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Can someone please translate this Pakistani song into English?

One of my favourite songs but even though my Urdu is good, I want to clarify the meaning.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/EYNHuHXO1LU

Could you post the transliterated lyrics? They’re available online and it would make it easier to explain it. The alternative would be me having to listen to the ghazal, which I don’t relish doing: I never really warmed to Mehdi Hassan. Sacrilegious I know, but I have my quirks ;)
 
[MENTION=22846]Nostalgic[/MENTION] I removed the hook from everywhere except the start since it’s repeated

aaj tu Ghair sahi
pyar se bair sahi
teri aankon main koi
pyar ka paigam nahine
tujhko apna na banaya to mera naam nahine x 2

tune thukraya tha jis dil ko
kisi ki khatir
aaj us dil mein bagwat ke siva kuch bhi nahine
jinme sapne tay tere
pyar ke e janewafa
aaj un ankon mein nafrat ke siva kuch bhi nahine
pyar ki aag mein
pyar ki aag main
sangdil mein jala hoon jitna
tujhko utna na jalaya to mere naam nahine
tujhko apna na banaya to mera naam nahine

saari duniya mein fakat
tujhse muhabbat ki hai
tu kisi aur ki ho jayae ye mumkin hi nahine
naame tere hi mere
naam ke saath aayega
tu kisi aur ki kahlaye yeh mumkin hi nahine
naaz hai tujhkoooooo
naaz hai tujhko bahoth
husn pe apne lekin
tere sar ko na jhukaya to mera naam nahin
tuhjko apna na banaya to mera naam nahine

tere mathe pe mere
pyaar ka tikaa hoga
zulf teri mere
shanon pe hi lahraygiii
hai yakin mujhko ke magroor jawani teri
mom banke meei bahon main simat aayegi
sangemarmar se hasine
sangemarmar se hasine
tere badan pe sangdil
lal joda na sajaya to mera naam nahin

aaj to ghair sahi...
 
[MENTION=22846]Nostalgic[/MENTION] I removed the hook from everywhere except the start since it’s repeated

aaj tu Ghair sahi
pyar se bair sahi
teri aankon main koi
pyar ka paigam nahine
tujhko apna na banaya to mera naam nahine x 2

tune thukraya tha jis dil ko
kisi ki khatir
aaj us dil mein bagwat ke siva kuch bhi nahine
jinme sapne tay tere
pyar ke e janewafa
aaj un ankon mein nafrat ke siva kuch bhi nahine
pyar ki aag mein
pyar ki aag main
sangdil mein jala hoon jitna
tujhko utna na jalaya to mere naam nahine
tujhko apna na banaya to mera naam nahine

saari duniya mein fakat
tujhse muhabbat ki hai
tu kisi aur ki ho jayae ye mumkin hi nahine
naame tere hi mere
naam ke saath aayega
tu kisi aur ki kahlaye yeh mumkin hi nahine
naaz hai tujhkoooooo
naaz hai tujhko bahoth
husn pe apne lekin
tere sar ko na jhukaya to mera naam nahin
tuhjko apna na banaya to mera naam nahine

tere mathe pe mere
pyaar ka tikaa hoga
zulf teri mere
shanon pe hi lahraygiii
hai yakin mujhko ke magroor jawani teri
mom banke meei bahon main simat aayegi
sangemarmar se hasine
sangemarmar se hasine
tere badan pe sangdil
lal joda na sajaya to mera naam nahin

aaj to ghair sahi...

Okay, so exactly what parts are you struggling with?

In a nutshell, it starts off my berating the beloved for her infidelity, moves on to a recalcitrant mood by announcing that the protagonist is boiling over with rebellion and hatred, who then adopts the belligerent position of defeating the beloved by winning her back at all costs.

I found it rather disconcerting.
 
Okay, so exactly what parts are you struggling with?

In a nutshell, it starts off my berating the beloved for her infidelity, moves on to a recalcitrant mood by announcing that the protagonist is boiling over with rebellion and hatred, who then adopts the belligerent position of defeating the beloved by winning her back at all costs.

I found it rather disconcerting.

Yeah it is slightly disturbing but it depends on what Hoe intentions are when listening to the song. I’ll quote my post and bold the parts
 
[MENTION=22846]Nostalgic[/MENTION] I removed the hook from everywhere except the start since it’s repeated

aaj tu Ghair sahi
pyar se bair sahi

teri aankon main koi
pyar ka paigam nahine
tujhko apna na banaya to mera naam nahine x 2

tune thukraya tha jis dil ko
kisi ki khatir
aaj us dil mein bagwat ke siva kuch bhi nahine
jinme sapne tay tere
pyar ke e janewafa
aaj un ankon mein nafrat ke siva kuch bhi nahine
pyar ki aag mein
pyar ki aag main
sangdil mein jala hoon jitna
tujhko utna na jalaya to mere naam nahine

tujhko apna na banaya to mera naam nahine

saari duniya mein fakat
tujhse muhabbat ki hai

tu kisi aur ki ho jayae ye mumkin hi nahine
naame tere hi mere
naam ke saath aayega
tu kisi aur ki kahlaye yeh mumkin hi nahine
naaz hai tujhkoooooo
naaz hai tujhko bahoth
husn pe apne lekin
tere sar ko na jhukaya to mera naam nahin

tuhjko apna na banaya to mera naam nahine

tere mathe pe mere
pyaar ka tikaa hoga
zulf teri mere
shanon pe hi lahraygiii
hai yakin mujhko ke magroor jawani teri
mom banke meei bahon main simat aayegi

sangemarmar se hasine
sangemarmar se hasine
tere badan pe sangdil
lal joda na sajaya to mera naam nahin

aaj to ghair sahi...

