My list of the most essential Urdu Poetry

A great deal of gratitude and thanks to rekhta.org for providing the original poetry and to ChatGPT for offering the translation. Any minor translational or contextual discrepancies produced by the model have been corrected by me. Feel free to highlight any remaining gaps or mistakes in the comments. Enjoy!

Kahan Aa Ke Rukne The Raste
By Amjad Islam Amjad

Kahan aa ke rukne the raste, kahan moD tha use bhool ja
Wo jo mil gaya use yaad rakh, jo nahin mila use bhool ja
(Where the paths were meant to pause, or the turns meant to stray, forget.
What you've found, hold close to heart; what remains unfound, forget.)

Wo tere nasib ki barishen kisi aur chhat pe baras gayin
Dil-e-be-KHabar meri baat sun, use bhool ja, use bhool ja
(The rains destined for you fell on another's roof instead.
Oh unaware heart, heed my words: forget them, forget them.)

Main to gum tha tere hi dhyan mein, teri aas tere guman mein
Saba kah gayi mere kan mein, mere sath aa, use bhool ja
(Lost I was in thoughts of you, in hope and doubt alike.
The breeze whispered softly to me: "Come with me, forget them.")

Kisi aankh mein nahin ashk-e-gham, tere baad kuchh bhi nahin hai kam
Tujhe zindagi ne bhula diya, tu bhi muskura, use bhool ja
(No tear of sorrow lingers now, nothing lessened after you.
Life has forgotten you; so smile, and you forget them too.)

Kahin chaak-e-jaan ka rafu nahin, kisi aastin pe lahu nahin
Ki shahid-e-rah-e-malal ka nahin KHun-baha, use bhool ja
(The wounds of the soul remain unstitched; no blood stains any sleeve.
There is no ransom for the martyr of anguish—forget them, believe.)

Kyun aTa hua hai ghubar mein, gham-e-zindagi ke fishaar mein
Wo jo dard tha tere baKHt mein, so wo ho gaya, use bhool ja
(Why are you clouded in dust and despair, under life's crushing weight?
The pain that once marked your fate has passed—forget it, it’s too late.)

Tujhe chand ban ke mila tha jo, tere sahilon pe khila tha jo
Wo tha ek dariya visal ka, so utar gaya, use bhool ja
(What came to you like a moonlit glow, blossomed on your shores in embrace,
Was a river of union that has receded—forget it, erase.)

Ashkon ko arzu-e-rihai hai 

by Abbas Qamar

Ashkon ko arzu-e-rihai hai, roiye
Aankhon ki ab isi mein bhalai hai, roiye.
(Tears yearn for their freedom—let them flow.
In this act alone lies solace; so cry, and let go.)

Rona ilaj-e-zulmat-e-duniya nahi to kya,
Kam-az-kam ehtijaj-e-khudai hai, roiye.
(Weeping may not cure the darkness of the world, it's true,
But at least it’s a rebellion against divine pretense—so cry, as humans do.)

Tasleem kar liya hai jo khud ko charagh-e-haq,
Duniya qadam-qadam pe sabai hai, roiye.
(If you’ve resolved to uphold the lamp of truth,
Be ready—for every step invites storms. Cry if you must.)

Khush hain to phir musafir-e-duniya nahi hain aap,
Is dasht mein bas aabla-pai hai, roiye.
(To always be happy is to walk untouched by life,
For in this vast desert, every step blisters the soul. Cry for what it means to be alive.)

Ham hain asir-e-zabt, ijazat nahi hamein,
Ro pa rahe hain aap, badhai hai, roiye.
(Bound by the chains of restraint, I can no longer cry.
If you still can, you are blessed—so weep, and cherish the gift of your tears.)

Layi hayaat, aaye; qaaza le chali, chale 

by Sheikh Ibrahim Zouq

Layi hayaat, aaye; qaaza le chali, chale
Na apni khushi aaye, na apni khushi chale.
(Life brought me here, so I came; death summoned me, so I left.
Neither arrival nor departure has ever been of my choosing.)

Behtar to hai yahi ke na duniya se dil lage,
Par kya karein jo kam na bedillagi chale.
(It’s wiser to stay detached from the world, no doubt,
But how can one tread its path without engaging at all?)

Duniya ne kab kisi ka rah-e-fana mein diya hai saath,
Tum bhi chale chalo yun hi jab tak chali chale.
(When has the world ever accompanied anyone on the journey to annihilation?
You, too, walk alone for as long as the path stretches before you.)

Nazan na ho khirad pe, jo hona hai wohi ho,
Danish teri na kuch meri danishvari chale.
(Do not take pride in reason or intellect, for what must happen will happen.
Neither your wisdom nor mine alters the course of fate.)

Kam honge is bisat pe hum jaise badqimar,
Jo chal hum chale, woh nihayat buri chale.
(On this chessboard of life, there are far better players than I.
For every move I made, it turned out disastrously poor.)

Laila ka naaqa dasht mein taaseer-e-ishq se,
Sun kar fughan-e-Qais, bajaa-e-hudi chale.
(In the vast desert, Laila’s camel, moved by the force of love,
Heard Majnu’s cries and, abandoning its sacred path, marched toward his altar.)

Jigar aur dil ko bachana bhi hai 

by Abdul Mazaz

Jigar aur dil ko bachana bhi hai
Nazar aap hi se milana bhi hai.
(Compulsion is that I keep looking at you, the struggle is to keep heart and mind intact.)

