Mirza Ghalib: I Daresay I Dare Not Say (From Persian)

The poet Mīrzā Asadullāh Khān Ghālib was born in Agra in 1796, and spent his life in Delhi. He is today more famous for his Urdu poetry, though he himself was much prouder of his Persian compositions. Much ink has been spilled regarding the relative merit of his Urdu and his Persian work. I am not qualified to pass judgement on the matter, and can only say that those Urdu poems of his which I have managed to make my way through seem considerably different in temperament from his Persian work.
This particular poem has languished, beloved and half-understood, in my queue for years. Today I finally, and quite suddenly, feel I have a handle on it enough to translate it with at least some semblance of artistic fidelity.

I Daresay I Dare Not Say
By Ghalib
Translated by A.Z. Foreman

I dare not say my heart is yours though you thieved it from me.  
     I cannot call you tyrant though I do see tyranny. 
Men cannot carry blades or bows upon your battleground,
     I cannot speak a word of wine at your festivity.
Courage won't help me here. The lightning flashes hard and fast.    
     I must die flaming like a moth. Surviving is not me.  
Traveling in love's heat I seek not water nor the shade,   
     Don't bother about Kausar's running stream or Tuba's tree.
What if I suffered? Can I speak of it on Judgment Day?
     Life's tribulation ends, so why complain of cruelty?
Words hidden in the breast are not preacher's. They are spoken
     Not from the pulpit but from high upon the gallows-tree.
     Yes it is strange to be involved with someone this insane.
    No, Ghalib's love is not Islam. Nor infidelity.

The Original:

دل برد و حق آنست كه دلبر نتوان گفت  بی‌داد توان ديد و ستمگر نتوان گفت
در رزمگهش ناچخ و خنجر نتوان برد در بزمگهش باده و ساغر نتوان گفت
از حوصله يارى مطلب صاعقه تيز است  پروانه شو اين‌جا ز سمندر نتوان گفت
هنگامه سرآمد، چه زنى دم ز تظلم؟  گر خود ستمى رفت، بمحشر نتوان گفت
در گرم روى سايه و سرچشمه نجوييم  با ما سخن از طوبى و كوثر نتوان گفت
آن راز كه در سينه نهانست و نه وعظست  بر دار توان گفت و بمنبر نتوان گفت.
        كارى عجب افتاد بدين شيفته ما‌را
        مؤمن نبود غالب و كافر نتوان گفت.


Romanization:

Dil burd u haq ānast ki dilbar natawān guft
Bēdād tawān dīd u sitamgar natawān guft
Dar razmgahaš nāčax u xanjar natawān burd
Dar bazmgahaš bāda u sāɣar natawān guft
Az hawsala yārī matalab sā'iqa tēzast
Parwāna šaw īnjā zi samandar natawān guft
Hangāma sarāmad či zanī dam zi tazallum
Gar xwad sitamī raft ba mahšar natawān guft
Dar garmrawī sāyah u sarčašma najōyēm
Bā mā suxan az tūbā u kawsar natawān guft
Ān rāz ki dar sīna nahānast u na wa'zast
Bar dār tawān guft u ba minbar natawān guft
Kārē ajab uftād badīn šēfta mārā
Mu'min nabuwad ɣālib u kāfar natawān guft

Note: My transcription of the fifth verse has been altered from dar garm-i rūy-i, which I now realize was a mistake. Both because the lengthening of izāfa following a shortened rō̆y  is uncommon in Persian, and also because it simply makes the line make more sense, with the word garmrawī standing as a polysememe at once for the lover's ardor, the metaphorical parching heat which the lover endures, and also the speedy zeal with which he hastens to the object of his affection. 
The mistake was pointed out here on a message board discussing this translation. The other suggestion of sitamī instead of sitamē for ستمى did not seem as sensical, and so I've kept my reading of that line as is.

Toҷикӣ:

Дил бурду ҳақ онаст ки дилбар натавон гуфт
Бедод тавон диду ситамгар натавон гуфт
Дар размгаҳаш ночаху ханҷар натавон бурд
Дар базмгаҳаш бодаву соғар натвон гуфт
Аз ҳавсала ёрӣ маталаб соъиқа тезаст
Парвона шав инҷо зи самандар натавон гуфт
Ҳангома саромад ҷи занӣ дам зи тазаллум
Гар худ ситамӣ рафт ба маҳшар натавон гуфт
Дар гармравӣ сояҳу сарчашма наҷӯем
Бо мо сухан аз тубову кавсар натавон гуфт
Он роз ки дар сина наҳонасту на ваъзаст
Бар дор тавон гуфту ба минбар натавон гуфт
Коре аҷаб афтод бадин шефта моро
Мӯъмин набувад Ғолибу кофар натавон гуфт

No comments:

Post a Comment