Persian, Urdu: چو شمع سوزاں چو زرہ حیراں ز مہر آن مہ بگشتم آخر

[Feluman]

Dear All,

I am looking for a word by word translation of the Persian sentences in Amir Khusro's famous ghazal Ze Haal-e-miskeen, especially of the following line:

چو شمع سوزاں چو زرہ حیراں ز مہر آن مہ بگشتم آخر

In particular, I am confused if the words 'chuuN' and 'cho' are the same (used in multiple places in the ghazal). I am used to the form 'chuuN', but have never heard 'cho' in hindi/urdu.

I am also seeing differing translations for giryaaN (is it crying or wandering or something else), as well as the phrases aN meh, and zarra hairaN. BTW, I have lifted these transliterations from various web-sites and hopefully they are correct. I cannot read urdu/farsi script, so apologies in advance for any mistakes.

Any help is tremendously appreciated!

 

[Alfaaz]

Relevant references:

• اردو اور فارسی سے مرکب اشعار (Urdu aur Farsi se murakkab ash3aar)
• زحالِ مسکیں مکن تغافل دُرائے نیناں بنائے بتیاں ۔ امیر خسرو (ze-Haal-e-miskiiN makun taGhaaful duraa'e nainaaN banaa'e batiyaaN)

چوں شمعِ سوزاں، چوں ذرہ حیراں، ہمیشہ گریاں، بہ عشق آں ما
نہ نیند نیناں، نہ انگ چیناں، نہ آپ آویں، نہ بھیجیں پتیاں

ترجمہ:
میں اس عشق میں جلتی ہوئی شمع کی اور ذرۂ حیراں کی طرح ہمشیہ فریاد کر رہا ہوں
نہ آنکھوں میں نیند، نہ تن کو چین کہ نہ تو وہ خود آتے ہیں اور نہ ہی کوئی پیغام بھیجتے ہیں

​

Transliteration:

chuuN sham3-e-sozaaN, chuuN zarrah HairaaN, hameshah giryaaN, bah 3ishq aaN maa
nah niind nainaaN, nah ang chainaaN, nah aap aaveN, nah bhejeN patiyaaN

tarjamah:
maiN is 3ishq meN jaltii hu'ii sham3 kii aur zarrah-e-HairaaN kii tarH hameshah faryaad kar rahaa hooN
nah aaNkhoN meN niind, nah tan ko chain keh nah woh xud aate haiN aur nah hii ko'ii paiGhaam bhejte haiN

There is some debate about the wording of this as well as other couplets due to different versions being present in different books (as often happens in the case of older poetry). The following alternate versions are also given in the two threads listed above. Forum members with greater knowledge of Persian and Urdu poetry will hopefully be able to elucidate further!

جو شمع سوزاں چو ذرہ حیراں ہمیشہ گریاں بعشق آں مہ
نہ نیند نیناں نہ انگ چیناں نہ آپ آوے نہ بھیجے پتیاں

چو شمع سوزاں، چو ذرہ حیراں زمہرآں ماہ گشتم آخر
نہ نیند نیناں، نہ انگ چیناں، نہ آپ آویں نہ بھیجیں پتیاں

 

[Feluman]

Thank you, Alfaaz, for enhancing the context!

I also came across multiple versions (for instance you have duraa'e naina above, whereas the version sung by Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan seems to have varaaye naina). But at least then I am not losing the sense in translation. It is sadder when the translation fails you.

The text you have quoted above translates giryaaN as faryaad kar rahaa hooN. This made sense to me because a couple dictionaries were translating giryaaN as crying. But how is one to make sense of zarrah HairaaN then? Some texts translated that as a lost or confused grain/particle, which could be the intended metaphor if one were to interpret giryaaN as wandering (as some other translators have suggested).

I am inclined to believe that Khusro was extremely precise in his choice of words (as his pahelis demonstrate without doubt). It would be super cool to know what he truly intended to say here.

 

[PersoLatin]

چو شمع سوزاں چو زرہ حیراں ز مہر آن مہ بگشتم آخر

Word for word:
like [a] burning candle, like [a] wondering spec (of dust), from the love of that beauty (ماہ) I finally became.

rearranged: The love of that beauty (ماہ) made me like the burning candle, lost like specks of dust.

 

[taraa]

Word for word:
like [a] burning candle, like [a] wondering spec (of dust), from the love of beauty (ماہ) I finally became.

rearranged: The love of that beauty (ماہ) made me like the burning candle, lost like specks of dust.