Mohabbat ka har bhed pana bhi hai
Magar apna daman bachana bhi hai.
(The wish is to unravel the deepest mysteries of love, but fear is to shield myself from the scars it might leave.)

Jo dil tere gham ka nishana bhi hai
Qatil-e-jafa-e-zamana bhi hai.
(My heart, which bears the wounds of your love, is also a victim of the world's endless cruelty.)

Khirad ki ita’at zaruri sahi
Yahi to junun ka zamana bhi hai.
(Submission to reason is necessary, I acknowledge, but this is also an age that belongs to passion and madness.)

Na duniya na uqba kahan jaiye
Kahin ahl-e-dil ka thikana bhi hai.
(Neither this world nor the next offers solace—where, then, can people of the heart find a place to rest?)

Mujhe aaj sahil pe rone bhi do
Ki tufan mein muskurana bhi hai.
(Let me weep at the shore today; for in the storm, I must wear a smile.)

Zamane se aage to badhiye 'Majaz'
Zamane ko aage badhana bhi hai.
(Majaz, to move the world forward, we must first rise above its conventional morality.)

Main talkhi-e-hayaat se ghabra ke pi gaya

by Sagar Siddiqui

Main talkhi-e-hayaat se ghabra ke pi gaya
Gham ki siyah raat se ghabra ke pi gaya
(I drank to escape the bitterness of life,
I drank to endure the dark night of sorrow.)

Itni daqiq shai koi kaise samajh sake
Yazdan ke waqi'at se ghabra ke pi gaya
(How can one comprehend something so profound?
I drank, bewildered by the workings of the divine.)

Chhalke hue the jaam, pareshan thi zulf-e-yaar
Kuchh aise haadsat se ghabra ke pi gaya
(The goblet overflowed, and her tresses were in disarray—
Faced with such tumult, I drank in despair.)

Main aadmi hoon, koi farishta nahin huzoor
Main aaj apni zaat se ghabra ke pi gaya
(I am but a man, not an angel, sir.
Today, overwhelmed by my own being, I drank.)

Duniya-e-haadsat hai ik dardnaak geet
Duniya-e-haadsat se ghabra ke pi gaya
(The world of tragedies is a painful song.
Frightened by its melody, I drank.)

Kante to khair kante hain, is ka gila hi kya
Phoolon ki waardaat se ghabra ke pi gaya
(Thorns are meant to prick—there’s no complaint in that.
But troubled by the treachery of flowers, I drank.)

'Saghar,' vo keh rahe the ki pi lijiye huzoor
Un ki guzarishat se ghabra ke pi gaya
(“Saghar,” they said, “have a drink, sir.”
Disturbed by their insistence, I drank.)

Waqt ki 'umr kya badi hogi by Sagar Siddiqui

Waqt ki 'umr kya badi hogi
Ik tire vasl ki ghadi hogi
(How long could time’s life possibly be?
It will be but a fleeting moment of union with you.)

Dastaken de rahi hai palkon par
Koi barsaat ki jhadi hogi
(A gentle knock brushes against my eyelids—
Perhaps it’s the first drizzle of rain.)

Kya khabar thi ki nok-e-khanjar bhi
Phool ki ek pankhudi hogi
(Who would have thought the dagger’s sharp tip
Would feel as soft as a flower’s petal?)

Zulf bal kha rahi hai mathe par
Chaandni se saba ladi hogi
(A lock of hair curls rebelliously across her forehead—
Perhaps the moonlight tussled with the breeze.)

Ai 'Adam ke musafiro hushyar
Raah mein zindagi khadi hogi
(O travelers on Adam’s path, beware—
Life herself waits on the road ahead.)

Kyoon girah gesuon mein daali hai
Jaan kisi phool ki adi hogi
(Why tie knots in your tresses?
Perhaps it’s the soul of a delicate flower trapped there.)

Iltija ka malaal kya kije
Un ke dar par kahin padi hogi
(Why lament the plea left unspoken?
It must already be resting at their door.)

Maut kehte hain jis ko ai 'Saghar'
Zindagi ki koi kadi hogi
(What they call death, O Saghar,
Must simply be another link in the chain of life.)

Aadmi aadmi se milta hai by Jigar Moradabadi

Aadmi aadmi se milta hai
Dil magar kam kisi se milta hai
(People meet people with ease,
But hearts seldom truly connect.)

Bhul jata hoon main sitam us ke
Woh kuchh is sadgi se milta hai
(I forget all their cruelties,
For they meet me with such innocence.)

Aaj kya baat hai ki phoolon ka
Rang teri hansee se milta hai
(What is it today, that the colors of flowers
Seem to echo the hues of your smile?)

Silsila fitna-e-qayamat ka
Teri khush-qaamati se milta hai
(The chaos of the Day of Judgment itself
Resembles the allure of your graceful presence.)

Mil ke bhi jo kabhi nahin milta
Toot kar dil usi se milta hai
(What remains distant even in closeness—
It is with that soul the heart breaks and binds.)

Karobaar-e-jahan sanwarte hain
Hosh jab be-khudi se milta hai
(The affairs of the world flourish,
When reason embraces a touch of ecstasy.)

Ruuh ko bhi maza mohabbat ka
Dil ki ham-saayi gee se milta hai
(Even the soul feels the bliss of love
When it finds solace in the heart’s companionship.)

