Shivpreet Singh
Shivpreet Singh
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Note from September 30, 2020

Yesterday I composed this Mirza Ghalib ghazal in Raag Nand.  Listening to this Rageshri Bandish today. Interesting that he stops at each sher.  Perhaps this is how ghazals should be sung. It lets the listener think and ruminate. 

उस बज़्म में मुझे नहीं बनती हया किये
बैठा रहा अगरचे इशारे हुआ किये

us bazm me.n mujhe nahii.n banatii hayaa kiye
baiThaa rahaa agarche ishaare huaa kiye

बज़्म, Bazm: Meeting, “Mehafil”, Assembly, Company (At A Feast Or Entertainment), Gathering, Party
हया, Hayaa: Bashfulness, Modesty, Retiring, Shame, Shyness
अगरचे, Agarche: Although
इशारा, Ishaara: Allusion, Gesture, Mention, Sign, Symbol, Quote, Wink, Wrinkle

दिल ही तो है सियासत-ए-दरबान से डर गया
मैं और जाऊं दर से तेरे बिन सदा किये

dil hii to hai siyaasat-e-darbaa.N se Dar gayaa
mai.n aur jaauu.N dar se tere bin sadaa kiye

सियासत, Siyaasat: Management, Politics
दरबान, Darbaan: Doorkeeper, Janitor, Keeper, Sentry
दर, Dar: About, Abode, By, Door, Entrance, Fear, Gate, In, Into, Terror, To, Within
सदा, Sadaa: Always, Call, Conversation, Echo, Ever, Sound, Tone, Voice

रखता फिरूं हूँ खीर्का-ओ-सज्जादा रह्न-ए-मै
मुद्दत हुई है दावत-ए-आब-ओ-हवा किये

rakhataa phiruu.N huu.N Khiirqaa-o-sajjaadaa rahn-e-mai
muddat huii hai daavat-e-aab-o-havaa kiye

खीर्का, Khiirqaa: A Patched Garment
सज्जादा, Sajjaadaa: A Prayer Carpet
रह्न, Rahn: Mortgage
मै, Mai: Wine, Liquor
मुद्दत, Muddat: Awhile, Duration, Length Of Time, Period Of Time, Term, While
दावत, Daavat: Prayers, benedictions; convocations, invitations
आब, Aab: Brightness, Brilliance, Cool, Water, Splendor, Elegance, Gloss,Polish, Temper Steel, Luster Gems
आब-ओ-हवा, Aab-o-Havaa: Climate, Environment, Weather

बेसर्फा ही गुज़रती है हो गरचे उम्र-इ-खिज्र
हज़रत भी कल कहेंगे की हम क्या किया किये

be_sarfaa hii guzaratii hai, ho garche umr-e-Khizr
hazrat bhii kal kahe.nge ki ham kyaa kiyaa kiye

सर्फा, Sarfaa: Stinginess, Expenses, Expenditure, Outgoing
बेसर्फा, Be-Sarfaa: Simple Life, Useless (without much expenditure)
गरचे, Garche: Even Though, If
खिज्र, Khizr: A reference to Khwaaja Khizr; Name of a prophet skilled in divination, and who is said to have discovered and drank of the fountain of life
उम्र-इ-खिज्र, Umr-e-Khizr: Everlasting Life (since Khwajaa Khizr drank from the fountain of life)
हज़रत, Hazrat: Dignity, Lord, Title Of Respect

मक्दूर हो तो ख़ाक से पूछूं के ऐ लाइम
तूने वो गंज हया गिरान-माया क्या किये

maqaduur ho to Khaak se puuchhuu.N ke ae laiim
tuune vo ga.nj haaye giraa.N_maayaa kyaa kiye

मक्दूर, Maqduur: Ability, Afford, Capable
ख़ाक, Khaak: Ashes, Dust, Dirt, Earth, Land
लाइम, Laaim: Vile, abject, mean, base, worthless, reprehensible, inglorious, ignoble;—sordid, avaricious, miserly; a vile or worthless fellow; a sordid man, a miser.
गंज, Ganj: Treasure, Wealth
गिरान, GiraaN: Burdensome, Costly, Dear, Heavy, Important, Precious, Tedious, Tiresome, Weighty
माया, Maayaa: Money, Wealth
गिरान-माया, GiraaN_Maayaa: Of Great Value, Valuable, Precious

