Immortal Mirza Ghalib Part I

In Urdu Poetry, Mirza Ghalib is the God himself.
Some of my favorites (excellent compilation exists on http://www.cs.wisc.edu/~navin/india/songs/ghalibindex.html and I am copying a few of my favorites here)

1. dil-e-naadaaN tujhe huaa kya hai ?
aaKHir is dard kee dawa kya hai

2. ham haiN mushtaaq aur woh bezaar
ya ilaahee ! yeh maajra kya hai ?

[ mushtaaq = interested, bezaar = displeased/sick of ]

3. maiN bhee muNh meiN zabaan rakhta hooN
kaash ! poocho ki "muddaa kya hai" ?

hamko unse wafa ki hai ummeed
jo naheeN jaante wafa kya hai

maiNe maana ki kuchch naheeN 'GHalib'
muft haath aaye to bura kya hai ?

aah ko chaahiye ik 'umr asar hone tak
kaun jeeta hai teree zulf ke sar hone tak ?

2. daam har mauj meiN hai halqa-e-sad_kaam-e-nahaNg
dekhaiN kya guzre hai qatre pe guhar hone tak

[ daam = net/trap, mauj = wave, halqa = ring/circle, sad = hundred,
nahaNg = crocadile, sad_kaam-e-nahaNg = crocadile with a hundred
jaws, guhar = pearl ]

3. aashiqee sabr talab aur tamanna betaab
dil ka kya rang karooN KHoon-e-jigar hone tak ?

[ sabr = patience, talab = search ]

4. ham ne maana ke taGHaful na karoge, lekin
KHaak ho jaayeNge ham tumko KHabar hone tak

[ taGHaful = neglect/ignore ]

baazeechaa-e-atfaal hai duniya mere aage
hota hai shab-o-roz tamaasha mere aage

[ baazeechaa = play/sport, atfaal = children ]

aashiq hooN, pe maashooq_farebee hai mera kaam
majnooN ko bura kehti hai laila mere aage

[ farebee = a fraud/cheat ]

teree wafa se kya ho talaafee, ki dahar meiN
tere siwa bhee ham pe bahut se sitam huve

[ talaafee = compensation, dahar = world, sitam = opression ]

bus ki dushwaar hai har kaam ka aasaaN hona
aadmee ko bhee muyassar naheeN insaaN hona

[ dushwaar = difficult, muyassar = possible ]

2. giriya chaahe hai KHaraabee mere kaashaane ki
dar-o-deevaar se Tapke hai bayaabaaN hona

[ giriyaaN = weeping, kaashaana = house, bayaabaaN = wilderness ]

3. waa-e-deewaangee-e-shauq, ke har dam mujhko
aap jaana udhar aur aap hee hairaaN hona

kee mere qatl ke baad usne jafa se tauba
haay us zood_pashemaaN ka pashemaaN hona

[ jafa = oppression, zood = quickly, pashemaaN = ashamed/
embarrassed ]

9. haif us chaar girah kapDe ki qismat 'GHalib'
jis ki qismat meiN ho aashiq ka girebaaN hona

[ haif = alas!, girah = one sixteenth of a yard, girebaaN = collar ]

kitne sheereeN haiN tere lab ! ki raqeeb
gaaliyaaN khaake be_maza na huaa

[ sheereeN = sweet ]

5. hai KHabar garm unke aane kee
aaj hee ghar meiN boriya na huaa !

[ boriya = mat, here it refers to groceries ]

6. kya woh namrood kee KHudaaee thee
bandagee meiN tera bhala na huaa

[ namrood = an old king who used to say that he was god ]

7. jaan dee, dee huee usee ki thee
haq to ye hai ke haq adaa na huaa

dil hee to hai na sang-o-KHisht dard se bhar na aaye kyoN ?
royeNge ham hazaar baar, koee hameiN sataaye kyoN ?

[ sang = stone, KHisht = brick ]

2. dair naheeN, haram naheeN, dar naheeN, aastaaN naheeN
baiTHe haiN rehguzar pe ham, GHair hameiN uTHaaye kyoN ?

[ dair = temple, haram = mosque, dar = gate, aastaaN = abode,
rehguzar = path/way ]

3. jab woh jamaal-e-dil_faroz, soorat-e-meher-e-neem_roz
aap hee ho nazzaara_soz, parde meiN muNh chupaaye kyoN ?

