Original Poem
umr guzregī imtihān meñ kyā daaġh hī deñge mujh ko daan meñ kyā merī har baat be-asar hī rahī nuqs hai kuchh mire bayān meñ kyā mujh ko to koī Toktā bhī nahīñ yahī hotā hai ḳhāndān meñ kyā apnī mahrūmiyāñ chhupāte haiñ ham ġharīboñ kī ān-bān meñ kyā ḳhud ko jaanā judā zamāne se aa gayā thā mire gumān meñ kyā shaam hī se dukān-e-dīd hai band nahīñ nuqsān tak dukān meñ kyā ai mire sub.h-o-shām-e-dil kī shafaq tū nahātī hai ab bhī baan meñ kyā bolte kyuuñ nahīñ mire haq meñ aable paḌ ga.e zabān meñ kyā ḳhāmushī kah rahī hai kaan meñ kyā aa rahā hai mire gumān meñ kyā dil ki aate haiñ jis ko dhyān bahut ḳhud bhī aatā hai apne dhyān meñ kyā vo mile to ye pūchhnā hai mujhe ab bhī huuñ maiñ tirī amaan meñ kyā yuuñ jo taktā hai āsmān ko tū koī rahtā hai āsmān meñ kyā hai nasīm-e-bahār gard-ālūd ḳhaak uḌtī hai us makān meñ kyā ye mujhe chain kyuuñ nahīñ paḌtā ek hī shaḳhs thā jahān meñ kyā
Translation (English)
Will life just be a test?
Will they only give me scars as gifts?
Everything I say has no effect.
Is there something wrong with how I speak?
No one even stops me.
Is this what happens in families?
We hide our lack of things.
What is there in the pride of us poor people?
I thought I was different from the world.
What was I thinking?
The shop of seeing is closed since evening.
Is there no loss in the shop?
Oh twilight of my heart's morning and evening,
Do you still bathe in the tub?
Why don't they speak for me?
Do they have blisters on their tongues?
What is silence saying in my ear?
What is coming to my mind?
The one who often thinks of the heart,
Does he also come into his own thoughts?
If I meet him, I want to ask,
Am I still under your protection?
The way you look at the sky,
Is there someone living in the sky?
The spring breeze is full of dust.
Is dust rising in that house?
Why can't I find peace?
Was there only one person in the world?
About the Poet
Jaun Elia (20th century)
Jaun Elia was a prominent Pakistani Urdu poet, philosopher, biographer, and scholar. Born on December 14, 1931, in Amroha, India, he migrated to Pakistan in 1957. Known for his unconventional style and profound themes, Elia's poetry often explores existentialism and personal anguish.
Read more on Wikipedia →Historical Context
- Literary Form
- ghazal
- When Written
- 20th century
- Background
- Jaun Elia's poetry often reflects his personal struggles and existential musings. This ghazal, like many of his works, delves into themes of isolation, societal expectations, and the search for meaning.
Sources: https://www.rekhta.org/ghazals/umr-guzregii-imtihaan-men-kyaa-jaun-eliya-ghazals, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Urdu_poetry
Detailed Explanation
This ghazal by Jaun Elia explores themes of existential reflection, societal norms, and personal introspection. The poet questions the purpose of life, expressing a sense of futility and isolation. He wonders if life is merely a series of tests and if the only rewards are scars. The poet reflects on his own ineffectiveness in communication, pondering if there is a flaw in his expression. He feels unnoticed and questions the familial bonds that seem indifferent. The poem also touches on the pride of the impoverished, who hide their deprivations. The poet's self-reflection leads him to question his separation from the world and the thoughts that occupy his mind. The imagery of a closed shop of sight and a dust-laden breeze evokes a sense of stagnation and decay. Throughout the ghazal, Jaun Elia uses rhetorical questions to convey his inner turmoil and the search for meaning in a seemingly indifferent world.
