Haazir Jawaabi: Repartee

NS Rajan

This post is a warm tribute and expression of thanks to a tweep I have never had the opportunity to meet. Every day a phrase or a line in Urdu is posted as a challenge and I have attempted the privilege of completing the couplet, a literary riposte any lover of Urdu would delight in, that keeps the language alive within.The first line of the verses below , in italics, is the challenge posed and the line following that has been my response. Thank you, my friend 🙂

 

Kya bataayen tumhen dushmanon ka pata

 Jis shahr mein kaun hai dost  yeh to nahin pata

 

 Nek niyati ab bojh ho gayi hai

Ulfat hai dil mein aur woh hai rubaroo

         

Neend se kah do intezaar kare

Raat aur baat baaki hai chaahat aur mannat bhi

 

 Tere iraade tere lafzon se mel nahin khaate

 Khaate ya na khaate hum tere se fida hai huzoor

 

Shabd bolne ke liye hote hain huzoor

Jo keh diye amal karna hai zaroor

         

Yun ghere rahti hai kisi ki yaad

Rooh bhi sunaati hai uski faryaad 

 

Raah chalte logon se bhi yarana karo

Yahan ghar baite dushman yoon mil jaate hain

 

Raaz khulne lage hai ab saare

Mano dil ki baat ab pyaare

Mukhtasar hai ye wasl ki shab

Dekho doobne lage hai taare

 

 

क्या  बताएं  तुम्हें  दुश्मनों  का  पता 

जिस  शहर  में  कौन  है  दोस्त   यह  तो  नहीं  पता 

 

नेक  नियति  अब  बोझ  हो  गयी  है 

उल्फत  है  दिल  में  और  वोह  है  रूबरू 

         

नींद  से  कह  दो  इंतज़ार  करे 

रात  और  बात  बाकी  है  चाहत  और  मन्नत  भी 

 

तेरे  इरादे  तेरे  लफ़्ज़ों  से  मेल  नहीं  खाटे

खाटे या  न  खाटे  हम  तेरे  से  फ़िदा  है  हुज़ूर 

 

शब्द  बोलने  के  लिए  होते  हैं  हुज़ूर 

जो  कह  दिए  अमल  करना  है  ज़रूर 

         

यूँ  घेरे  रहती  है  किसी  की  याद 

रूह  भी  सुनाती  है  उसकी  फरयाद  

 

राह  चलते  लोगों  से  भी  याराना  करो 

यहाँ  घर  बैटे दुश्मन  यूं  मिल  जाते  हैं 

                        

राज़  खुलने  लगे  है  अब  सारे 

मनो  दिल  की  बात  अब  प्यारे 

मुख़्तसर  है  ये  वस्ल  की  शब् 

देखो  डूबने  लगे  है  तारे 

 

 

How can I warn you where enemies lurk around

Have yet to figure out who are friends in this city

 

Good manners have become burdensome indeed

 Desires spring in my heart and she is close by too

 

Kindly ask sleep to wait a little longer

Young is the night, sweet nothings and desires too

 

Your intent surely matches not your words

Doesn’t really matter, dear, for I am besotted still

 

Words are meant to be spoken

Having spoken actions must follow

 

Her memory continues to linger

Even the soul complains about her

 

On your journey do make friends

Here you meet enemies as we stay home

 

Our secrets may cease to be

Do listen to my heart’s plea, dear

Time is short in this night of union

Can’t you see the stars descend?

 

( Ophelia: The lovely picture above was painted by the inimitable Pierre Auguste Cot, 1837 – 1883, a French  painter  belonging to the genre of Academic Classicism. A student of William Adolphe Bouguereau,  he was much awarded during his lifetime for his renowned  portraits. I had the privilege of seeing his work, large oil canvases which were truly a visual delight, at the Met Museum at New York )