Phir Usi Rehguzar Par Shaayad – By Ahmad Faraz
Translation: Again on that Roadway – By Aashish Vaidya
(1)
फिर उसी रहगुज़ार पर शायद
हम कभी मिल सकें मगर शायद
Phir usi rehguzar par shaayad
hum kabhi mil sakein, magar shaayad
Again on that roadway, maybe
We’ll bump into each other, maybe.
(2)
जान-पहचान से भी क्या होगा
फिर भी ऐ दोस्त ग़ौर कर शायद
Jaan pehchaan se bhi kya hoga
phir bhi ai dost ghaur (गौर) kar, shaayad
When is mere acquaintance enough?
But friend, be keen, just in case.
(3)
जिन के हम मुंतज़िर रहे उन को
मिल गए और हम-सफ़र शायद
Jinke hum Muntazir rahe unko
mil gaye aur hum-safar shaayad
For whom I was waiting all along
They’ve found another fellow traveller, maybe.
(4)
अज्नबिय्यत की धुँद छट जाए
चमक उठ्ठे तिरी नज़र शायद
Ajnabiyat kii dhund chat jaa.e
Chamak uthe tirii nazar shaayad
Hope the fog of unfamiliarity lifts,
Is that a glint of recognition in your eyes, maybe?
(5)
ज़िंदगी भर लहू रुलाएगी
याद-ए-यारान-ए-बे-ख़बर शायद
Zindagi bhar lahuu rulaaegii
Yaad-e-yaaran-e-bekhabar shaayad
Am I doomed to shed tears of blood
Due to forgetfulness of friends? Maybe.
(6)
जो भी बिछड़े वो कब मिले हैं ‘फ़राज़’
फिर भी तू इंतिज़ार कर शायद
Jo bhi bichhde hain cab mile hain “Faraz”
phir bhi tu intizaar kar shaayad
Separated friends ’Faraz’ don’t ever meet
Even then, hope that they do, maybe.
Notes: This simple ghazal by Ahmad Faraz, interestingly turned out fairly difficult to translate. Since the translation had to maintain or convey the same sort of simplicity in phrasing, while catching the nuances as well. As usual ghazal translations are hard to translate the rhyme (qafiyah). So, I only maintained the refrain (radiff).
This ghazal was rendered very melancholically by Jagjit Singh.
Phir ussi rehguzar – Jagjit Singh
And here is another version by Ghulam Ali.