Sher on Beniyazi
Not being overly concerned
may take two forms. It may a negative attitude and make one careless of everything around. The other one is rather spiritualist and is a characteristic of the men of God. Urdu poetry has many images of the beloveds who remain unconcerned and cause misery to lovers. We have a small selection here taking various shades of this attitude into account.
ye adā-e-be-niyāzī tujhe bevafā mubārak
magar aisī be-ruḳhī kyā ki salām tak na pahuñche
ye ada-e-be-niyazi tujhe bewafa mubarak
magar aisi be-ruKHi kya ki salam tak na pahunche
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Tag : Taghaful
be-niyāzī had se guzrī banda-parvar kab talak
ham kaheñge hāl-e-dil aur aap farmāveñge kyā
All bounds, your callousness exceeds, do tell me until when
My feelings I keep pouring out, your asking me what then?
Your indifference has crossed all limits; O patron of the humble, how long will this continue?
Whenever I speak of my heart's condition, will you just dismissively ask, 'What did you say?'
The poet complains about the beloved's extreme aloofness, ironically addressing them as 'Banda-parwar' (patron of the servant) while being neglected. The core struggle is that the beloved pretends not to hear or understand the poet's suffering, responding with a feigned and indifferent 'What?' whenever the poet tries to confess his love.
be-niyazi had se guzri banda-parwar kab talak
hum kahenge haal-e-dil aur aap farmawenge kya
All bounds, your callousness exceeds, do tell me until when
My feelings I keep pouring out, your asking me what then?
Your indifference has crossed all limits; O patron of the humble, how long will this continue?
Whenever I speak of my heart's condition, will you just dismissively ask, 'What did you say?'
The poet complains about the beloved's extreme aloofness, ironically addressing them as 'Banda-parwar' (patron of the servant) while being neglected. The core struggle is that the beloved pretends not to hear or understand the poet's suffering, responding with a feigned and indifferent 'What?' whenever the poet tries to confess his love.
mujhe ab dekhtī hai zindagī yuuñ be-niyāzāna
ki jaise pūchhtī ho kaun ho tum justujū kyā hai
mujhe ab dekhti hai zindagi yun be-niyazana
ki jaise puchhti ho kaun ho tum justuju kya hai
āshiqoñ kī ḳhastagī bad-halī kī parvā nahīñ
ai sarāpā naaz tū ne be-niyāzī ḳhuub kī
You don’t care about lovers’ weakness, illness-like exhaustion, or their misery.
O embodiment of pride and coquetry, you have practiced indifference very well.
The speaker laments the beloved’s coldness: even when lovers are worn down and ruined, she shows no concern. “Sarapa naaz” paints her as made entirely of pride, while “be-niyazi” becomes a deliberate stance rather than a simple neglect. The emotional core is helpless devotion facing a beautifully indifferent beloved, where the lover’s pain only highlights her unfeeling grace.
aashiqon ki KHastagi bad-hali ki parwa nahin
ai sarapa naz tu ne be-niyazi KHub ki
You don’t care about lovers’ weakness, illness-like exhaustion, or their misery.
O embodiment of pride and coquetry, you have practiced indifference very well.
The speaker laments the beloved’s coldness: even when lovers are worn down and ruined, she shows no concern. “Sarapa naaz” paints her as made entirely of pride, while “be-niyazi” becomes a deliberate stance rather than a simple neglect. The emotional core is helpless devotion facing a beautifully indifferent beloved, where the lover’s pain only highlights her unfeeling grace.
kyā āj-kal se us kī ye be-tavajjohī hai
muñh un ne is taraf se pherā hai 'mīr' kab kā
Is their indifference something that started only these days?
They turned their face away from this side long ago, Meer.
The speaker questions whether the beloved’s coldness is recent, then corrects himself: the turning away happened much earlier. “Turning the face” becomes a metaphor for emotional withdrawal and rejection. The couplet captures belated realization and self-deception—he was hoping it was temporary, but the neglect is long-standing.
kya aaj-kal se us ki ye be-tawajjohi hai
munh un ne is taraf se phera hai 'mir' kab ka
Is their indifference something that started only these days?
They turned their face away from this side long ago, Meer.
The speaker questions whether the beloved’s coldness is recent, then corrects himself: the turning away happened much earlier. “Turning the face” becomes a metaphor for emotional withdrawal and rejection. The couplet captures belated realization and self-deception—he was hoping it was temporary, but the neglect is long-standing.
saarī duniyā se be-niyāzī hai
vaah ai mast-e-nāz kyā kahnā
sari duniya se be-niyazi hai
wah ai mast-e-naz kya kahna
aap jām-e-tishnagī bhar dījiye aġhyār kā
aur yuuñ kiije hameñ auroñ se kam de dījiye
aap jam-e-tishnagi bhar dijiye aghyar ka
aur yun kije hamein auron se kam de dijiye