Tu samajhta hai hawadis hain satane ke liye by Syed Sadiq Hussain

Tu samajhta hai hawadis hain satane ke liye
Ye hua karte hain zahir aazmane ke liye
(You think that calamities exist to torment,
But they often appear to test your resolve.)

Tundi-e-baad-e-mukhalif se na ghabra ai uqab
Ye to chalti hai tujhe ooncha udane ke liye
(Do not fear the fierce opposing wind, O eagle—
It blows only to lift you higher in flight.)

Kaamyabi ki hua karti hai nakaami daleel
Ranj aate hain tujhe rahat dilane ke liye
(Success is often preceded by failure,
And sorrows arrive to grant you eventual peace.)

Dast-o-paa rakhte hain aur bekaar kyon baithe rahein
Hum uthenge apni kismat ko banane ke liye
(We have hands and feet, so why sit idle?
We shall rise to shape our own destiny.)

Ai dil-e-be-qarar chup ho ja by Sagar Siddiqui

Ai dil-e-be-qarar chup ho ja
Ja chuki hai bahar chup ho ja
(O restless heart, be silent now—
Spring has departed, so calm yourself.)

Ab na aaenge roothne waale
Deeda-e-ashk-bar chup ho ja
(Those who left in anger will not return—
O tearful eyes, be still now.)

Ja chuka karavan-e-lal-o-gul
Ud raha hai ghubar chup ho ja
(The caravan of flowers and jewels has passed—
Dust now rises; be silent, stay composed.)

Chhut jaati hai phool se khushboo
Rooth jaate hain yaar chup ho ja
(The fragrance leaves the flowers behind,
And beloveds part ways; be quiet now.)

Hum faqiron ka is zamane mein
Kaun hai gham-gusar chup ho ja
(In this world, who will comfort us—
The beggars and the broken? Be silent now.)

Hadsaoñ ki na aankh khul jaae
Hasrat-e-sogwar chup ho ja
(Let not the eyes of tragedies awaken—
O grieving desires, be quiet now.)

Geet ki zarb se bhi ai 'Saghar'
Toot jaate hain taar chup ho ja
(Even the strings break, O Saghar,
Under the weight of song; be silent now.)

Zindagi ko zakhm ki lazzat se mat mehroom kar by Rahat Indori

Zindagi ko zakhm ki lazzat se mat mehroom kar
Raste ke pattharon se khairiyat maaloom kar
(Do not deprive life of the sweetness in its wounds;
Seek wisdom from the stones scattered along your path.)

Toot kar bikhri hui talwar ke tukde samet
Aur apne haar jaane ka sabab maaloom kar
(Gather the shattered pieces of a broken sword,
And reflect upon the reasons for your defeat.)

Jagti aankhon ke khwabon ko ghazal ka naam de
Raat bhar ki karvaton ka zaiqa manzoom kar
(Name the dreams of your sleepless eyes a ghazal,
And weave the taste of your nightly restlessness into verse.)

Shaam tak laut aaunga haathon ka khaali-pan liye
Aaj phir nikla hoon main ghar se hatheli choom kar
(By dusk, I shall return with empty hands once more;
Today, I set out from home, kissing my palms in hope.)

Mat sikha lahje ko apni barchhiyon ke paintere
Zinda rehna hai to lahje ko zara masoom kar
(Do not teach your tone the sharpness of spears;
If you wish to live, soften your words with innocence.)

Ghar se ye soch ke nikla hoon ki mar jaana hai by Rahat Indori

Ghar se ye soch ke nikla hoon ki mar jaana hai
Ab koi raah dikha de ki kidhar jaana hai
(I left home with the thought that death is inevitable—
Now, show me a path, where should I go from here?)

Jism se saath nibhaane ki mat ummeed rakho
Is musafir ko to raste mein thehar jaana hai
(Do not expect the body to accompany you till the end—
This traveler is bound to pause along the journey.)

Maut lamhe ki sada zindagi umron ki pukar
Main yahi soch ke zinda hoon ki mar jaana hai
(Death calls in moments, while life echoes through years—
I live only with the thought that I am destined to die.)

Nasha aisa tha ki mai-khane ko duniya samjha
Hosh aaya to khayal aaya ki ghar jaana hai
(The intoxication was such that I mistook the tavern for the world—
When I sobered up, I remembered I had to return home.)

Mere jazbe ki badi qadr hai logon mein magar
Mere jazbe ko mere saath hi mar jaana hai
(People admire the intensity of my passion greatly—
But this passion, too, is destined to die with me.)

Koī Ummīd Bar Nahīñ Ātī by Mirza Ghalib

Koī ummīd bar nahīñ aatī
Koī sūrat nazar nahīñ aatī
(No hope seems to arise;
No solution seems to appear.)

Maut kā ek din muayyan hai
Niind kyuuñ raat bhar nahīñ aatī
(Death has a fixed day,
Yet sleep evades me all night.)

Aage aatī thī hāl-e-dil pe hañsī
Ab kisī baat par nahīñ aatī
(I used to laugh at my heart's state before,
Now, nothing amuses me anymore.)

Jāntā huuñ savāb-e-tā.at-o-zohd
Par tabī.at idhar nahīñ aatī
(I am aware of the merits of piety and devotion,
Yet my heart refuses to turn that way.)

Hai kuchh aisī hī baat jo chup huuñ
Varna kyā baat kar nahīñ aatī
(There is something that keeps me silent,
Otherwise, it’s not that I cannot speak.)

