umr guzregī imtihān meñ kyā

جون ایلیاUrdu28 lines3 public analyses
Original Poetry
Translation
umr guzregī imtihān meñ kyā
Will life just be a test?
daaġh deñge mujh ko daan meñ kyā
Will they only give me scars as gifts?
merī har baat be-asar rahī
Everything I say has no effect.
nuqs hai kuchh mire bayān meñ kyā
Is there something wrong with how I speak?
mujh ko to koī Toktā bhī nahīñ
No one even stops me.
yahī hotā hai ḳhāndān meñ kyā
Is this what happens in families?
apnī mahrūmiyāñ chhupāte haiñ
We hide our lack of things.
ham ġharīboñ ān-bān meñ kyā
What is there in the pride of us poor people?
ḳhud ko jaanā judā zamāne se
I thought I was different from the world.
aa gayā thā mire gumān meñ kyā
What was I thinking?
shaam se dukān-e-dīd hai band
The shop of seeing is closed since evening.
nahīñ nuqsān tak dukān meñ kyā
Is there no loss in the shop?
ai mire sub.h-o-shām-e-dil shafaq
Oh twilight of my heart's morning and evening,
nahātī hai ab bhī baan meñ kyā
Do you still bathe in the tub?
bolte kyuuñ nahīñ mire haq meñ
Why don't they speak for me?
aable paḌ ga.e zabān meñ kyā
Do they have blisters on their tongues?
ḳhāmushī kah rahī hai kaan meñ kyā
What is silence saying in my ear?
aa rahā hai mire gumān meñ kyā
What is coming to my mind?
dil ki aate haiñ jis ko dhyān bahut
The one who often thinks of the heart,
ḳhud bhī aatā hai apne dhyān meñ kyā
Does he also come into his own thoughts?
vo mile to ye pūchhnā hai mujhe
If I meet him, I want to ask,
ab bhī huuñ maiñ tirī amaan meñ kyā
Am I still under your protection?
yuuñ jo taktā hai āsmān ko
The way you look at the sky,
koī rahtā hai āsmān meñ kyā
Is there someone living in the sky?
hai nasīm-e-bahār gard-ālūd
The spring breeze is full of dust.
ḳhaak uḌtī hai us makān meñ kyā
Is dust rising in that house?
ye mujhe chain kyuuñ nahīñ paḌtā
Why can't I find peace?
ek shaḳhs thā jahān meñ kyā
Was there only one person in the world?
 

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.

Word Dictionary103

WordIn UrduIn EnglishPron.
umrعمرageumr
guzregīگزرے گیwill go byguzregi
imtihānآزمائشexaminationimtihan
meñمیںinmein
kyāکیاwhatkya
daaġhداغscarsdaagh
ہیonlyhi
deñgeدیں گےwill givedenge
mujhمجھmemujh
koکوtoko
daanخیراتgiftdaan
merīمیریmymeri
harہرeveryhar
baatباتwordbaat
be-asarبے اثرineffectivebe-asar
rahīرہیisrahi
nuqsنقصflawnuqs
haiہےishai
kuchhکچھsomekuchh
mireمیرےmymire
bayānبیانexpressionbayan
ToktāروکتاstopsTokta
nahīñنہیںnotnahin
yahīیہیthisyahi
hotāہوتاhappenshota
ḳhāndānخاندانfamilykhandan
apnīاپنیourapni
mahrūmiyāñمحرومیاںdeprivationsmahrumiyan
chhupāteچھپاتےhidechhupate
haiñہیںarehain
hamہمweham
ġharīboñغریبوںpoorgharibon
کیofki
ān-bānشانdignityaan-baan
ḳhudخودselfkhud
jaanāجاناconsideredjana
judāجداseparatejuda
zamāneزمانےworldzamane
seسےfromse
aaآcomingaa
gayāگیاgonegaya
thāتھاwastha
gumānخیالthoughtgumaan
shaamشامeveningshaam
dukān-e-dīdدکانِ نظرshop of seeingdukaan-e-deed
bandبندclosedband
nuqsānنقصانlossnuqsan
takتکuntiltak
dukānدکانshopdukan
aiاےOai
sub.h-o-shām-e-dilصبح و شامِ دلmorning and evening of the heartsubh-o-shaam-e-dil
shafaqشفقtwilightshafaq
توyoutu
nahātīنہاتیbathenahati
abابnowab
bhīبھیstillbhi
baanبانtubbaan
bolteبولتےspeakbolte
kyuuñکیوںwhykyun
haqحقfavorhaq
aableآبلےblistersaable
paḌپڑappearedpad
ga.eگئےgonegaye
zabānزبانtonguezaban
ḳhāmushīخاموشیsilencekhamoshi
kahکہsayingkah
kaanکانearkaan
rahāرہاisraha
dilدلheartdil
kiکیofki
aateآتےcomeaate
jisجسwhojis
dhyānدھیانthoughtdhyan
bahutبہتmuchbahut
aatāآتاcomesaata
apneاپنےownapne
voوہhevo
mileملےmeetmile
toتوthento
yeیہthisye
pūchhnāپوچھناaskpuchhna
mujheمجھےmemujhe
huuñہوںamhuun
maiñمیںImain
tirīتریyourtiri
amaanامانprotectionamaan
yuuñیوںthe wayyoon
joجوthatjo
taktāتکتاgazetakta
āsmānآسمانskyaasman
koīکوئیsomeonekoi
rahtāرہتاliverahta
nasīm-e-bahārنسیم بہارspring breezenaseem-e-bahar
gard-ālūdگرد آلودdust-ladengard-alood
ḳhaakخاکdustkhaak
uḌtīاڑتیrisingudti
usاسthatus
makānمکانhousemakan
chainچینpeacechain
paḌtāپڑتاfindpadta
ekایکoneek
shaḳhsشخصpersonshakhs
jahānجہانworldjahan

Poet & Context

Era20th 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.

View on Wikipedia
When20th century
WhyJaun 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.
Formghazal

Themes & More

ExistentialismIsolationSocietal normsIntrospection
Rhetorical questions: The poet uses questions to express doubt and introspection.Imagery: Vivid descriptions such as 'shop of sight' and 'dust-laden breeze' evoke a sense of decay.Metaphor: Life is compared to an examination, and scars to the outcomes of life's trials.Personification: Silence is described as saying something in the ear.
umr guzregī imtihān meñ kyā by جون ایلیا — Poem, Translation & Meaning