किस रोज़ तोहमतें न तराशा किये अदू
किस दिन हमारे सर पे न आरे चला किये

kis roz tohamate.n na taraashaa kiye aduu
kis din hamaare sar pe na aare chalaa kiye

तोहमत, Tohamat: Allegation, Accusation, Tax
तराशा, Taraashaa: Carving, Cutting, Chisel, Fabric, Polish (Stone)
अदू, Aduu: Foe, Enemy
आरा, Aaraa: Adorning, Bent, Crooked Embellishing, Inclined, Oblique, Slanting

सोहबत में ग़ैर की न पड़ी हो कहीं ये खू
देने लगा है बोसे बगैर इल्तिजा किये

sohabat me.n Gair kii na pa.Dii ho kahii.n ye Khuu
dene lagaa hai bose baGair iltijaa kiye

सोहबत, Sohabat: Association, Company, Meeting
गैर, Gair: Rival, Stranger
खू, Khuu: Habit
बोसे, Bose: Kisses, Plural of Bosa
बगैर, Baghair: Without
इल्तिजा, Iltijaa: Pleading, Request

जिद की है और बात मगर खू बुरी नहीं
भूले से उस ने सैकड़ों  वादे वफ़ा किये

zid kii hai aur baat magar Khuu burii nahii.n
bhuule se us ne saika.Do.n vaade-vafaa kiye

जिद, Zid: Contrary, Enmity, Grudge, Obstinacy, Opposite, Opposition, Persistence, Stubborn
सैकड़ों, Saikadon: By hundreds, in hundreds, hundreds of, hundreds upon hundreds
वादा, Vaada: Promise
वफ़ा, Vafaa: Fulfilling A Promise, Fulfillment, Fidelity, Faithful, Sincerity, Sufficiency

ग़ालिब तुम्हीं कहो की मिलेगा जवाब क्या
माना की तुम कहा किये और वो सूना किये

‘Ghalib’ tumhii.n kaho ki milegaa javaab kyaa
maanaa ki tum kahaa kiye aur vo sunaa kiye

ग़ालिब, Ghalib: A reference to the poet, Mirza Ghalib

Lyrics

Us Bazm Main Mujhe Nahi Banti Haya Kiye
Baitha Raha Agarche Ishare Hua Kiye

उस बज़्म में मुझे नहीं बनती हया किए 
बैठा रहा अगरचे इशारे हुआ किए 

दिल ही तो है सियासत-ए-दरबाँ से डर गया 
मैं और जाऊँ दर से तिरे बिन सदा किए 

रखता फिरूँ हूँ ख़िर्क़ा ओ सज्जादा रहन-ए-मय 
मुद्दत हुई है दावत आब-ओ-हवा किए 

बे-सर्फ़ा ही गुज़रती है हो गरचे उम्र-ए-ख़िज़्र 
हज़रत भी कल कहेंगे कि हम क्या किया किए 

मक़्दूर हो तो ख़ाक से पूछूँ कि ऐ लईम 
तू ने वो गंज-हा-ए-गराँ-माया क्या किए 

किस रोज़ तोहमतें न तराशा किए अदू 
किस दिन हमारे सर पे न आरे चला किए
 
सोहबत में ग़ैर की न पड़ी हो कहीं ये ख़ू 
देने लगा है बोसा बग़ैर इल्तिजा किए 

ज़िद की है और बात मगर ख़ू बुरी नहीं 
भूले से उस ने सैकड़ों वा'दे वफ़ा किए 

'ग़ालिब' तुम्हीं कहो कि मिलेगा जवाब क्या 
माना कि तुम कहा किए और वो सुना किए 



Dilwalon kya dekh rahe ho

Lovers, what do you seek in these streets?
Here loneliness reigns till the end of vision.

Stillness is again licking the lamp's tears
This ravaged city will never settle.

This house has the silence of the whole forest.
Come evening, winds will stir within this grove.

Those caught betraying the heart,
for them too, the world will change.