Kyuuñ na chīḳhūñ ki yaad karte haiñ
Merī āvāz gar nahīñ aatī
(Why shouldn’t I cry out loud,
If they miss me but my voice doesn’t reach them?)

Dāġh-e-dil gar nazar nahīñ aatā
Bū bhī ai chārā-gar nahīñ aatī
(If the scars of my heart are invisible,
Then even its scent, O healer, cannot be found.)

Ham vahāñ haiñ jahāñ se ham ko bhī
Kuchh hamārī ḳhabar nahīñ aatī
(I am in a place from where,
Even I receive no news of myself.)

Marte haiñ aarzū meñ marne kī
Maut aatī hai par nahīñ aatī
(I die yearning for death itself,
Death comes, yet it doesn’t fully arrive.)

Kā'ba kis muñh se jāoge 'ġhālib'
Sharm tum ko magar nahīñ aatī
(With what face will you go to the Ka’ba, Ghalib?
Though, shame never seems to come to you.)

Ham Par Tumhari Chaah Ka Ilzam Hi To Hai by Faiz Ahmed Faiz

Ham par tumhari chaah ka ilzam hi to hai
Dushnam to nahin hai ye ikram hi to hai
(The accusation of loving you is upon me,
It’s not an insult; in fact, it’s an honor.)

Karte hain jis pe taan koi jurm to nahin
Shauq-e-fuzul o ulfat-e-nakam hi to hai
(What they criticize is no crime,
It’s merely my frivolous longing and unfulfilled love.)

Dil muddaee ke harf-e-malamat se shaad hai
Ai jan-e-jaan ye harf tira naam hi to hai
(My heart rejoices at the accuser’s reproach,
For, O beloved, those words bear your name.)

Dil na-umid to nahin nakam hi to hai
Lambi hai gham ki shaam magar shaam hi to hai
(The heart isn’t hopeless, just unsuccessful,
The evening of sorrow is long, but still, it’s just an evening.)

Dast-e-falak mein gardish-e-taqdir to nahin
Dast-e-falak mein gardish-e-ayyam hi to hai
(In the heavens’ hand lies not the spinning of fate,
But merely the turning of days and nights.)

Aakhir to ek roz karegi nazar wafa
Vo yaar-e-khush-khisal sar-e-bam hi to hai
(Someday, faithfulness will dawn upon her,
That delightful beloved still stands on the rooftop.)

Bhigi hai raat 'Faiz' ghazal ibtida karo
Waqt-e-sarod dard ka hangam hi to hai
(The night is soaked, Faiz, begin the ghazal,
It’s the moment for music; it’s the occasion for pain.)

Main Laakh Kah Dun Ki Aakash Hoon Zameen Hoon Main by Rahat Indori

Main laakh kah dun ki aakash hoon zameen hoon main
Magar use to khabar hai ki kuchh nahin hoon main
(I may claim a thousand times to be the sky, the earth,
But she knows the truth—that I am nothing.)

Ajeeb log hain meri talaash mein mujh ko
Wahan pe dhoond rahe hain jahan nahin hoon main
(Strange are those who search for me,
In places where I don’t exist.)

Main aayino se to mayus laut aaya tha
Magar kisi ne bataya bahut haseen hoon main
(I had returned disappointed from mirrors,
But someone told me I’m truly beautiful.)

Vo zarre zarre mein maujood hai magar main bhi
Kahin kahin hoon kahaan hoon kahin nahin hoon main
(He exists in every particle, but I too exist,
Here and there, and sometimes, nowhere at all.)

Vo ek kitaab jo mansub tere naam se hai
Usi kitaab ke andar kahin kahin hoon main
(That book dedicated to your name,
In its pages, I appear here and there.)

Sitaro aao meri raah mein bikhar jaao
Ye mera hukm hai halaanki kuchh nahin hoon main
(O stars, come and scatter on my path,
This is my command, though I am nothing.)

Yahiin Husain bhi guzre yahiin Yazid bhi tha
Hazaar rang mein doobi hui zameen hoon main
(Here passed Husain, and here Yazid too,
I am the earth, immersed in countless hues.)

Ye boodhi qabrein tumhein kuchh nahin bataengi
Mujhe talaash karo dosto yahiin hoon main
(These old graves will reveal nothing to you,
Search for me, my friends—I am here.)

Hal-e-Dil Main Suna Nahin Sakta  by Akbar Allahabadi

Hal-e-dil main suna nahin sakta
Lafz ma’na ko pa nahin sakta
(I cannot express the state of my heart,
Words fail to capture its meaning.)

Ishq nazuk-mizaj hai behad
Aql ka bojh utha nahin sakta
(Love is exceedingly delicate,
Reason cannot bear its burden.)

Hosh aarif ki hai yahi pehchaan
Ki khudi mein sama nahin sakta
(The wise mystic is known by this:
He cannot confine himself within his ego.)

Ponchh sakta hai ham-nasheen aansoo
Daagh-e-dil ko mita nahin sakta
(A companion may wipe away tears,
But cannot erase the scars of the heart.)

Mujh ko hairat hai us ki qudrat par
Alam us ko ghaTa nahin sakta
(I marvel at His divine power,
For sorrow cannot diminish Him.)

Tamannaon Mein Uljhaya Gaya Hoon by Shad Azimabadi

Tamannaon Mein Uljhaya Gaya Hoon
khilaune de ke bahlaya gaya hoon
(I have been entangled in desires, 

distracted with toys to soothe my heart.)

hoon is kuche ke har zarre se agaah
idhar se muddaton aaya gaya hoon
(I am familiar with every speck of this street,

 for I have walked this path for ages.)

nahi uthte qadam kyun janib-e-dair
kisi masjid mein behkaya gaya hoon
(Why do my steps not lead toward the temple? 

