Mujhse Pehli Si Mohabbat (Faiz Ahmed Faiz)

One of my all time favorites, Mujhse Pehli Si Mohabbat by Faiz Ahmed Faiz was drilled into my mind when I played this video of Zohra Sehgal’s a million times over. And fell in love with it. A million times over.
Also, it was used in the film Qaidi in 1940.

‘Aur bhi dukh hain zamaane mein mohabbat ke siwaa,
Raahetein aur bhi hain vasl ki raahat ke siwaa’

Now ^that makes think a lot about everything around me when it all gets a bit gloomy.

Here:

Mujh se pehli si mohabbat mere mehboob na maang
Maine samjhaa tha ke tu hai to darakhshaan hai hayaat
Tera gham hai to gham-e-dehar ka jhagdaa kyaa hai
Teri surat se hai aalam mein bahaaron ko sabaat
Teri aankhon ke siwaa duniyaa mein rakhaa kya hai
Tu jo mil jaaye to taqdir nigoon ho jaaye
Yoon na tha maine faqat chaaha tha yoon ho jaaye
Aur bhi dukh hain zamaane mein mohabbat ke siwaa
Raahatein aur bhi hain vasl ki raahat ke siwaa
Anginat sadiyon ke taareeq bahemaanaa tilism
Resham-o-atlas-o-kamkhwaab mein bunvaaye hue
Ja-ba-ja bikte hue koochaa-o-baazaar mein jism
Khaak mein lithade hue, khoon mein nahlaaye hue
Jism nikle hue amraaz ke tannooron se
Peep behti hui galte hue naasooron se
Laut jaati hai udhar ko bhi nazar, kya keeje?
Ab bhi dilkash hai tera husn, magar kya keeje?
Aur bhi dukh hai zamaane mein muhabbat ke siwaa
Raahatein aur bhi hain vasl ki raahat ke siwaa
Mujh se pehli si muhabbat mere mehboob na maang

Translation:

My love, do not ask from me the love we shared before
translation inspired by Mustansir Dalvi’s version

My love, do not ask from me
the love we shared once before.
If you were here, I always thought
life would shine, eternally.

We share our grief, so why argue
over the sorrows of the world?
Your countenance is the assurance
of perennial spring, everywhere.

For what is the worth of this world
but the sight of your eyes?
If only I found you, the fates
would be enthralled.

This wasn’t how it should have been,
except that I wanted it to be;
there are more sorrows in this world
beyond the anguish of love.

There is more to happiness
than the relief of reunion;
the blight of dark magic
of years beyond counting,

while draped in silk,
satin and brocade; everywhere,
in alleys and marketplaces,
young flesh is up for sale.

Dragged in the dirt,
bathed in blood, bodies
emerge from furnaces
of pestilence.

Pus flows untapped
from leaking ulcers.
My eyes can’t look away,
what should I do?

Your beauty still allures, but
what can I do?
There are sorrows in this world
beyond the pleasures of love.

There is more to happiness
than the relief of reunion;
so my love, do not ask from me
the love we shared once before.

In Hindi:

मुझसे पहली सी मोहब्बत मेरे मेहबूब ना मांग
मैंने समझा के तू है तो दरख़्शाँ है हयात
तेरा ग़म है तो ग़म-ए-दहर का झगड़ा क्या है
तेरी सूरत से है आलम में बहारों को सबात
तेरी आँखों के सिवा दुनिया में रखा क्या है
तू जो मिल जाए तो तक़दीर निगूं हो जाये
यूँ ना था मैंने फ़क़त चाहा था यूँ हो जाये

और भी दुःख हैं ज़माने में मोहब्बत के सिवा
राहतें और भी हैं वस्ल की राहत के सिवा

अनगिनत सदियों के तारीक बहिमाना तिलिस्म
रेशम ओ अतलस ओ किम- ख़ाब में बुुंवाए हुए
जा-ब-जा बिकते हुए कूचे-ओ-बाज़ार में जिस्म
ख़ाक में लुथड़े हुए खून में नहलाये हुए

जिस्म निकले हुए अमराज़ के तनूरों से
पीप बहती हुई गलते हुए नासूरों से
लौट जाती है उधर को भी नज़र क्या कीजे
अब भी दिलकश है तेरा हुस्न मगर क्या कीजे

और भी दुःख हैं ज़माने में मोहब्बत के सिवा
राहतें और भी हैं वस्ल की राहत के सिवा
मुझसे पहली सी मोहब्बत
मेरे मेहबूब..
ना मांग

PPS: This gorgeous woman was 99 when this was recorded. Perfect.

<p><a href=”https://vimeo.com/65793709″>Mujhse Pehli Si Mohabbat by Faiz, Recited by Zohra Segal</a> from <a href=”https://vimeo.com/anantraina”>Anant Raina</a> on <a href=”https://vimeo.com”>Vimeo</a&gt;.</p>