Dear Razi, why so quiet tonight?
Speak up, your silence is spreading the tale


दिलवालो क्या देख रहे हो इन राहों में, इन राहों में
हद्द-ए-नज़र तक ये वीरानी साथ चलेगी, साथ चलेगी

सन्नाटे फिर शमा के आँसू चाट रहे हैं, चाट रहे हैं
ये बस्ती जो उजड़ गई है अब न बसेगी, अब न बसेगी

घर के अंदर सारे जंगल का सन्नाटा, सन्नाटा
शाम हुई तो इस जंगल में हवा चलेगी, हवा चलेगी

जिनके हाथों दिल की ये तौहीन हुई है, तौहीन हुई है
उनके लिये भी ये दुनिया ऐसी न रहेगी, ऐसी न रहेगी

'रज़ि' मियाँ तुम शाम से कैसे चुप बैठे हो, चुप बैठे हो
कुछ तो बोलो ऐसी चुप से बात बढ़ेगी, बात बढ़ेगी


The following is my attempt at translating a Polish poem by Tomasz Rozycki into English. And before I do this, let me just describe my process which might be different from others. 

When I undertake translations, my goal is to condense the text to a minimal number of words. This approach is particularly crucial for video translations, where brevity enhances the conveyance of information because frames are changing rapidly, and viewer has a shorter time to comprehend. 

Beyond the efficiency gained from succinct translations, there exists an additional advantage. Translating between languages is akin to crafting something entirely new, as certain nuances or expressions from the original language may not have direct counterparts in the target language. Consequently, this process involves a creative reimagining, allowing for the articulation of ideas in a manner that may be more artful or nuanced in the new language. The key lies in preserving the essence of the poet's message; as long as the core meaning remains intact, variations in expression or shade of meaning are not only acceptable but can also contribute to the richness of the translation.


Shadow
BY
TOMASZ RÓŻYCKI
Translated by Shivpreet Singh

I leave you places where I am not
Like one on the Odra, one on the Skalki,
plus beds, some lofts and a mattress.
Especially the mattress. It'll be easier for me

so you can fill them and become fuller
in the places left and remaining,
in other words, everywhere else. Standing in the shadow
you look at me as I enter the gate

and a crack, and I'm gone. I fill-write to you,
what crumbled, what burned, what changed
form and condition, which is devoured in the grave
because of a fat worm is now clay,

grass, tree, chamomile. Be there, please, rule
then, as you wish, put on my clothes and shoes
take out the table, drink with your neighbors.
My letters against your minutes. 



Shadow 
BY Tomasz Różycki
TRANSLATED BY MIRA ROSENTHAL

To you, I leave the places where I’m absent.
That one along the Oder, another at the Reservoir,
apart from those some beds and attics, a mattress.
Especially the mattress. It’ll be much easier

to think of you as filling them, growing and going
rampant in places vacated and those that still remain,
to say it plain—everywhere else. From the shadows
perhaps you’re watching me pass through the gate

and snap, I’m gone, no longer. I bequeath to you
what falls apart, burns down, what shifts in shape,
what changes its own state, what’s been consumed
in the grave by a fat worm and is already clay

and grass and wood and chamomile. Please live there
and use it how you want, climb into my clothes and put
yourself in my shoes, set up a table, drink with the neighbors.
It’s my word, these letters against you and your minutes.
 
Translated from the Polish

Cień

Tobie zostawiam miejsca, w których już mnie nie ma.
Takie miejsce nad Odrą i jedno na Skałkach,
poza tym łóżka, kilka strychów i materac.
A zwłaszcza materac. Będzie mi dużo łatwiej,

z myślą, że wypełnisz je sobą, że się plenisz
w miejscach pozostawionych oraz w pozostałych,
słowem—że wszędzie indziej. I że stojąc w cieniu
może patrzysz tak na mnie, jak wchodzę do bramy

i trzask, i już mnie nie ma. Zapisuje tobie,
to, co się rozpadło, spłonęło, co zmieniło
swoją postać i stan swój, co zeżarte w grobie
przez grubego robaka teraz jest już gliną,

trawą, drzewem, rumiankiem. Bądź tam, proszę, władaj
tym tak jak zechcesz, wejdź w moje ubranie, buty
moje załóż, stół wynieś, wypij z sąsiadami.
Moje litery przeciwko twoim minutom.



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SHIVPREET SINGH

Singing oneness!
- Shivpreet Singh

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