Perhaps I was misled once in a mosque.)

dil-e-muztar se poochh ai raunaq-e-bazm
main khud aaya nahi laaya gaya hoon
(Ask my restless heart, O radiance of the gathering: 

I did not come here willingly; I was brought.)

savera hai bahut ai shor-e-mahshar
abhi bekaar uthvaya gaya hoon
(O uproar of the Doomsday! It is too early for dawn,

 for I have been roused needlessly from my rest.)

sataya aa ke pahron arzu ne
jo dam bhar aap mein paaya gaya hoon
(Desires have tormented me for hours, 

and I fid myself briefly within you .)

na tha main motaqid e ajaz-e-mai ka
badi mushkil se manvaya gaya hoon
(I was not a believer in the magic of wine, 

yet it took much persuasion for me to concede.)

kuja main aur kuja ai Shad duniya
kahan se kis jagah laaya gaya hoon
(How distant I am from this world, O Shad, 

from where and to what place have I been brought.)

Vo Mere Ghar Nahi Aata Main Us Ke Ghar Nahi Jata
by Waseem Barelvi

Vo mere ghar nahi aata main us ke ghar nahi jata
magar in ehtiyaton se ta'alluq mar nahi jata
(He doesn't come to my house, nor do I go to his, but despite these precautions, the connection never dies.)

Bure achche hon jaise bhi hon sab rishte yahin ke hain
kisi ko saath duniyā se koi le kar nahi jata
(Good or bad, all relationships are here; no one takes anyone from this world with them.)

Gharon ki tarbiyat kya aa gayi T-V ke hathon mein
koi bachcha ab apne baap ke upar nahi jata
(What has become of home training, now that television holds the power? Children no longer look up to their fathers.)

Khule the shahr mein sau dar magar ik had ke andar hi
kahaan jata agar main laut ke phir ghar nahi jata
(There were a hundred doors open in the city, but within one boundary, where would I go if I didn’t return home?)

Mohabbat ke ye aansu hain unhein aankhon mein rahne do
sharifon ke gharo ka mas'ala bahar nahi jata
(These are tears of love, let them stay in the eyes; the problems of noble families don’t leave the house.)

'Vaseem' us se kaho duniya bahut mahdood hai meri
kisi dar ka jo ho jaye vo phir dar dar nahi jata
(Vaseem, tell him the world is very limited for me; once someone belongs to a door, they don’t move from door to door.)

Ai Khuda Ret Ke Sahara Ko Samundar Kar De
by Shaheed Meer

Ai Khuda ret ke sahrā ko samundar kar de
yā chhalakti huī āñkhoñ ko bhī patthar kar de
(O God, transform the desert of sand into an ocean, or turn these overflowing tears into stones.)

Tujh ko dekha nahi mehsoos kiya hai main ne
aa kisi din mire ehsās ko paikar kar de
(I have not seen you, yet I have felt you; come someday and give form to my feelings.)

Qaid hone se rahiñ neend ki chanchal pariyan
chāhe jitnā bhi ghilāfoñ ko mo'attar kar de
(Sleep’s restless fairies ceased to visit me once imprisoned; make fragrant the blankets, no matter how much.)

Dil lubhate hue khwabon se kahin behtar hai
ek aansu ki jo aankhon ko munawwar kar de
(Dreams that allure the heart are nothing compared to a tear that illuminates the eyes.)

Aur kuchh bhi mujhe darkar nahi hai lekin
meri chadar mire pairoñ ke barabar kar de
(I need nothing else, but make my blanket reach the length of my feet.)

Ham Ne Khud Apni Rahnumai Ki
by Rahat Indori

Ham ne khud apni rahnumā.ī kī
aur shohrat huī ḳhudā.ī kī
(I guided myself, but they credited divine intervention.)

Maiñ ne duniyā se mujh se duniyā ne
saikḌoñ baar bevafā.ī kī
(The world betrayed me many times, so did i.)

Khule rahte haiñ saare darvāze
koī sūrat nahīñ rihā.ī kī
(All doors remain open, yet no form of freedom remains.)

TuuT kar ham mile haiñ pahlī baar
ye shurūāt hai judā.ī kī
(We met after breaking apart for the first time; this is the beginning of separation.)

So.e rahte haiñ oḌh kar ḳhud ko
ab zarūrat nahīñ razā.ī kī
(We lie wrapped in ourselves, no longer needing a blanket full of warmth.)

Manzileñ chūmtī haiñ mere qadam
daad diije shikasta-pā.ī kī
(The destinations kiss my steps; bless me for the broken path.)

Zindagī jaise-taise kāTnī hai
kyā bhalā.ī kī kyā burā.ī kī
(Life must be lived in its own way; what is good, what is bad?)

Ishq ke kārobār meñ ham ne
jaan de kar baḌī kamā.ī kī
(In love’s trade, I gave my life and earned much.)

Ab kisī kī zabāñ nahīñ khultī
rasm jaarī hai muñh-bharā.ī kī
(Now no one’s tongue opens; the tradition of silencing in all sorts of ways continues.)

