Song- Ibn e Mariam huaa kare koi (Saigal NFS) (1940) Singer-K L Saigal, Lyrics-Ghalib
Ibn e mariam huaa karey koi
Ibn e mariam huaa karey koi
Mere dukh ki dawaa karey koi
Mere dukh ki dawaa karey
Baat par waan zabaan kat'ti hai
Baat par waan zabaan kat'ti hai
Wo kahen aur sunaa karey koi
Wo kahen aur sunaa karey
Bak rahaa hoon junoon mein kyaa kyaa kuchh haan
Haay bak rahaa hoon junoon mein kyaa kyaa kuchh
Kuchh na samjhe khudaa karey koi
Kuchh na samjhe khudaa karey
Na suno gar buraa kahey koi
Na kaho gar buraa karey koi
Rok lo gar galat karey koi
Baksh do gar khataa karey koi
Baksh do gar khataa karey koi
Kaun hai jo nahin hai haajat-mand
Kaun hai jo nahin hai haajat-mand
Arre kaun hai jo nahin hai haajat-mand
Kis ki haajat rawaan karey koi
Kis ki haajat rawaan karey koi
Jab tawakko hi uthh gayee ghalib
Jab tawakko hi uthh gayee ghalib
Kyun kisi ka gilaa karey koi
Kyun kisi ka gilaa karey
Ibn e mariam huaa karey koi
Mere dukh ki dawaa karey koi
What is it to me if someone is the Son of Mary (Jesus). I would know only if someone could cure my grief and unhappiness.
Lord Jesus, as the Son of Mary, is indirectly referred to in this opening verse. Jesus is historically known to have performed miracles. The poet is complaining that, so what if some people can do miracles. I would rather someone would treat my state of sorrow and unhappiness. Or in other words, the poet says that it would take a miracle to cure his sorrows, or that only God can cure his sorrows. And so the complain to Him is – so what if you are God, my unhappiness and sorrow are still with me; despite being omnipotent, You have not been able to help me, or You are not helping me to lessen my miseries.
Ibn = son
Mariam = Arabic name for Mary, Mother of Jesus
Ibn-e-mariam = Lord Jesus
Huaa karey = is, being
Koi = someone
Huaa karey koi = someone is
Mere = mine
Dukh = sorrow, unhappiness, misery
Dawaa = medicine, treatment
Karey koi = someone my do
Dawaa karey koi = someone do the treatment
Baat par waan zabaan kat'ti hai
Wo kahen aur sunaa karey koi
If I say something, people (and my beloved) respond with such cruel words, that I am not able to use my tongue after than; they say it and I simply listen then.
Once again, the poet complains is that no one has any kind words, or sympathy for him. The cruel and insensitive words that people respond with, then I simply listen to them mutely. The word used for the listener is 'koi'. One interpretation is that the poet is referring to himself. Another interpretation is that the poet is telling 'others', just hear what words I get to hear in response to my words.
Baat = spoken words, topic of conversation
Waan = back, return
Zabaan = tongue, speech
Kat'ti = cutting
Hai = is
Wo = them, they
Kahen = say
Aur = and
Sunaa = to listen
Karey koi = someone does
Bak rahaa hoon junoon mein kyaa kyaa kuchh
Kuchh na samjhe khudaa karey koi
In my state of madness (grief) I am uttering words that are probably stupid and nonsense; I wish to God that no one understands my words.
In his state of extreme sorrow, the poet is uttering words that he himself is not sure whether they make any sense or not, and is prays to God that others may not understand the meaning of what he has to say. Another manner of complaint – that my earlier entreaties have had no effect on people (on the beloved), so just ignore my words, as words of a mad person, and ignore them. The use of the word 'koi' at the end of the verse is significant; the poet is so disillusioned with people that nobody seems to be his own, his friend. In a dejection, he uses 'koi', and does not identify specific person; no one appears to be close and important.
Bak = to say incorrect things
Rahaa hoon = I am
Junoon = madness, mental illness
Mein = in
Kyaa = what
Kuchh = something
Kyaa kyaa kuchh = what all, many things
Kuchh = here the use of the word kuchh means 'nothing'
Kuchh na = nothing at all
Samjhe = understand
Khuda karey = may God make it happen so
Koi = anyone
Na suno gar buraa kahey koi
Na kaho gar buraa karey koi
Rok lo gar galat karey koi
Baksh do gar khataa karey koi
These lines again relate to the dejection of the mind, and come out as a philosophic expression. The ultimate state when one finds that no one understands, and no one pays attention, then the mind will turn philosophic, and say 'do whatever – but try to do the right things'. Another interpretation is that the poet is telling himself to ignore, to pay no attention to the wrong ways and errors of others. If they speak wrong, don't listen, if they do wrong, don't repeat their wrong ways yourself, try to deter someone from doing wrong, but then if the wrong is done, just forgive. It is the height of grief that is turning into philosophy.
Gar = if
Buraa = wrong, bad
Kahey koi = someone speaks
Karey koi = someone does
Rok lo = deter, try to make someone stop
Galat= wrong, incorrect, erroneous
Baksh do = to forgive
Khataa = wrong act, mistake
Kaun hai jo nahin hai haajat-mand
Kis ki haajat rawaan karey koi
There is no one on this world without needs and desires – then who can fulfill the desires of someone else. Once again, a profound philosophical statement. Everybody has their own needs and desires to be fulfilled. And the one who has his/her own desires unfulfilled, cannot fulfill someone else's desires. Another interpretation is that there is no person in this world whose needs and desires are fulfilled. Maybe there is another hidden complaint here, that human beings are selfish, concerned about their own desires only, and cannot help to fulfill someone else's desires. Extending this line of thought, the entreaty is to God (represented by the last word 'koi' in this verse). Every human being is consumed with efforts to fulfill their own needs and desires, and only God can help the humans to fulfill them. The human beings cannot help each other in this regard.
Jab tawakko hi utth gayee ghalib
Kyun kisi ka gilaa karey koi
In this final verse of this ghazal, the poet ultimately discounts the complaint itself. The cruel behavior of the people has now dissipated the expectations inside, and once the expectations are gone, then where lies the possibility or the avenue to complaint. This is the ultimate stage of disillusionment, disappointment with the human relations. The complaint is meaningful so long as there is some hope and expectation that the complaint will be heard and efforts may be made to address it. When the expectation itself has died, that means the heart and mind have given up all avenues for expressing its grievances. The mind has understood that there is nothing to be achieved by complaining, and so decides to stop it.
Jab = when
Tawakko = expectation, hope
Hi = ultimately, finally; (the use of this word here is to indicate a finality)
Uthh = arise
Gayee = gone
Kyun = why
Kisi ka = for anybody, for anyone
Gila = complaint, grievance
Karey = to do