NA GAVAAO NAAVAK E NEEM-KASH..FAIZ AHMED FAIZ

                                     

NA GAVAAO  NAAVAK E NEEM-KASH...DIL E REZA REZA GAVA  DIYA...

(Stay your half-drawn arrow, 

waste it not,

this heart lies splintered,

 long dispersed.)

Many singers of the subcontinent have sung this Gazal of Faiz. My choice remains Iqbal Bano. The use of Sarangi in Iqbal Bano's singing aptly blends with the feelings that Faiz has poured in this Gazal. Many people have translated it into English.My choice is Mustansir Dalvi. 

Prof Dalvi teaches architecture at JJ School of Art ,Mumbai. He is a poet, editor, art curator writer, columnist and translator apart from being a teacher .See three samples of Dalvi's simple yet  great translation:-

(1)

"Meray chaaraagar ko naved ho, saf-e-dushmanaa ko khabar karo

Jo woh karz rakhte the jaan par

 woh hisaab aaj chukaa diya..."..Faiz Ahmed Faiz 

(Send my healers good tidings,

inform the legions of my foes-

the debt that lingered on my being,

that debt is now defrayed.)

(2)

"Yeh tere husn se lipti hui aalam ki gard

Apni do-rozaa jawaani ki shikaston ka shumaar

Chandni raaton ka bekaar dehektaa hua dard

Dil ke be-sood tadap jism ki maayoos pukaar

Chand roz meri jaan faqat chand hi roz."...Faiz Ahmed Faiz 

(This dust of sorrow that veils your beauty

This bounty of defeats on our fleeting youth

This worthless throbbing under moonlit nights

The futility of heartburn, the body's unheard lament,

A few more days, my love, only a few days more.)

(3)

"Moti ho ki sheesha jaam ki dur

Jo toot gaya so toot gaya

Kab ashkon se jud sakta hai

Jo toot gaya so chhoot gaya

Tum naahak tukde chun chun kar

Daaman mein chupaaye baithe ho

Sheeshon ka maseeha koi nahin 

Kya aas lagaaye baithe ho"

(A pearl, a mirror, wine-glass or gem

Once shattered stays shattered

Tears will not cleave them together

What is once broken is lost forever

Well may you try to gather shards

And hold them fast to your breast

Well may you hope against hope,

But mirrors expect no savior.)

( Avtar Mota)

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