11/12 - The poet says that whatever bad things had to happen to him have already happened. That string of misfortunes has ended. But one thing is left and that is the uncertain but an unavoidable death. It could also mean that it would be a misfortune to die suddenly without finishing whatever he had thought he would accomplish before his dying.

Meaning of difficult words :-
dozakh = hell
soz = passion/heat
nihaanee=internal/hidden
sar-giraanee=pride
qaata-e-'amaar=killers
nujoom=stars
balaa-e-aasmaanee=natural calamity
balaayen = calamities
marg = death
naagahaanee = sudden/accidental

Read more posts on Ghalib.

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