Ghazal 107, Verse 4

{107,4}

kabhii jo yaad bhii aataa huu;N mai;N to kahte hai;N
kih aaj bazm me;N kuchh fitnah-o-fasaad nahii;N

1) if sometime I even/also come to mind, then she says,
2) that 'Today in the gathering there's no mischief and disorder!'

Notes:

fitnah : 'Trial, affliction, calamity, mischief, evil, torment, plague, pest (applied to persons as well as things)'. (Platts p.776)

 

fasaad : 'Disorder, disturbance, mischief, violence, waste, ruin, horror, intrigue, sedition, mutiny, rebellion, war; disagreement, discord, dissension, strife, quarrelling, quarrel, brawl'. (Platts p.781)

Nazm:

In this verse the word bazm has fallen below the claim of the situation. Because the line is spoken by the beloved, and is an imitation of her idiom. And the word bazm is not a word from her idiom. But the truth is that nobody takes that much care about idiom. (111)

== Nazm page 111

Bekhud Dihlavi:

He says, if ever sometime the thought of me occurs to her, then she addresses herself to the people of the gathering and says, 'Today in our gathering there's no turmoil and commotion'. That is, Hazrat Ghalib has not come-- who, because of jealousy, quarrels and argues with the people of the gathering over every single thing'. (162)

Bekhud Mohani:

He complains of his fortune.... that is, even if she remembers me, then it's like this.

[Nazm's complaint is ill-founded.] There's no telling what social class of beloved is meant, and what would be the word in her idiom for this occasion. If some information had been given, then something could be said. Mirza's beloved is such that she speaks in metaphors-- [as for example, in] {100,2} and {136,4}. (214)

FWP:

SETS == DIALOGUE == TRANSLATABLES
GATHERINGS: {6,3}

The verse feels like the second half of an informal verse-set that might include this one and the previous one, {107,3}.

The same kind of translatability question that arises for the previous verse is also apparent here. Can the English reader be made to intuit the necessary information about the 'gathering', and the roles of lover and beloved and others in such an occasion?