Dagh Dehlvi
milate ho usi ko khaak men jo dil se milta hai
miri jaan chahne vaala badi mushkil se milta hai
those who meet you lovingly then into dust you grind
those who bear affection, dear, are very hard to find
kahin hai iid ki shadi kahin matam hai maqtal men
koi qatil se milta hai koi bismil se milta hai
festive joy in places, elsewhere gloom of genocide
some like the murderer rejoice, some victim-like abide
pas-e-parda bhi laila haath rakh leti hai ankhon par
ghubar-e-na-tavan-e-qais jab mahmil se milta hai
Lailaa covers up her eyes even behind the veil
when her carriage is beset by dust of majnuu.n frail
bhare hain tujh men vo lakhon hunar ai majma-e-khubi
mulaqati tira goya bhari mahfil se milta hai
you do possess a myriad skills , a throng of talents bring
one who meets you is as though he meets a gathering
mujhe aata hai kya kya rashk vaqt-e-zabh us se bhi
gala jis dam lipat kar khanjar-e-qatil se milta hai
what envy I feel for my neck, even in slaughter’s face
when the dagger of the killer takes it in embrace
ba-zahir ba-adab yuun hazrat-e-naseh se milta huun
murid-e-khas jaise murshid-e-kamil se milta hai
it’s obvious so respectfully the preacher I do greet
just as a special pupil does the perfect master meet
misal-e-ganj-e-qarun ahl-e-hajat se nahin chhupta
jo hota hai sakhi khud dhund kar saail se milta hai
like the wealth of Croseus, from poor he does not hide,
a philanthrope seeks out the needy, himself, to provide
javab is baat ka us shokh ko kya de sake koi
jo dil le kar kahe kam-bakht tu kis dil se milta hai
an answer to her mishievous comment what can there be
who takes my heart and says “you fool, you meet me heartlessly”
chhupae se koi chhupti hai apne dil ki betabi
ki har tar-e-nafas apna rag-e-bismil se milta hai
can restlessness be hidden then, however may be tried
as every ragged breath now does with wounded veins collide
adam ki jo haqiqat hai vo puchho ahl-e-hasti se
musafir ko to manzil ka pata manzil se milta hai
seek from the people of this world, the truth of death’s domain
for in this path from present stops, past’s knowledge will obtain
ghazab hai ‘dagh’ ke dil se tumhara dil nahin milta
tumhara chand sa chehra mah-e-kamil se milta hai
tis wonder that your heart rejects this heart, so scarred, of mine
your moon-like face resembles when, the full-moon’s face divine
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