Themes
Literary Devices
Word Dictionary
| Word | Meaning | Translation | Transliteration |
|---|---|---|---|
| umr | عمر | age | umr |
| guzregī | گزرے گی | will go by | guzregi |
| imtihān | آزمائش | examination | imtihan |
| meñ | میں | in | mein |
| kyā | کیا | what | kya |
| daaġh | داغ | scars | daagh |
| hī | ہی | only | hi |
| deñge | دیں گے | will give | denge |
| mujh | مجھ | me | mujh |
| ko | کو | to | ko |
| daan | خیرات | gift | daan |
| merī | میری | my | meri |
| har | ہر | every | har |
| baat | بات | word | baat |
| be-asar | بے اثر | ineffective | be-asar |
| rahī | رہی | is | rahi |
| nuqs | نقص | flaw | nuqs |
| hai | ہے | is | hai |
| kuchh | کچھ | some | kuchh |
| mire | میرے | my | mire |
| bayān | بیان | expression | bayan |
| Toktā | روکتا | stops | Tokta |
| nahīñ | نہیں | not | nahin |
| yahī | یہی | this | yahi |
| hotā | ہوتا | happens | hota |
| ḳhāndān | خاندان | family | khandan |
| apnī | اپنی | our | apni |
| mahrūmiyāñ | محرومیاں | deprivations | mahrumiyan |
| chhupāte | چھپاتے | hide | chhupate |
| haiñ | ہیں | are | hain |
| ham | ہم | we | ham |
| ġharīboñ | غریبوں | poor | gharibon |
| kī | کی | of | ki |
| ān-bān | شان | dignity | aan-baan |
| ḳhud | خود | self | khud |
| jaanā | جانا | considered | jana |
| judā | جدا | separate | juda |
| zamāne | زمانے | world | zamane |
| se | سے | from | se |
| aa | آ | coming | aa |
| gayā | گیا | gone | gaya |
| thā | تھا | was | tha |
| gumān | خیال | thought | gumaan |
| shaam | شام | evening | shaam |
| dukān-e-dīd | دکانِ نظر | shop of seeing | dukaan-e-deed |
| band | بند | closed | band |
| nuqsān | نقصان | loss | nuqsan |
| tak | تک | until | tak |
| dukān | دکان | shop | dukan |
| ai | اے | O | ai |
| sub.h-o-shām-e-dil | صبح و شامِ دل | morning and evening of the heart | subh-o-shaam-e-dil |
| shafaq | شفق | twilight | shafaq |
| tū | تو | you | tu |
| nahātī | نہاتی | bathe | nahati |
| ab | اب | now | ab |
| bhī | بھی | still | bhi |
| baan | بان | tub | baan |
| bolte | بولتے | speak | bolte |
| kyuuñ | کیوں | why | kyun |
| haq | حق | favor | haq |
| aable | آبلے | blisters | aable |
| paḌ | پڑ | appeared | pad |
| ga.e | گئے | gone | gaye |
| zabān | زبان | tongue | zaban |
| ḳhāmushī | خاموشی | silence | khamoshi |
| kah | کہ | saying | kah |
| kaan | کان | ear | kaan |
| rahā | رہا | is | raha |
| dil | دل | heart | dil |
| ki | کی | of | ki |
| aate | آتے | come | aate |
| jis | جس | who | jis |
| dhyān | دھیان | thought | dhyan |
| bahut | بہت | much | bahut |
| aatā | آتا | comes | aata |
| apne | اپنے | own | apne |
| vo | وہ | he | vo |
| mile | ملے | meet | mile |
| to | تو | then | to |
| ye | یہ | this | ye |
| pūchhnā | پوچھنا | ask | puchhna |
| mujhe | مجھے | me | mujhe |
| huuñ | ہوں | am | huun |
| maiñ | میں | I | main |
| tirī | تری | your | tiri |
| amaan | امان | protection | amaan |
| yuuñ | یوں | the way | yoon |
| jo | جو | that | jo |
| taktā | تکتا | gaze | takta |
| āsmān | آسمان | sky | aasman |
| koī | کوئی | someone | koi |
| rahtā | رہتا | live | rahta |
| nasīm-e-bahār | نسیم بہار | spring breeze | naseem-e-bahar |
| gard-ālūd | گرد آلود | dust-laden | gard-alood |
| ḳhaak | خاک | dust | khaak |
| uḌtī | اڑتی | rising | udti |
| us | اس | that | us |
| makān | مکان | house | makan |
| chain | چین | peace | chain |
| paḌtā | پڑتا | find | padta |
| ek | ایک | one | ek |
| shaḳhs | شخص | person | shakhs |
| jahān | جہان | world | jahan |
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