[ jamaal = beauty, faroz = shining/luminous, meher = sun,
neem_roz = mid day, nazzaara_soz = beautiful/worth seeing ]

dil se teree nigaah jigar tak utar gayee
donoN ko ik adaa meiN razaamand kar gayee

2. shaq ho gaya hai seena, KHushee lazzat-e-firaaq
takleef-e-pardaadaari-e-zaKHm-e-jigar gayee

[ shaq = crack/split, firaaq = separation,
pardaadaaree = to hide, esp. fault ]

3. woh baada-e-shabaana kee sar mastiyaaN kahaaN ?
uThiye bas ab ki lazzat-e-KHwaab-e-sahar gayee

[ baada = wine, shabaana = night, sahar = morning ]

yeh zid, ki aaj na aave aur aaye bin na rahe
qaza se shikwa hamaiN kis qadar hai kya kahiye ?

[ qaza = fate/destiny, shikwa = complaint ]

zah-e-karishma ki yoN de rakhaa hai hamko fareb
ki bin kahe hee unhaiN sab KHabar hai, kya kahiye ?

[ zah = child, karishma = wonder/miracle, fareb = deception ]

5. samajh ke karte haiN baazaar meiN woh pursish-e-haal
ki yeh kahe ki sar-e-rehguzar hai, kya kahiye ?

[ pursish = enquiry, sar-e-rehguzar = on the road ]

6. tumhaiN naheeN hai sar-e-rishtaa-e-wafa ka KHayaal
hamaare haath meiN kuchch hai, magar hai kya, kahiye ?

7. unhaiN sawaal pe zoam-e-junooN hai, kyoN laDiye ?
hame jawaab se qata'a-e-nazar hai, kya kahiye ?

[ zoam = pride, junooN = madness/frenzy,
qata'a = break/intercept, qata'a-e-nazar = to ignore ]

8. hasad sazaa-e-kamaal-e-suKHan hai, kya keeje
sitam, bahaa-e-mata'a-e-hunar hai, kya kahiye ?

[ hasad = envy/malice, sitam = oppression, bahaa = value/price,
mata'a = valuables ]

9. kaha hai kisne ki 'GHalib' buraa naheeN lekin
siwaay iske ki aashuftaa_sar hai kya kahiye ?

[ aashuftaa_sar = mentally deranged ]

ho raha hai jahaan meiN andher
zulf kee fir sarishta_daaree hai

[ sarishta_daaree = a regulator's position ]

11. fir kiya paara-e-jigar ne sawaal
ek fariyaad-o-aah-o-zaaree hai

[ paara = fragment ]

12. fir hue haiN gawaah-e-ishq talab
ashq_baaree ka hukm_zaaree hai

[ talab = search/desire/request, ashq_baaree = lamentation ]

GHair leiN mehfil meiN bose jaam ke
ham rahaiN yooN tishna_lab paiGHaam ke

[ bosa = kiss, tishna = thirsty ]

2. KHastagee ka tumse kya shikwa ki ye
hathkanDe haiN charKH-e-neelee_faam ke

[ KHastagee = injury/sickness, shikawa = complaint,
hathkanDe = tactics, charKH = sky, neelee_faam = blue colour/
complexion ]

3. KHat likhenge garche matlab kuchch na ho
ham to aashiq haiN tumhaare naam ke

. raat pee zamzam pe mai aur subh_dam
dhoye dhab'be jaam-e-'eharaam ke

[ zamzam = a well in Kaba whose water is considered holy,
mai = wine, subh_dam = at dawn, 'eharaam = dress for 'haj' ]

5. dil ko aaNkhoN ne fasaaya kya magar
ye bhee halqe haiN tumhaare daam ke

[ halqa = ring/circle, daam = net/trap ]

6. shaah ke haiN GHusl-e-sehat ko KHabar
dekhiye kab din fireiN hammaam ke

[ GHusl = bath, sehat = health, hammaam = a hot bath where a masseur
gives massage and bath ]

7. ishq ne 'GHalib' nikamma kar diya
warna ham bhee aadmee the; kaam ke

yaarab ! wo na samjhe haiN na samjheNge meree baat
de aur dil unko, jo na de mujhko zubaaN aur

3. abroo se hai kya us nigah-e-naaz ko paiwand
hai teer muqarrar magar uskee hai kamaaN aur

[ abroo = eyebrow, paiband = patch ]

4. tum shahar meiN ho to hameiN kya GHam ? jab uTHeNge
le aayenge baazaar se jaakar dil-o-jaaN aur

har ek baat pe kehte ho tum ke 'too kya hai' ?
tumheeN kaho ke yeh andaaz-e-guftgoo kya hai ?

