dard minnat-kash-e-dava na hua
main na achchha hua bura na hua
my pain did not seek favors from any opiate
I don’t mind the fact that I did not recuperate
jama karte ho kyuun raqibon ko
ik tamasha hua gila na hua
you collect my enemies, why in this manner? pray
a spectacle this is and not the way to remonstrate
ham kahan qismat azmane jaaen
tu hi jab khanjar-azma na hua
even you refuse to test the sharpness of the blade
say where else do I then go, now for to test my fate
kitne shirin hain tere lab ki raqib
galiyan kha ke be-maza na hua
how sweet are your honeyed lips, that even though my foe
was abused by you, is not, in an unhappy state
hai khabar garm un ke aane ki
aaj hi ghar men boriya na hua
the news of her arrival, I hear at such a time
when my home is to be found unfurnished, desolate
kya vo namrud ki khudai thi
bandagi men mira bhala na hua
what divinity was it that Nimrod once proclaimed?
Worship was no use to me, it did not compensate
jaan di di hui usi ki thi
haq to yuun hai ki haq ada na hua
though I gave my life for Him, ’twas His in any case
to speak the truth I couldn’t repay my dues to Him to date
zakhm gar dab gaya lahu na thama
kaam gar ruk gaya rava na hua
if a wound is smothered then, blood’s flow will not be stemmed
if a task is stopped half-way, it does not consummate
rahzani hai ki dil-sitani hai
le ke dil dil-sitan ravana hua
this is highway robbery this stealing of my heart
takes my heart and flees forthwith she doen’t even wait
kuchh to padhiye ki log kahte hain
aaj ‘ghalib’ ghazal-sara na hua
do render a recitation, people start to say
why is Ghalib silent pray why does he not orate
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