Hazaaron Khyaahishen aisi....

Hazaaron khvaahishen aisii ki har khvaaish pe dam nikale
Bahut nikale mere armaan lekin phir bhi kam nikale

Dare kyun meraa qaatil kyaa rahegaa usakii gardan par
Vo khuun jo chashm-e-tar se umr bhar yuun dam-ba-dam nikale

Nikalanaa khuld se aadam kaa sunate aaye hai.n lekin
Bahut be-aabaruu hokar tere kuuche se ham nikale

Bharam khul jaaye zaalim tere qaamat kii daraazii kaa
Agar is turraa-e-purapech-o-kham kaa pech-o-kham nikale

Magar likhavaaye koii usako khat to hum se likhavaaye
Huii subah aur ghar se kaan par rakkhar qalam nikale

Huii is daur me mansuub mujhase baadaa-ashaamii
Phir aayaa vo zamaanaa jo jahaan se jaam-e-jam nikale

Huii jinase tavaqqo khastagii kii daad paane kii
Vo hamase bhii ziyaadaa khastaa-e-teg-e-sitam nikale

Muhabbat me nahin hai farq jeene aur marane kaa
Usii ko dekh kar jeete hai jis kaafir pe dam nikale

Zara kar jor siine par ki tiir-e-pursitam nikale
Jo vo nikle to dil nikale jo dil nikale to dam nikale

Khudaa ke vaaste pardaa na kaabe se uthaa zaalim
Kahin aisaa na ho yaan bhii vahii kaafir sanam nikale

Kahaan maikhaane ka daravaazaa ‘Ghalib’ aur kahaan vaaiz
par itanaa jaanate hain kal vo jaataa thaa ke ham nikale




T R A N S L A T I O N
I N
E N G L I S H



There are thousands of ambitions that each such wish could consume my life
My desires , and I experience them all intensely, aren’t enough for this one lifetime.

Why should my killer (lover) be afraid? No one will hold her responsible
for the blood which will continuously flow through my eyes all my life

Of the(unclean* ) birth of man, from the womb, one has heard
but you must see the humiliation of my rebirth when I passed shamelessly by your door!

The beauty of your flowing, offending, tresses can be fully exposed/experienced
only if I should let down my hair as I would open my turban.

( for a long while), I wanted no more than that I get to write the poetic letters
your many admires make me write to you, ( i went each day, like to work , with a pen behind my ear)

and I was acquainted with such intoxication during this period(of knowing you), my love
that the world , after , appeared passionless and dry.

I wandered looking for sympathy (to god)
who was himself , it turned out,was lovesick for you

then for me, there was no difference between living and dying
and I lived , each last breath looking at you (the infidel) from afar,

I then steeled myself and prised out the arrow of cupid from my heart
so that when it left, it took my heart with it, and with it, my last breath.

but now you come back to me, and ask me to lift your veil(marriage for the moslems),
Stop! because you may find me as unfaithful(as you once were) in love..

The preacher(wise religious man) is way high above a petty and disrespectful bar's entrance
yet I saw him entering the bar the other day as I was leaving!