Kahīn Chānd Rāhoñ Mein Kho Gayā Kahīn Chāndnī Bhī Bhatak Ga'ī
by Basheer Badr

Kahīn chāñd rāhoñ meñ kho gayā kahīn chāndnī bhī bhaṭak ga'ī
maiñ charāġh vo bhī bujhā huā merī raat kaise chamak ga'ī
(Somewhere the moon was lost, and somewhere the moonlight wandered.
I was a lamp, dimmed—how did my night manage to shine?)

Mirī dāstāñ kā uruuj thā tirī narm palkoñ kī chhāñv meñ
mire saath thā tujhe jāgnā tirī āñkh kaise jhapak ga'ī
(The height of my story was in the shade of your soft lashes.
I was with you in awakening, how did your eyes close so suddenly?)

Bhalā ham mile bhī to kyā mile vahī dūriyāñ vahī fāsle
na kabhī hamāre qadam baṛhe na kabhī tumhārī jhijak ga'ī
(Even if we met, what did we achieve? The same distances, the same gaps.
Neither did our steps advance, nor did your hesitation fade away.)

Tire haath se mere hoñṭ tak vahī intizār kī pyaās hai
mire naam kī jo sharāb thī kahīn rāste meñ chhalak ga'ī
(From your hand to my lips, the same thirst for waiting remains.
The wine of my name—somewhere, it spilled along the way.)

Tujhe bhūl jaane kī koshisheñ kabhī kāmyāb na ho sakīñ
tirī yaad shāḵh-e-gulāb hai jo havā chalī to lachak ga'ī
(The attempts to forget you have never been successful.
Your memory is the rose's branch—when the wind blows, it sways.)

Bhīgī Huī Āñkhoñ Kā Ye Manzar Na Milegā
by Basheer Badr

Bhīgī huī āñkhoñ kā ye manzar na milegā
ghar chhoḌ ke mat jaao kahīñ ghar na milegā
(This sight of wet eyes will not be found again,
Do not leave home, for you may not find another.)

Phir yaad bahut āyegī zulfoñ kī ghanī shaam
jab dhuup meñ saaya koī sar par na milegā
(Then, memories of the dark evening of your hair will overwhelm,
When there will be no shadow above your head in the sunlight.)

Āñsū ko kabhī os kā qatra na samajhnā
aisā tumheñ chāhat kā samundar na milegā
(Never mistake a tear for a drop of dew,
You will not find such an ocean of love again.)

Is ḳhvāb ke māḥol meñ be-ḳhvāb haiñ āñkheñ
jab niiñd bahut āyegī bistar na milegā
(In this dreamlike atmosphere, eyes are intoxicated,
When sleep comes, you will not find your bed.)

Ye soch lo ab āḳhirī saaya hai mohabbat
is dar se uṭhoge to koī dar na milegā
(Think carefully now, love is the final shadow,
If you rise from this door, no door will open for you.)

Saaqī Sharāb Lā Ki Tabī'at Udaas Hai
by Abdul Hamid Adam

Saaqī sharāb lā ki tabī'at udaas hai
mutrib rubāb uṭhā ki tabī'at udaas hai
(O cupbearer, bring the wine, for the mood is melancholic,
The musician lifts the lute, for the mood is melancholic.)

Ruk ruk ke saaz chheḍ ki dil mutma'in nahīñ
tham tham ke mai pilā ki tabī'at udaas hai
(Play the music hesitantly for the heart remains uneasy, let it settle first.
Offer the wine with the gaps, let it settle , for the mood is melancholic.)

Chubhtī hai qalb o jaan meñ sitāroñ kī raushnī
ai chāñd duub jā ki tabī'at udaas hai
(The light of stars pierces the heart and soul,
O moon, sink away, for the mood is melancholic.)

Mujh se nazar na pher ki barham hai zindagī
mujh se nazar milā ki tabī'at udaas hai
(Do not turn away your gaze, life is in turmoil,
Look into my eyes, for the mood is melancholic.)

Shāyad tire laboñ kī chaṭak se ho jī bahāl
ai dost muskurā ki tabī'at udaas hai
(Perhaps your lips’ touch will revive life,
O friend, smile, for the mood is melancholic.)

Hai husn kā fusūn bhī ilāj-e-fasurdagī
ruḫ se naqāb uṭhā ki tabī'at udaas hai
(Beauty’s enchantment can cure despair,
Lift the veil from your face, for the mood is melancholic.)

Maiñ ne kabhī ye zid to nahīñ kī par aaj shab
ai mah-jabīñ na jā ki tabī'at udaas hai
(I never insisted on this, but tonight,
O moon-faced one, do not leave, for the mood is melancholic.)

Yūñhī durust hogī tabī'at tirī 'adam'
kam-baḫht bhūl jā ki tabī'at udaas hai
(Your mood will improve with time, O Adam,
Forget your misfortune, for the mood is melancholic.)

Khali Hai Abhi Jaam Maiñ Kuchh Soch Raha Hoon
by Abdul Hamid Adam

Khali hai abhī jaam maiñ kuchh soch raha hoon
ai gardish-e-ayyam maiñ kuchh soch raha hoon
(The cup is still empty, I am thinking of something,
O wheel of fate, I am thinking of something.)

Saaqī tujhe ik thodi si taklif to hogi
sāghar ko zara thaam maiñ kuchh soch raha hoon
(Cupbearer, you will have some discomfort,
Hold the cup for a moment, I am thinking of something.)

