William Cowper(1731-1800) was one of the most popular poets of his times. Cowper changed the direction of 18th century nature poetry by writing about the English countryside and the everyday lives of people. His famous works include Olney Hymns and The Task.
William Cowper (1731-1800) apne daur ke mashhoor shairo me se ek the. Cowper ne 18vi sadi ki fitrat ki shaayari ko uss wakt ke English dehaat aur logon ki roz marrah ki zindagiyon par likh kar naya rukh diya. Unke mashhoor kaamon me Olney Hymns aur The Task shamil hain.
About the text
The poem takes us into the private world of a snail, where it is seen to lead a self- sufficient life. We are allowed to observe, in minute detail, the small yet self- contained world in which a snail lives.
Ye nazm/kavita humein ek ghonghe ki zaati duniya me le jati hai, jahan wo ek khud mukhtaar zindagi guzarta hai. Humein is chhoti lekin mukammal duniya ko dekhne diya jata hai jismein ek ghongha rehta hai.
To grass, or leaf, or fruit, or wall,
The snail sticks close, nor fears to fall,
As if he grew there, house and all
Together.
Ghongha ghas, patte, phal ya deewar se chipak jata hai, aur girne ka khauf nahi karta, jese wo wahan uggaya ho, apne ghar samait sath sath.
Within that house secure he hides,
When danger imminent betides
Of storm, or other harm besides
Of weather.
Is ghar ke andar wo mehfooz chhupa hota hai, jab koi khatarnaak cheez aa jaye, tufaan ya doosri koi nuksan dene wali cheez, mausam ke ilawa.
Give but his horns the slightest touch,
His self-collecting power is such,
He shrinks into his house, with much
Displeasure.
Agar iske seeng ko zara sa chu liya jaye, to iski apni taluq (gathering) ki taqat itni hoti hai, ke ye apne ghar me bohot nafrat ke sath chhup jata hai.
Where’er he dwells, he dwells alone,
Except himself has chattels none,
Well satisfied to be his own
Whole treasure.
Jahan bhi wo rehta hai, akela rehta hai, khud ke siwa uske paas koi saaman nahi hota, apne aap me puri dolat hone par khush rehta hai.
Thus, hermit-like, his life he leads,
Nor partner of his banquet needs,
And if he meets one, only feeds
The faster.
Is tarah, ek zindagi wo ek shaduu ki tarah guzar deta hai, aur usay apne dawat me kisi ko shamil karne ki zarurat nahi hoti, aur agar wo kisi se milta bhi hai, to aur ziada khata hai.
Who seeks him must be worse than blind,
(He and his house are so combin’d)
If, finding it, he fails to find
Its master.
Jo usay dhoondhta hai wo andha se bhi bura hota hai, (wo aur uska ghar itna milay huye hain), ke agar wo ghar ko dhoondh bhi le, to bhi wo iske malik ko nahi dhoondh pata.
