The Hidden Garden Gopi Narang (year 7 reading list TXT) 📖

buuta haal hamaara jaane hai

jaane n jaane gul hi n jaane baagh to saara jaane hai

Every leaf, every little plant,

knows my state of mind.

Only the rose does not know it,

but the whole garden knows.

charaagari bimaari-e dil ki rasm-e shehr-e husn nahien

varna dilbar naadaan bhi us dard ka chaara jaane hai

In the city where beauty resides,

there is no custom of curing heart’s affliction.

Otherwise, even the unaware beloved

would have known how to provide relief.

aa’shiq to murda hai hamesha ji uth-ta hai dekhe use

yaar ke aa jaane ko yakayak u’mr dobaara jaane hai

A lover is dead

but he regains life on seeing her.

The very act of a beloved’s sudden visit

is like gaining new life.20

sabr kahaan jo tum ko kahiye lag ke gale se so jaao

bolo n bolo baitho n baitho khare khare tuk ho jaao

No patience to tell you,

come and fall asleep in my embrace.

No need to say anything,

no need to take any trouble.

Just be still in the moment!

barse hai ghurbat si ghurbat gor ke uuper aa’shiq ki

abr namat jo aao idhar to dekh ke tum bhi ro jaao

Utter desolation is pervading

over the lover’s grave

and it is wreaking havoc.

If you come here like the cloud,

even you will cry a lot.21

u’mr bhar ham rahe sharaabi se

dil-e pur-khuun ki ik gulaabi se

I was inebriated most of my life.

A little pink goblet filled with blood

simply stayed on my heart forever.

ji da-ha jaaye hai saher se aah

raat guzre gi kis kharaabi se

Alas! My heart is crestfallen

since the morning.

I wonder how awful

the night would be.

khilna kam kam kali ne siikha hai

us ki aankhon ki niim-khwaabi se

The bud opens slowly, very slowly.

Who do you think she learnt it from?

From my beloved’s half-open

and dreamy eyes, of course.

burqa uth-te hi chaand sa nikla

daagh huun us ki be-hijaabi se

When she uncovered her face

I saw a moon rise.

The dazzle of her shimmering beauty

hit my heart and it left a scar.

kaam the i’shq mein bahut par Mir

ham hain faarigh hue shataabi se

There was a lot to be done in love, Mir,

but my luck did not get an opportunity

and I lost everything.22

yaaro mujhe m’uaaf rakho main nashe mein huun

ab do to jaam khaali hi do main nashe mein huun

Friends, please excuse me

because I am inebriated.

If you give me a glass of wine,

give it totally empty.

You know I am drunk.

maa’zuur huun jo paaon mera be-tarah pare

tum sargraan to mujh se n ho main nashe mein huun

My apologies

if my walk is little out of step.

Please do not be unhappy with me.

You know I am drunk.

bhaagi namaaz-e jum’a to jaati nahien hai kuchh

chalta huun main bhi tuk to raho main nashe mein huun

The time of Friday prayers comes rushing,

but it is not going to run away anywhere.

I will come along if you wait a bit.

You know I am drunk.

naazuk mizaaj aap qayaamat hain Mir ji

juun shiisha mere munh n lago main nashe mein huun

Dear illustrious Mir,

you have a terrible temperament,

very volatile indeed.

Do not come close to me

as a wine cup touches lips.

It can get smashed.

You know I am drunk.23

koft se jaan lab p aaii hai

ham ne kya chot dil p khaaii hai

I am fatigued and shattered

to the point of breaking down.

What a severe blow

my heart has received!

likhte ruq’a likhe gaye daftar

shauq ne baat kya barhaaii hai

I wanted to write a love note,

but I filled a whole lot of registers.

My desire for you really made it

a big deal.

aarzu us buland o baala ki

kya bala mere sar p laaii hai

Constant longing for that tall

and swaying beauty!

What a spell have I cast upon myself!

diidni hai shikastagi dil ki

kya i’maarat ghamon ne dhaaii hai

The breaking of the heart

is worth looking.

What a beautiful edifice

this calamity has brought down.

hai tasann’o k la’l hain vo lab

yaa’ni ik baat si banaaii hai

To say her lips are like crimson ruby

is simply a play of words.

They have no match, indeed.

dil se nazdiik aur itna duur

kis se us ko kuchh aashnaaii hai

She is close to the heart

yet she is far away.

Whoever knows her,

shares the same experience.

marg-e majnun p a’qal gum hai Mir

kya divaane ne maut paaii hai

The death of Majnun, Mir

makes me lose myself in disbelief.

Can a lover like him ever die?24

kal baare ham se us se mulaaqaat ho gaii

do do bachan ke hone mein ik baat ho gaii

Yesterday,

I encountered her by chance.

We exchanged a few words

and believe me

what a talk it was.

kin kin musiibaton se hui sub-h shaam-e hijr

so zulfein hi banaate use raat ho gaii

What afflictions

I had to bear during the night

of separation!

She spent time

trying to arrange her tresses

until it was late

in the night.

gardish nigaah-e mast ki mauquuf saaqiya

masjid to sheikh ji ki kharabaat ho gaii

Saqi, please stop looking

with those dream-like enticing eyes.

The mosque of the esteemed Sheikh

has already turned into a place

crowded with intoxicated people.

apne to honth bhi n hile us ke ru b ru

ranjish ki vajah Mir vo kya baat ho gaii

I did not even open my lips

while I stood before her face to face.

Mir doesn’t know what happened,

why she got upset without any reason.25

ae nukiile y thi kahaan ki ada

khub gaii ji mein teri baanki ada

O bright and sharp one,

what kind of affectation is this?

Your delicate gesture entered my heart

just like a dagger.

jaadu karte hain ik nigaah ke biich

haae re chashm-e dilbaraan ki ada

They cast a spell

with just one glance.

Alas, the heart tearing looks of beloveds!

baat kahne mein gaaliyaan de hai

sunte ho mere badzubaan ki ada

Her speech gives the impression

she is calling names.

Did you hear what the one

with a wily tongue just said?

dil chale jaaye hain khiraam ke saath

dekhi chalne mein in butaan ki ada

She is strolling

with great abandon.

Just notice the charm

of her carefree sauntering.

khaak mein mil ke Mir ham samjhe

be-adaaii thi assmaan ki ada

Mir, I was reduced to ash

and then I understood.

The sky’s way was full of

calamities for me.26

gul o bulbul bahaar mein dekha

ek tujh ko hazaar mein dekha

I saw blossoms and nightingales

when the spring arrived.

Among one thousand others,

you were the only one

that captured my heart.

jal gaya dil safed hain aankhein

y to kuchh intizaar mein dekha

My heart was burnt.

My eyes have turned white.

I saw it happen while I waited

and waited for you.

jaisa muztar tha zindagi mein dil

vohien main ne qaraar mein dekha

The way it