Faiz - Sach hain hamiin ko aap ke shikve

Another nice Faiz...

Sach hai ham hii ko aap ke shikve bajaa naa the
beshak sitam janaab ke sab dostaanaa the

सच है हम ही को आप के शिकवे बजा ना थे

बेशक सितम जनाब के सब दोस्ताना थे

"it's true that it was I who did not find your (legitimate) complaints acceptable
Without a doubt, all your oppressions were (inflicted in) friendly (spirit)"

A typical taunt directed at the heartless Beloved who is brazen enough to first torture, and then protest that she was acting out of the friendliest of intentions! With ironic generosity the poet concedes his earlier unreasonableness in having (unfairly) dismissed her claim...

Haa.n jo jafaa bhii aap ne kii kaiyade se kii
haa.n ham hii kaaraaband-e-usool-e-wafaa naa the

हाँ जो जफ़ा भी आप ने की कायदे से की

हाँ हम ही काराबंद-ए-उसूल-ए-वफ़ा ना थे

"Its true that even the cruelties you committed, you committed 'properly'
Its true that I myself was (guilty of) non-compliance with the principles of faithfulness"

Another sarcastic "yeah, sure.... whatever you say!" response to the unreasonable explanations the oppressive Beloved...whose oppressions have carefully been inflicted without deviating from the 'rules of the game'!


aaye to yuu.n ki jaise hameshaa ke the meharbaan
bhule to yuu.n ki goyaa kabhii aashnaa na the

आये तो यूँ कि जैसे हमेशा के थे मेहरबान

भूले तो यूँ कि गोया कभी आशना ना थे

"when you come, it is as if you have always been so merciful
(and) when you forget (me), it's as if we have never (even) been acquainted/lovers"

The capricious unpredictability of the Beloved...


kyo.n daad-e-gham ham ne talab kii, buraa kiyaa
ham se jahaa.n mein kushta-e-gham aur kyaa na the?

क्यों दाद-ए-गम हम ने तलब की, बुरा किया
हम से जहाँ मे कुश्ता-ए-गम और क्या ना थे

"why did I desire applause for (my) pain; that was wrong of me
weren't there other martyrs-to-pain in the world, like I?"

Why did i expect the world to be impressed by my pain? While it may seem of acopalyptic proportions to me, there are many others walking about in the world, who've suffered the same agony of love! When seen objectively, even this exquisite pain, my last remaining treasure, is actually quite commonplace...!


While it works beautifully as a 'relativisation' of one's personal pain (as above), the sher can also be read in a more 'Beloved-specific' context.... i.e. "why should i alone be admired (or sympathised with) for having suffered at her hands? There are hundreds who have been similarly afflicted by her lethal charms", etc...
----

Gar fikr-e-jakhm kii, to khatavaar hai.n ki ham
kyo.n mahv-e-madh-e-khuubii-e-tegh-e-adaa na the

ग़र फिक्र-ए-ज़ख्म की, तो ख़तावार हैं, कि हम
क्यों मह्व-ए-मध्-ए-खूबी-तेग-ए-अदा ना थे
"if (i was) worried about my wounds, then I stand guilty
because, why wasn't I engrossed in praise of the excellence of the sword of (your) charms?"

Ha Ha!! A beauty!

Continuing his exquisite sarcasm, the poet ironically admits to the Beloved that it would be wrong of him to worry about his injuries (at her hands)... instead he should be absorbed in praise of the weapon that inflicted them so effortlessly... मह्व-ए-मध्-ए-खूबी-तेग-ए-अदा is the sort of poetic expression that only Faiz could have tossed in so casually!

-----
har chaaraagar ko chaaraagari se gurez thaa
varnaa hamei.n jo dukh the bahut laadawaa ne the


हर चारागर को चारागरी से गुरेज़ था
वरना हमें जो दुःख थे बहुत लादवा ना थे
"all healers were reluctant to heal
otherwise, my ailments were not so incurable"
And who were these charlatan chaaraagars who evaded their responsibilities to heal, and let the Lover needlessly suffer in his pain? The Beloved certainly, for she had the surest cure... but also the Almighty, who could have 'cured' him by administering the 'coup de grace' even earlier!
-----

lab par hai talkhii-e-mai-e-ayyaam, varnaa Faiz
ham talkhii-e-kalaam par maa'il zaraa na the

लब पर है तल्खी-ए-मय-ए-अय्याम, वरना फैज़
हम तल्खी-ए-कलाम पर माइल ज़रा ना थे
"the bitterness of the wine of the world (lingers) on my lips, Faiz
or else, I am not the least enamoured of bitter words"

Like all Faiz maqtas, a veritable tour-de-force!

If his poesy comes out in harsh flavours, explains the poet, it is because of the 'acrid wine of every-day life', which leaves its caustic traces on his lips, and 'colours' whatever comes out of his mouth... otherwise, he himself has no fondness for vinegary verse!