dhota huun jab main piine ko us sim-tan ke paanv
rakhta hai zid se khinch ke bahar lagan ke paanv
when I wash the fair one’s feet that water for to drink
she stubbornly snatches her feet right out of the sink
di sadgi se jaan padun kohkan ke paanv
haihat kyuun na tuut gae pir-zan ke paanv
for his innocence I’d go and fall at Kohkan’s feet
why, alas, an early end, did the crone not meet
bhage the ham bahut so usi ki saza hai ye
ho kar asiir dabte hain rahzan ke paanv
I’m punished in this manner as I tried to run away
I’m the robber’s prisoner and press his feet today
marham ki justuju men phira huun jo duur duur
tan se siva figar hain is khasta-tan ke paanv
in search of salve I wander distances wide and far
my body was all injured, my feet too wounded are
allah-re zauq-e-dasht-navardi ki baad-e-marg
hilte hain khud-ba-khud mire andar kafan ke paanv
Let my wanderlust be seen that even when I’ve gone
on their own accord my feet, entombed, yet journey on
hai josh-e-gul bahar men yaan tak ki har taraf
udte hue ulajhte hain murgh-e-chaman ke paanv
flowers are so frezied that, in springtime all around
tripping up while taking flight birds are to be found
shab ko kisi ke khvab men aaya na ho kahin
dukhte hain aaj us but-e-nazuk-badan ke paanv
at night, I hope she’s not appeared in anybody’s dreams
feet of that idol, frail, fragile, ache today it seems
‘ghalib’ mire kalam men kyunkar maza na ho
piita huun dhoke khusrav-e-shirin-sukhan ke paanv
Ghalib why should not my verse cause people to rejoice
I drink the washings of the feet of Khusro, sweet of voice
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