Imho 'jhal jhal' doesn't describe a light having constant luminosity such as that of an electric bulb but a light of varying luminosity or atleast changing hues such as that of a lamp or candle flame. It can be used to describe afternoon sunlight being reflected off running water. Alternately, consider a flag made of silken cloth inter-woven with threads of brocade and gold and studded with tiny mirrors, hoisted atop a high tower. When this flag flutters in a gentle breeze in the afternoon sunlight the effect captures the essence of the word jhal-jhal. So the words that can best describe this effect are 'glitter', 'sparkle' and perhaps 'brilliance'. Further, jyot is widely used to refer to the flame of a candle or an oil-lamp and the metaphor of lamp-and-flame is also used to refer to the light of RasulAllah(sallallahu'alayhiwasallam) in the verse of light in surah Noor. So the probable transaltions could be: Ya Shamsu nadharti ila layli/chuN ba Tayba rasii arzii bakonii Tori jawt ki jhal jhal jag mein rachii/meri shab ne na din hona jana O’ Sun, you have witnessed my night/When you reach Tayba, present this plea: The world is asparkle with your light/But my night has known no daytime. or The sparkle of your lamp has adorned the world /But my night has yet to see its' dawn. my two cents. Wassalaam.
thanks for the correction, brother asif (NJ). jawt is the "soft' version of jyot; which means "noor". and this fits exactly with what Ala Hazrat wants to say: "although your light has illuminated the world, my night has not yet seen the light of the day!"
Correction to verse 3: 3. Ya Shamsu nadharti ila layli/chuN ba Tayba rasii arzii bakonii Tori jawt ki jhal jhal jag mein rachii/meri shab ne na din hona jana O’ Sun, you have seen my night/When you reach Madina, make this plea: Your radiant splendour is praised the world over /But my night has yet to see its' dawn. May Allah forgive any errors. Amen.
it is like saying that you are septic [sceptic] about a host of things which was the cause of your being abhorrent [aberrant] to which we elude [allude] and which you may deem venal [venial]. ---- juTT is with a hard T as in tomorrow - or tamatar (tomato - unless you have now taken a fancy to say it as the arabs with a soft t: tamatim) jyOt is with a soft t. ---- i don't know if asif can read hindi typography (nagari script) but surely he can read urdu hard Taa. جٿك जुटक juṭak, A braid of hair, any knot or fillet of hair; the matted hair of Śiva or of ascetics. and جوت जोत jot, जोति joti [S. ज्योति, or द्योत+इका, rt. द्युत्], s.f. Light, brightness, brilliancy, lustre, splendour; sunshine, sunbeam; a ray of light; flame of a candle or lamp; ---- juTT means the matted hair which hindu religious men wear (without washing or trimming); also in another sense, it is a religious mark of some pandits that they wear this juTT and shave the rest of the head and in fiqh books they say that doing so is kufr as it is imitating their religious dress. jyoT comes from light and that is what is mentioned in this sheyr. -----
Thanks sherkhan, However 'jawt' also means matted hair or braided hair [in Hindi - see Platts] and that is what I went with as hair and night are often compared in Urdu poetry. I liked the idea that the jawt of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم can still illuminate the poet... -- I accept I could be wrong though.
"jawt" means light/noor and "jhal jhal" should be translated as brilliance/brightness. Then it fits well with the subsequent 'but my night has known no daytime'.
Lamyati Nadhiruka Fi Nadhirin – No Eye Has Seen Your Likeness A translation by Asif J Naqshbandi-Haqqani 1. Lamyati nadhiruka fi nadharin/mesl e tu na shod payda jana Jag raj ko taj toray sar so/hai tujh ko shah e do sara jana No eye has seen your likeness/No one like you has ever been born The crown of the world is upon your head/You are called the King of Both Realms 2. Al-Bahru ala w’al mawju tagha/man bikas-o-tufan hoosh-raba Manjhdar mein hoon bigRi hai hava/Mori nayya paar laga jana The sea is rising and the waves are tumultuous/I am helpless and the storm is terrifying I am in the centre of the sea, a gale is blowing/Help my boat to reach the shore, Beloved! 3. Ya Shamsu nadharti ila layli/chuN ba Tayba rasii arzii bakonii Tori jawt ki jhal jhal jag mein rachii/meri shab ne na din hona jana O’ Sun, you have seen my night/When you reach Madina, make this plea: The whole world praises [-------edited------] /But my night has known no daytime! 4. Laka badrun fi’l wajhil ajmal/khateh haleh-ye-mah, zulf abr e ajal Toray chandan chandar par o kunDal/rahmat ki bharan barsa jana Amongst the most beautiful faces, you are like the full moon/Your countenance, the moon’s halo, your tresses - like hastening clouds O’ sandalwood hued, moon-faced, curly-locked Beloved!/Let fall the raindrops of mercy! 5. Ana fi ‘atashi-nwa sakhaka atam/ay gisu-e-pak, ay abr-e-karam Barsan haa re, rim jhim, rim jhim/do boond idhar bhi gira jana I am thirsty and your generosity is the most perfect/Oh holy tresses, oh clouds of mercy! Your rainfall falls hither and thither/Let a few drops fall on me too! 6. Ya qafilati zidi ajalak/Rahmii bar hasrat e tashneh-labak Mora jeera larjay darak darak/Tayyiba se abhi na sana jana O my caravan, lengthen your stay/A mercy upon a thirsty-one’s desire My heart is beating in my chest/Do not yet depart from Madina, Beloved! 7. Wa han lisaway’atin dhahabat/ Aan ehd e Huzoor e baargah-at Jab yaad aavat mohay kar na parat/Darda voh Madinay ka jana Ah! Alas for those short moments which have passed/ That time in the presence of the Prophet’s court When I recall those moments I am unable/O’ pain to undertake that journey to Madina! 8. Al-Qalbu shahin’wa’l hammu shujud/dil zaar chunaaN, jaan zir chunooN Pat apni bapat main kaa se kahoon/Mera kaun hai tere siwa jana My heart is wounded and I have many problems/My heart and soul are scattered here and there But how can I reveal my own secret?/I have no one apart from you, Beloved! 9. Al-ruhu fidak fazid harraqa/yek sho’la digar barzan ‘ishqa! Mora tan man dhan sab phoonk diya/yeh jaan bhi pyaare jala jana! May my soul be sacrificed for you, increase your burning!/O’ passionate desire, light another flame! You have set fire to my heart and body/Now also burn to cinders my very life, beloved! 10. Bas khama’-e’khaam-e-nawaaye Raza/nay eh tarz meri, na yeh rang mera Irshad e Ahibba Natiq tha/nachaar is raah paRa jana Enough, o’ faulty expression of Raza’s cry/This is neither my style nor my hue It was because of the desire of Ahibba and Natiq/That this helpless one trod this path! (for Aqib Qadri upon his request)