Sorry why didn't you use 'moon' instead of 'beauty'?
Can I ask to explain 'I finally became'?

 

[PersoLatin]

Can I ask to explain 'I finally became'?

بگشتم آخر

Sorry why didn't you use 'moon' instead of 'beauty'?

In Persian we compare a person's beauty with moon which is traditionally a source of beauty, in the English speaking world that is not the case. Of course Urdu speakers, I am sure, are familiar with this comparison.

 

[taraa]

بگشتم آخر

In Persian we compare a person's beauty with moon which is traditionally a source of beauty, in the English speaking world that is not the case. Of course Urdu speakers, I am sure, are familiar with this comparison.

Thank you so much.

 

[Feluman]

Thanks all!

I have a few questions still (pardon the persistence, it's a consequence of my complete ignorance of and incredible appetite for a lot of amazing Persian words.)

How would you translate the below words exactly?
hamesha = ? (Isn't this always? At least that's the popular usage in hindi)
giryaaN = ?
aaN = ?
maa = ? ( ماہ = moon/beauty, right? I like this verse even more than before now)

Much appreciated.

 

[PersoLatin]

جو شمع سوزاں چو ذرہ حیراں ہمیشہ گریاں بعشق آں مہ

How would you translate the below words exactly?
hamesha = ? (Isn't this always? At least that's the popular usage in hindi)
giryaaN = ?
aaN = ?
maa = ? ( ماہ = moon/beauty, right? I like this verse even more than before now)

ہمیشہ - hamesha / hamiŝé = always
گریاں - giryaaN / geryân = (state of) crying
آں - aaN / ân = that
ماہ/مہ - maah/mah = moon (beauty)

 

[Alfaaz]

Definitions in English and Urdu (just in case it might be helpful):

گریاں - روتا ہوا ، نالاں ، غم زدہ ، ملوم ، افسردہ خاطر ؛ گریہ کناں ، اشک بار ، آنسو بہانے والا .​

giryaaN - rotaa hu'aa, naalaaN, Ghamm-zadah, maluum, afsurdah xaatir; giryah-kunaaN, ashk-baar, aaNsuu bahaane vaalaa.
weeping; a weeper; etc.

آن/آں: وہ، اُس (آں جناب ، آں حضرت)؛ یہ (آنکہ)؛ آپ (آں جناب)​

aan/aaN - vuh, us (aaN janaab, aaN Hazrat); yeh (aan-keh); aap (aaN-janaab)
that; this; you

ما: ہم؛ مَیں - ما و تو؛ ما و شُما​

maa: hum; maiN
we; I

• Examples of usage: maa-o-tuu; maa-o-shumaa - we and you

ماہ: چاند، قمر؛ (مجازاً) حسین، محبوب، معشوق؛ مہینا؛ وغیرہ​

maah/mah - chaaNd; qamar; (majaaz-an) Hasiin, maHbuub, ma3shuuq; mahiinaa; waGhairah
moon; beauty, lover; month; etc.

• Examples of usage:
  • In words often used as masculine and feminine names such as - مہتاب، مہناز، مہوش، ماہ رخ، مہجبین، ماہ پارہ، وغیرہ - mahtaab, mahnaaz, maah-rux, mahjabiin, maah-paarah, waGhairah.
  • ماہِ تمام - maah-e-tamaam - full moon
  • ماہِ مبارک/ماہِ صیام - maah-e-mubaarak/maah-e-Siyaam - the blessed month/month of fasting (Ramadan)
  • etc.

ہمیشہ - hameshah - always; continually, perpetually; etc.

 

[Feluman]

@PersoLatin, @Alfaaz: Thanks a lot! This makes my day!

@PersoLatin: May I ask why your original word for word (as below) used the phrase "finally became" instead of something like the literal "always crying"?

like [a] burning candle, like [a] wondering spec (of dust), from the love of beauty (ماہ) I finally became.

 

[PersoLatin]

@PersoLatin: May I ask why your original word for word (as below) used the phrase "finally became" instead of something like the literal "always crying"?

The version with ‘finally’ had آخر in its Persian and not همیشه/always.

 

[Feluman]

@PersoLatin: Aha, that's akhir! Okay, so that's an alternate version. Awesome.

Thanks everyone for contributing to my education!