English translation and transliteration of Urdu Ghazal
Translated by: Muhammad Iqbal Irshad (Lahore)
غزل (اثر کہاں ہے کلام اپنے میں چلتے دریا کو موڑ دیں ہم)
Asar kahān hay kalām apney mein çalty daryā ko mōr dein hum;
Agar zabān mein asr jo āye to tōtay dil kyun na jōr dein hum;
My intellectual endeavour has no such efficacy as to divert the course of overbearing river,
If my tongue had efficacy, why can’t we repair the broken hearts?
Kalām-e-awwal ki ibitida hi jo harf-e-ākhir ki sarhadōn per;
To sōçein b’ad az adaigi keh barhāein us ko ya çhōr dein hum;
My first intellectual adventure has (innocently) skipped to the climax of pen-painting.
Now, after writing (about subtleties) I am afraid so to advance or quit.
Subōh mein pātay hain lazzat-e-dil wo rind apnay ghamōn sey çhupp ker;
Na āye lazzat firāq ki ger hamein to mēna ko phhōr dein hum;
The drinkers drown their agonies in the flagon and get heartfelt gratification through inebriation. I do not find gloom of departure intensified, then why should I not destroy the flagon.
Buhut sey gül-fām āye they or buhut sey gül-rukh çalay gaye hein;
Samā na pāye ager wo kaghaz mein, aisay khāma ko tōr dein hum;
Many people, delicate like rose, came to the orchard of the world of love and a number of rose-faced dandy fellows sadly departed this world. If their description cannot be drawn on paper, I will destroy the brush that fails to paint the features of the fellow who dwells in my consciousness.
Zehen mein tufān pel rahay hain, wo inqalāb-e-nazar kay daryā;
Agar saliqā sukhan ka ho to har aik qatrā niçōr dein hum;
Turbulent storms are whirling in my mind; these are awful spectacles of rivers in spate.
If I had the skill of expression I would have wrought out even the last drop.
Tamanna ye hay bajuz khushī kay koē bhi tohfa tujhe na dein gay;
Agar ho bas mein, evaz har ānsō khushī tujhē sau karor dein hum;
It is my intense desire that no gift will be showered upon you other than happiness. But if it had been in my reach I would have heaped pleasures upon you instead of every tear-drop.
Huwā jo bedār ab Mukarram to rāt çhānay ko aa gayi thi;
Çala gaya tha wo qafila, kahtay nang-e-rahrō ko çhōr dein hum;
Now, when Mukarram woke up, it was twilight of night.
The caravan has deserted with the remarks, “leave the contemptible plunderer”.