Pahle badi ragbat thi tire naam se mujh ko
ab sun ke tira naam maiñ kuchh soch raha hoon
(Once, I had a great fondness for your name,
Now, upon hearing your name, I am thinking of something.)

Idraak abhī poora ta'awun nahīñ karta
dai bada-e-gulfam maiñ kuchh soch raha hoon
(The faculties of comprehension dont aid me the way they used to once so 
I am thinking of something in the breath of the evening with the aid of the wine.)

Aankhon Mein Raha Dil Mein Utar Kar Nahin Dekha by Basheer Badr

Aankhon mein raha dil mein utar kar nahin dekha
kashti ke musafir ne samundar nahin dekha
(Remained in the eyes, but not deep within the heart,
The traveler of the boat has never seen the sea.)

Be-waqt agar jaaunga sab chaunk padenge
ik umr hui din mein kabhi ghar nahin dekha
(If I leave at an untimely hour, everyone will be startled,
Such a terrible thing to have not seen my own home in daylight.)

Jis din se chala hoon meri manzil pe nazar hai
aankhon ne kabhi meel ka pathar nahin dekha
(Since the day I left, my eyes have been set on my destination,
I have never seen the milestone's stone.)

Ye phool mujhe koi virasat mein mile hain
tum ne mera kaanton bhara bistar nahin dekha
(These flowers I have received as inheritance,
You have not seen the bed filled with my thorns.)

Yaaron ki mohabbat ka yaqeen kar liya main ne
phoolon mein chhupaya hua khanjar nahin dekha
(I have believed in the love of friends,
I have never seen a hidden dagger in flowers.)

Mahboob ka ghar ho ki buzurgon ki zaminein
jo chhod diya phir use mud kar nahin dekha
(Whether it's the beloved's home or the elders' lands,
Once abandoned, I never turned back to see.)

Khat aisa likha hai ki nagine se jade hain
vo haath ki jis ne koi zevar nahin dekha
(She writes such a letter that it is adorned with jewels,
That hand has never seen any ornament.)

Patthar mujhe kahta hai mera chahne wala
main mom hoon us ne mujhe chhoo kar nahin dekha
(The stone tells me, my lover,
I am wax, but she has never touched me.)

Ab To Ghabra Ke Ye Kehte Hain Ki Mar Jayenge
by Sheikh Ibrahim Zauq

Ab to ghabra ke ye kahte hain ki mar jayenge
mar ke bhi chain na paaya to kidhar jayenge
(Now they tremble and say they will die,
If death doesn't bring peace, where will they go?)

Tum ne thahraai agar ghair ke ghar jaane ki
to irade yahaan kuchh aur thahar jayenge
(If you decide to stay in someone else's house,
Your intentions here will change.)

Khaali ai chaagaron honge bahut marham-daain
par mere zakhm nahin aise ki bhar jayenge
(There will be many healers,
But my wounds are not such that they can be healed.)

Pahunchenge rahguzar-e-yaar talak kyun kar ham
pahle jab tak na do aalam se guzar jayenge
(Why would we go until the lover's path?
We must first pass through both worlds.)

Shola-e-ah ko bijli ki tarah chamkhaoon
par mujhe dar hai ki vo dekh ke dar jayenge
(I would light the flame of sighs like a lightning strike,
But I fear they may see it and run away in fear.)

Ham nahin vo jo karen khoon ka dawa tujh par
balki poochhega khuda bhi to mukar jayenge
(We are not the ones to claim bloodshed on you,
Even God will ask, and i will deny.)

Aag dozakh ki bhi ho jayegi paani paani
jab ye aasi araq-e-sharm se tar jayenge
(The fire of hell will also turn to water,
When these sinners become drenched with shame.)

Laaye jo mast hain turbat pe gulabi aankhen
aur agar kuchh nahin do phool to dhar jayenge
(If they bring the intoxicated, with rosy eyes to the grave,
If nothing else, flowers will fall there.)

Koshish Ke Bavajood Ye Ilzaam Rah Gaya
by Nida Fazli

Koshish ke bavajood ye ilzaam rah gaya
har kaam mein hamesha koi kaam rah gaya
(Despite efforts, the blame remained,
In every task, there was always something left undone.)

Chhoti thi umr aur fasaana taveel tha
aaghaz hi likha gaya anjaam rah gaya
(Life was short, and the story was long,
The beginning was written, but the end remained.)

Uth uth ke masjidoñ se namazi chale gaye
dahshat-garon ke haath mein Islam rah gaya
(Prayers left the mosques one by one,
Islam remained in the hands of the terrorists.)

Us ka qusoor ye tha bahut sochta tha vo
vo kaamyaab ho ke bhi nakaam rah gaya
(His fault was that he thought too much,
He was successful yet remained a failure.)

Ab kya bataaen kaun tha kya tha vo ek shakhs
ginti ke chaar harfon ka jo naam rah gaya
(Now, how can I tell you who he was?
He was a person whose name remained with four letters.)

Lagtā Nahīñ Hai Dil Mirā UjḌe Dayār Meñ
by Bahadurshah Zafar

Lagtā nahīñ hai dil mirā ujḌe dayār meñ
kis kī banī hai ālam-e-nā-pā.idār meñ
(My heart doesn't seem to settle in this desolate land,
Who has reconciled in this world of the impossible?)

In hasratoñ se kah do kahīñ aur jā baseñ
itnī jagah kahāñ hai dil-e-dāġh-dār meñ
(Tell these desires to settle elsewhere,
Where is there room in this heart full of scars?)

