Poet
kam-fahm hain to kam hain pareshaniyon men ham
danaiyon se achchhe hain nadaniyon men ham
in my lack of knowledge, less troubles bother me
much better than being wise has been behaving foolishly
shayad raqib duub maren bahr-e-sharm men
dubenge mauj-e-ashk ki tughyaniyon men ham
it could be in a sea of shame my rival will be drowned
I, sunken in the stormy waves of envy will be found
mohtaj-e-faiz-e-namiya kyuun hote is qadar
karte jo soch kuchh jigar-afshaniyon men ham
why then beholden to the grace of life-force, would I be
if scattering my heart around, I’d acted thoughtfully
pahunchai ham ne mashq yahan tak ki ho gae
ustad-e-andalib nava-khvaniyon men ham
this practice I have taken to such heights that I can claim
to have surpassed the nightingale and put all bards to shame
ghairon ke saath aap bhi uthte hain bazm se
lo mezban ban gae mehmaniyon men ham
when with my rivals you too rise to leave the company
Instead of being among the guests, the host I’m held to be
jin jin ke tu mazar se guzra vo ji uthe
baaqi rahe hain ek tire faniyon men ham
whoever’s grave you ventured past, a new life did obtain
of all who perished in your love, alone do I remain
gustakhiyon se ghair ki un ko malal hai
mashhur hote kaash adab-daniyon men ham
my rival’s actions coarse and crude so hurtful did she find
if only I was famous for being cultured and refined
dekha jo zulf-e-yar ko taskin ho gai
yak-chand muztarib the pareshaniyon men ham
when her tresses I beheld, peace only then I found
I was restless until now as troubles did surround
ankhon se yuun ishara-e-dushman na dekhte
hote na is qadar jo nigahbaniyon men ham
signals my rival made to her I never would have seen
if amongst her sentinels, like this, I had not been
jo jaan kho ke paaen to fauz-e-azim hai
vo chiiz dhundte hain tan-asaniyon men ham
a prize is truly worthy if obtained at cost of life
we seek for things which we can get without a hint of strife
pir-e-mughan ke faiz-e-tavajjoh se ‘shefta’
aksar sharab piite hain ruhaniyon men ham
sheftaa, the tavern’s elder casts his favors, grace on me
I often get the chance to drink in pious company
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