[ guftgoo = conversation ]

2. na shole meiN yeh karishma na barq meiN yeh ada
koee batao ki woh shoKH-e-tund_KHoo kya hai ?

[ barq = lightning, tund = sharp/angry, KHoo = behavior ]

3. yeh rashk hai ki wo hota hai ham_suKHan tumse
wagarna KHauf-e-bad_aamozi-e-adoo kya hai ?

[ rashk = jealousy, ham_suKHan = to speak together/to agree,
KHauf = fear, bad = bad/wicked, aamozee = education/teaching,
adoo = enemy ]

4. chipak raha hai badan par lahoo se pairaahan
hamaaree jeb ko ab haajat-e-rafoo kya hai ?

[ pairaahan = shirt/robe/cloth, haajat = need/necessity,
rafoo = mending/darning ]

5. jalaa hai jicm jahaaN dil bhee jal gaya hoga
kuredate ho jo ab raakh, justjoo kya hai ?

[ justjoo = desire ]

6. ragoN meiN dauDte firne ke ham naheeN qaayal
jab aaNkh hee se na Tapka to fir lahoo kya hai ?

7. woh cheez jiske liye hamko ho bahisht azeez
siwaay baada-e-gul_faam-e-mushkaboo kya hai ?

[ bahisht (or bihisht, both are correct) = heaven, baada = wine,
gul_faam = delicate and fragrant like flowers, mushkaboo = like
the smell of musk ]

8. piyooN sharaab agar KHum bhee dekh looN do chaar
yeh sheesha-o-qadah-o-kooza-o-suboo kya hai ?

[ KHum = wine barrel, qadah = goblet, kooza/suboo = wine pitcher ]

9. rahee na taaqat-e-guftaar, aur agar ho bhee
to kis ummeed pe kahiye ke aarzoo kya hai ?

[ guftaar = speech/discourse ]

10. bana hai shaah ka musaahib, fire hai itaraata
wagarna shehar meiN 'GHalib' kee aabroo kya hai ?

[ musaahib = comrade/associate ]

hazaaroN KHwahishaiN 'eisee ke har KHwahish pe dam nikle
bohot nikle mere armaaN lekin fir bhee kam nikle

2. Dare kyooN mera qaatil kya rahega uskee gardan par
wo KHooN, jo chashm-e-tar se 'umr bhar yooN dam_ba_dam nikle

[ KHooN = blood, chashm = eye, tar = wet, dam_ba_dam = continously ]

3. nikalna KHuld se aadam ka sunte aayaiN haiN lekin
bohot be_aabru hokar tere kooche se ham nikle

[ KHuld = heaven, be_aabaru = disgrace, koocha = street ]

4. bharam khul jaaye zaalim tere qaamat ki daraazee ka
agar is turra-e-pur_pech-o-KHam ka pech-o-KHam nikle

[ daraazee = length/delay, qaamat = stature, turra = an ornamental
tassel worn in the turban, pech-o-KHam = curls in the
hair/complexity ]

5. magar likhwaaye koee usko KHat, to hamse likhawaaye
huee subah aur ghar se kaan par rakhkar qalam nikle

6. huee is daur meiN mansoob mujhse baada_aashaamee
fir aaya wo zamaana, jo jahaaN se jaam-e-jam nikle

[ mansoob = association, baada_aashaamee = association with
drinking ]

7. huee jinse tavaqqo KHastagee kee daad paane kee
wo hamse bhee ziyaada KHasta-e-teGH-e-sitam nikle

[ tavaqqo = expectation, KHastagee = weakness, daad = justice,
KHasta = broken/sick/injured, teGH = sword, sitam = cruelity ]

8. mohabbat meiN naheeN hai farq jeene aur marne kaa
usee ko dekh kar jeete haiN jis kaafir pe dam nikle

9. zara kar jor seene par ki teer-e-pursitam nikle
jo wo nikle to dil nikle, jo dil nikle to dam nikle

10. KHuda ke waaste parda na kaabe se uThaa zaalim
kaheeN 'eisa na ho yaaN bhee wohee kaafir sanam nikle

11. kahaaN maiKHaane ka darwaaza 'GHalib' aur kahaaN waaiz
par itana jaante haiN kal wo jaata tha ke ham nikle

[ waaiz = preacher/advisor ]