Yeh na thi hamari kismat - Ghalib

Yeh na thi hamari kismat ki wisaal-e-yaar hota,
agar aur jeete rehte yahee intezaar hota!

It was not my destiny that I unite with my love.
I would have waited for the moment, if I would have lived till then…

-Tere wade par jiye hum toh yeh jaan zoot jana,
main khushee se mar na jaati agar eitabaar hota

If you think that I lived on your promise, that’s not the situation…
Wouldn’t have I died with joy, if I’d been sure that you are trustworthy!

-Hue mar ke hum jo rusawa, hue kyo na gharg-e-dariya
na kabhee janaaza uthata, na kahee mazaar hota..

Have I gained ill fame in death? Why didn’t I go and get drown in sea?
(Not very sure of the meaning…)
Corps would not have taken to burial ground, no tomb would be seen!

-Koee mere dil se poonche, ki yeh teer-e-neem kash ko
Yeh khalish kahaan se hotee jo jigar ke paar hota

Ask my heart- the way you have aimed the arrow,
Wouldn’t have I bled in silence, if it’d been at right place in my heart!

-Kahoon kis se main ke kya hai, shab-e-gham buri bala hai,
mujhe kya bura tha marna ? agar ek baar hota

To whom should I tell? Dark nights of sorrows (of separation) are difficult…
I would have better died; I would have suffered just once!

-Yeh masaail-e-tasawwuf, yeh tera bayaan Galib,
tujhe hum walee samajhate, jo na baada_khwaar hota.

Galib, your thinking and phrases are great!
If we’d not seen your drunken side, we would have called you a saint!

Dil-e-naadaan tujhe huaa kya hai ?
Aakhir is dard kee dawa kya hai

O innocent heart, what happened to you
What is the cure for this pain, after all?

Hamko unse wafa ki hai ummeed
Jo naheen jaante wafa kya hai

I hope for faith from one
Who doesn’t know what it means to be faithful

Ham hain mushtaaq aur woh bezaar
Ya ilaahee ! Yeh maajra kya hai ?

I am anxious and eager, he is cold and displeased
Oh God, what is this mystery?

Main bhi muh me zabaan rakhataa hun
Kaash puchho ki mudda kyaa hai

I too have a tongue in my mouth (I too have an opinion)
If only I was I asked my intention (mudda’ is a distorted form of the actual Urdu word ‘mudua’ which means ‘ intention’, ‘will’ or ‘objective’)

Jab ki tujh bin naheen koyi maujood
Fir ye hangaama, ‘ei khuda ! Kya hai

If there is no one except you in my world
Then why this ruckus, what is this world, O God?

Ye pari chehra log kaise hain
Gamaza-o-ishwa-o-ada kya hai

What are these beautiful angelic-faced women like?
What are all the airs and graces about? (their amorous glances, their coquettishness and their enticing style)
Ghamza : an amorous glance or wink; Ishwa: Coquetry (naaz/ nakhray); Ada: an enticing style or a tempting gesture (generally by women)


Shikan-e-zulf-e-ambari kyon hai
Nigah-e-chashm-e-surma sa kya hai

Why do these fragrant curls exist? (referring to a woman’s tresses)
What is the meaning of the glance of your eyes lined with kohl?

Sabz-o-gul kahaan se aaye hai
Abr kyaa chiz hai, havaa kyaa hai

Where has this beautiful greenery and nature come from?
What is this cloud and the wind?

Jaan tum par nisaar karta hoon
Main naheen jaanata duaa kya hai

I am willing to sacrifice my life for you
I do not know what else is prayer?

Haan bhalaa kar, teraa bhalaa hogaa
Aur daravesh ki sadaa kyaa hai

Yes, do good, and good will come to you
What, but this does the dervish say?

Maine maanaa ki kuchh nahi “Ghalib”
Muft haath aaye, to buraa kyaa hai

I agree that ‘Ghalib’ is ‘nothing’,
But what harm does it do, if you get him for ‘nothing’?

DAAGH DEHLVI

Gazab kiyaa, tere vaade pe aitabaar kiyaa
Tamaam raat qayaamat kaa intezaar kiyaa

What a blunder it was to believe in your promises
The entire night I waited for this disaster

Hansaa hansaa ke shab-e-vasl ashk-baar kiyaa
Tasalliyaan mujhe de-de ke beqaraar kiyaa

After all the laughter, you filled out the night of union with te
After falsely consoling and comforting me you made me restless

Ham aise mahv-e-nazaaraa na the jo hosh aataa
Magar tumhaare taGaaful ne hoshiyaar kiyaa

I was so immersed in your love, I was uncogniscent of any deceit
But it was your indifference that made me aware of your deceit

Fasaana-e-shab-e-Gam un ko ek kahaanii thhii
Kuchh aitabaar kiyaa aur kuchh naa-aitabaar kiyaa

My tale of sadness of that night was but a story for you
Like a fictional story, you believe in some and disbelieve in others

Ye kisane jalvaa hamaare sar-e-mazaar kiyaa
Ki dil se shor uThaa, haa_e! beqaraar kiyaa

Who has graced the head of my tomb with their presence
My heart has cried out, even in my grave you have made me restless

Tadap phir ai dil-e-naadaan, ki Gair kahate hain
Aakhir kuchh na banii, sabr ikhtiyaar kiyaa

The world is asking me again, to feel the pain, oh my innocent heart
When nothing worked then I took the path of patience

Bhulaa bhulaa ke jataayaa hai unako raaz-e-nihaan
Chhipaa chhipaa ke mohabbat ko aashakaar kiyaa

In trying to forget, I have finally exposed the secret buried deep in my heart
After ages of hiding I have finally revealed my love for you

Tumhen to vaadaa-e-diidaar ham se karanaa thaa
Ye kyaa kiyaa ke jahaan ko ummiidavaar kiyaa

I thought I was special when I made a promise to make an appearance
What have you done? now the whole world expects to see me

Ye dil ko taab kahaan hai ke ho maalandesh
Unhone vaadaa kiyaa ham ne aitabaar kiyaa

Did this heart has the strength to doubt you and think of the consequences
You promised and I believed you

Na puuchh dil kii haqiiqat magar ye kahate hain
Vo beqaraar rahe jisane beqaraar kiyaa

Don't ask the reality of this heart, but they say
The one who made you restless, will ramain uneasy themselves

Kuchh aage daavar-e-mahashar se hai ummiid mujhe
Kuchh aap ne mere kahane kaa aitabaar kiyaa

The only expectation I have is from GodBut you did believe a bit on me