If you could clarify what the bolded parts mean
 
Last edited:
If you could clarify what the bolded parts mean

Here goes:

1) aaj tu Ghair sahi
pyar se bair sahi

Today you’re a stranger, filled with hatred towards love. However, “ghair” is more nuanced than mere stranger: it is often used for the rival in the stereotypical triangle of love (comprising the lover, the beloved and the rival for the beloved’s affections). Here it signifies someone who was once the poet/protagonist’s, but now is someone else’s. Likewise, “bair” isn’t simply hatred. It is hatred of a vehement, visceral sort.

2) pyar ki aag main
sangdil mein jala hoon jitna
tujhko utna na jalaya to mere naam nahine

Poor guy has been burning in the fire of love, and vows that if he doesn’t make the lady burn just as much in that fire, she can change his name, which is an oft-used figure of speech in Urdu: recall please Shahbaz Sharif insisting he would get rid of load shedding in two years and if he didn’t, we could change his name.

3) saari duniya mein fakat
tujhse muhabbat ki hai

In this entire world, I’ve loved you alone.

4) naaz hai tujhko bahoth
husn pe apne lekin
tere sar ko na jhukaya to mera naam nahin

You pride yourself on your beauty, but I will make you bow in submission, or else, you guessed it, you’re free to change my name. Something tells me this guy wouldn’t really mind a new name. Seriously though, “naaz” here is more than mere pride. Naaz is the pride a lady feels and the airs she adopts when she knows her beauty has admirers.

5) hai yakin mujhko ke magroor jawani teri
mom banke meei bahon main simat aayegi

I’m certain that your arrogant youth will melt into my arms like so much wax. Poets often portray icy cold, haughty beauty melting. Faiz does so too at one point, but his verse escapes me right now. The idea is again making the recalcitrant beloved submit under the pressure of your attention. In the #MeToo era, such poetry probably hasn’t aged well.

6) sangemarmar se hasine
tere badan pe sangdil
lal joda na sajaya to mera naam nahin

Your body is lovely like marble, but if I fail to make you don the red bridal dress on that very body, you can... (drumroll)... change my name.
 
Here goes:

1) aaj tu Ghair sahi
pyar se bair sahi

Today you’re a stranger, filled with hatred towards love. However, “ghair” is more nuanced than mere stranger: it is often used for the rival in the stereotypical triangle of love (comprising the lover, the beloved and the rival for the beloved’s affections). Here it signifies someone who was once the poet/protagonist’s, but now is someone else’s. Likewise, “bair” isn’t simply hatred. It is hatred of a vehement, visceral sort.

2) pyar ki aag main
sangdil mein jala hoon jitna
tujhko utna na jalaya to mere naam nahine

Poor guy has been burning in the fire of love, and vows that if he doesn’t make the lady burn just as much in that fire, she can change his name, which is an oft-used figure of speech in Urdu: recall please Shahbaz Sharif insisting he would get rid of load shedding in two years and if he didn’t, we could change his name.

3) saari duniya mein fakat
tujhse muhabbat ki hai

In this entire world, I’ve loved you alone.

4) naaz hai tujhko bahoth
husn pe apne lekin
tere sar ko na jhukaya to mera naam nahin

You pride yourself on your beauty, but I will make you bow in submission, or else, you guessed it, you’re free to change my name. Something tells me this guy wouldn’t really mind a new name. Seriously though, “naaz” here is more than mere pride. Naaz is the pride a lady feels and the airs she adopts when she knows her beauty has admirers.

5) hai yakin mujhko ke magroor jawani teri
mom banke meei bahon main simat aayegi

I’m certain that your arrogant youth will melt into my arms like so much wax. Poets often portray icy cold, haughty beauty melting. Faiz does so too at one point, but his verse escapes me right now. The idea is again making the recalcitrant beloved submit under the pressure of your attention. In the #MeToo era, such poetry probably hasn’t aged well.

6) sangemarmar se hasine
tere badan pe sangdil
lal joda na sajaya to mera naam nahin

Your body is lovely like marble, but if I fail to make you don the red bridal dress on that very body, you can... (drumroll)... change my name.

You’re a beast. Thank you for the detailed reply. You’re too good at this
 
5) hai yakin mujhko ke magroor jawani teri
mom banke meei bahon main simat aayegi

The idea behind the wax bit is that wax is pliant and mouldable, and will therefore settle into his arms, in the form he wants. The idea is again one of making her submit.

It’s all very creepy and cringeworthy to say the least. He’s more concerned with making her submit out of vengeance rather than winning her over again. Considering that this was probably sung for a Lollywood flock, it isn’t all that surprising.
 
5) hai yakin mujhko ke magroor jawani teri
mom banke meei bahon main simat aayegi

The idea behind the wax bit is that wax is pliant and mouldable, and will therefore settle into his arms, in the form he wants. The idea is again one of making her submit.

It’s all very creepy and cringeworthy to say the least. He’s more concerned with making her submit out of vengeance rather than winning her over again. Considering that this was probably sung for a Lollywood flock, it isn’t all that surprising.

Yes but isn’t that very smart lyricism. Also with the masterful way that Mehdi Hassan has sung this, it really feels like it’s coming from an obsessed, crazed, hateful. I don’t think we’re meant to sympathize with him. If anything it sheds some light on toxic masculinity and the mindset of these people
 
Yes but isn’t that very smart lyricism. Also with the masterful way that Mehdi Hassan has sung this, it really feels like it’s coming from an obsessed, crazed, hateful. I don’t think we’re meant to sympathize with him. If anything it sheds some light on toxic masculinity and the mindset of these people

Trust me, such a nuanced interpretation is well beyond the capabilities of Lollywood lyricists, filmmakers and audiences.
 
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