اے دل پہلے بھی تنہا تھے
Ai Dil Pahle Bhi Tanhā The
Oh Heart, We Were Lonely Before
جاوید اختر
اے دل پہلے بھی تنہا تھے، اے دل ہم تنہا آج بھی ہیں
ऐ दिल पहले भी तन्हा थे, ऐ दिल हम तन्हा आज भी हैं
Ai dil pahle bhī tanhā the, ai dil ham tanhā aaj bhī haiñ
Oh heart, we were lonely before, and oh heart, we are lonely even today.
اور ان زخموں اور داغوں سے اب اپنی باتیں ہوتی ہیں
और उन ज़ख़्मों और दाग़ों से अब अपनी बातें होती हैं
Aur un zaḳhmoñ aur dāġhoñ se ab apnī bāteñ hotī haiñ
And now, I only converse with those wounds and scars.
جو زخم کہ سرخ گلاب ہوئے، جو داغ کہ بدرِ منیر ہوئے
जो ज़ख़्म कि सुर्ख़ गुलाब ہوئے, जो दाग़ कि بدر-e-munیر ہوئے
Jo zaḳhm ki surḳh gulāb hue, jo daaġh ki badar-e-munīr hue
The wounds that turned into red roses, the scars that became the bright full moon...
اس طرح سے کب تک جینا ہے، میں ہار گیا اس جینے سے
इस तरह से कब तक जीना है, मैं हार गया इस जीने से
Is tarha se kab tak jiinā hai, maiñ haar gayā is jiine se
...how long must I live like this? I am defeated by this way of living.
کوئی ابر اڑے کسی قلزم سے، رس برسے میرے ویرانے پر
कोई अब्र उड़े किसी क़ुल्ज़ुम से, रस बरसे मेरे वीराने पर
Koī abr uḌe kisī qulzum se, ras barse mire vīrāne par
Let a cloud rise from some ocean, let nectar rain down upon my desolation.
کوئی جاگتا ہو کوئی کڑھتا ہو، میرے دیر سے واپس آنے پر
कोई जागता हो कोई कुढ़ता हो, मेरे देर से वापस आने पर
Koī jāgtā ho koī kuḌhtā ho, mire der se vāpas aane par
Let someone be awake, let someone worry (fret) over my late return.
کوئی سانس بھرے میرے پہلو میں، کوئی ہاتھ دھرے میرے شانے پر
कोई साँस भरे मेरे पहलू में, कोई हाथ धरे मेरे शाने पर
Koī saañs bhare mire pahlū meñ, koī haath dhare mire shāne par
Let someone breathe by my side, let someone place a hand upon my shoulder.
اور دبے دبےلہجے میں کہے، تم نے اب تک بڑے درد سہے
और दबे दबे लहजे में कहे, तुम ने अब तक बड़े दर्द सहे
Aur dabe dabe lahje meñ kahe, tum ne ab tak baḍe dard sahe
"And say in a hushed, soft tone: "You have suffered great pain until now."
تم تنہا تنہا جلتے رہے، تم تنہا تنہا چلتے رہے
तुम तन्हा तन्हा जलते रहे, तुम तन्हा तन्हा चलते रहे
Tum tanhā tanhā jalte rahe, tum tanhā tanhā chalte rahe
"You kept burning all alone, you kept walking all alone."
سنو تنہا چلنا کھیل نہیں، چلو آؤ میرے ہمراہ چلو
सुनो तन्हा चलना खेल नहीं, चलो आओ मेरे हम-राह चलो
Suno tanhā chalnā khel nahīñ, chalo aao mire ham-rāh chalo
"Listen, walking alone is not a game; come, walk along with me."
چلو نئے سفر پر چلتے ہیں
चलो नए सफ़र पर चलते हैं
Chalo na.e safar par chalte haiñ
"Come, let us embark on a new journey."
چلو مجھے بنا کے گواہ چلو
चलो मुझे बना के गवाह चलो
Chalo mujhe banā ke gavāh chalo
"Come, make me your witness, and walk."
📖Poetic Context & Meaning
This nazm by Javed Akhtar is a profound meditation on loneliness, suffering, and the deep human need for companionship. The poem progresses through six emotional stages:
Stanza 1 - Chronic Loneliness:
The poet acknowledges that loneliness is not new to him. It has been a constant companion, so much so that his only conversations are now with his own wounds and scars—a powerful image of isolation.
Stanza 2 - Rejection of Romanticized Pain:
Here, the poet rejects the poetic tradition of beautifying suffering. While his wounds have become 'red roses' and his scars 'the bright moon' in the eyes of poetry, he is tired of living a life that exists merely to be admired as tragedy. He is defeated by this existence.
Stanza 3 - Yearning for Care:
The poet expresses a desire for someone to care about his well-being. Using the metaphor of a cloud bringing rain to his desolate life, he longs for someone who would worry if he came home late—a simple yet profound marker of belonging.
Stanza 4 - Desire for Physical Presence:
This is the height of yearning. He imagines physical intimacy—breath by his side, a hand on his shoulder—and validation of his struggle through soft, sympathetic words acknowledging his pain.
Stanza 5 - The Imagined Companion Speaks:
The voice continues, validating the poet's lonely struggle. It offers a solution: companionship. 'Walking alone is not a game' means the burden of solitude is too heavy for one person to bear.
Stanza 6 - Invitation to Meaning:
The poem concludes with an invitation to a new journey. The phrase 'make me your witness' is powerful—it implies that a life unobserved feels meaningless. The companion offers to bear witness to his existence, giving his life weight and reality.