Kāñtoñ ko mat nikāl chaman se o bāġhbāñ
ye bhī guloñ ke saath pale haiñ bahār meñ
(Do not uproot the thorns from the garden, O gardener,
They too have grown alongside the flowers in the spring.)

Bulbul ko bāġhbāñ se na sayyād se gila
qismat meñ qaid likkhī thī fasl-e-bahār meñ
(The nightingale should not complain to the gardener or the hunter,
Its fate was written to be imprisoned in the spring.)

Kitna hai bad-nasīb 'Zafar' dafn ke liye
do gaz zamīn bhī na milī kū-e-yār meñ
(How unfortunate is Zafar, even for burial,
Not even two yards of earth were found in the alley of my beloved.)

Na Kisī Kī Aañkh Kā Nuur Hūñ Na Kisī Ke Dil Kā Qarār Hūñ
by Muztar Khairabadi

Na kisī kī aañkh kā nuur huuñ na kisī ke dil kā qarār huuñ
kisī kaam meñ jo na aa sake maiñ vo ek musht-e-ghubār huuñ
(I am not the light of anyone's eyes, nor the peace of anyone's heart,
I am but a handful of dust, unable to fulfill any task.)

Na davā-e-dard-e-jigar huuñ maiñ na kisī kī mīthī nazar huuñ maiñ
na idhar huuñ maiñ na udhar huuñ maiñ na shakeb huuñ na qarār huuñ
(I am neither a remedy for heartache, nor a sweet glance for anyone,
I am neither here, nor there, neither restless, nor at peace.)

Mirā waqt mujh se bichhaḍ gayā mirā rañg-rūp bigaḍ gayā
jo khizāñ se baaġh ujaḍ gayā maiñ usī kī fasl-e-bahār huuñ
(My time has parted from me, my appearance has deteriorated,
I am the spring of that garden which was ruined by autumn.)

Pa-e fātiha koī aa.e kyūñ koī chaar phuul chaḍhā.e kyūñ
koī aa ke sham' jalā.e kyūñ maiñ vo bekasī kā mazār huuñ
(Why should anyone come to offer a prayer at my grave,
Why should anyone lay four flowers or light a lamp, I am that shrine of helplessness.)

Na maiñ laag huuñ na lagāv huuñ na suhāg huuñ na subhāv huuñ
jo bigaḍ gayā vo banāv huuñ jo nahīñ rahā vo siñgār huuñ
(I am neither attachment nor love, neither marriage nor temperament,
I am what has gone wrong, what is lost, I am its adornment.)

Maiñ nahīñ huuñ naghma-e-jān-fazā mujhe sun ke koī karegā kyā
maiñ baḍe birog kī huuñ sadā maiñ baḍe dukhī kī pukār huuñ
(I am not a melody that will bring life to the air, who will listen to me?
I am the call of great suffering, the cry of profound sorrow.)

Na maiñ 'muztar' un kā habīb huuñ na maiñ 'muztar' un kā raqīb huuñ
jo bigaḍ gayā vo nasīb huuñ jo ujaḍ gayā vo dayār huuñ
(I am neither the beloved nor the rival of those in distress,
I am the fate that has gone wrong, the land that has been ruined.)

Mohabbat Karne Wāle Kam Na Hoñge
by Hafeez Hoshiyarpuri

Mohabbat karne vaale kam na hoñge
tirī mahfil meñ lekin ham na hoñge
(There will never be a shortage of those who love,
But in your gathering, I will not be there.)

Maiñ aksar sochtā huuñ phuul kab tak
sharīk-e-girya-e-shabnam na hoñge
(I often think, how long will the flowers last,
Before they, too, become part of the tearful morning dew.)

Zarā der-āshnā chashm-e-karam hai
sitam hī ishq meñ paiham na hoñge
(A little delay, my dear, your eyes of grace,
In love, only cruelty will prevail, nothing else.)

Diloñ kī uljhaneñ baḍhtī raheñgī
agar kuchh mashware bāham na hoñge
(The entanglements of hearts will continue to grow,
Unless there are some solutions shared together.)

Zamāne bhar ke ġham yā ik tirā ġham
ye ġham hogā to kitne ġham na hoñge
(The sorrow of the world, or just your sorrow,
If yours will ever dawn so many will not.)

Kahūñ bedard kyūñ ahl-e-jahāñ ko
vo mere haal se mahram na hoñge
(Why should I tell the indifferent ones, the people of the world,
They will never understand my condition.)

Hamāre dil meñ sail-e-girya hogā
agar bā-dīda-e-pur-nam na hoñge
(In our hearts, there will be a flood of tears,
Unless there is someone to witness it, with tear-filled eyes.)

Agar tū ittifāqan mil bhī jaa.e
tirī furqat ke sadme kam na hoñge
(Even if we meet by chance,
The pain of your separation will never lessen.)

'Hafīz' un se maiñ jitnā bad-gumāñ huuñ
vo mujh se us qadar barham na hoñge
(Hafeez, I am as much misunderstood by them,
But they will never be as upset with me as I am with them.)

Kaun Aa.egā Yahāñ
by Kaif Bhopali

Kaun aa.egā yahāñ koī na aayā hogā
merā darvāza havāoñ ne hilāyā hogā
(Who will come here, no one has come,
My door must have been shaken by the winds.)

Dil-e-nādāñ na dhaḌak ai dil-e-nādāñ na dhaḌak
koī ḳhat le ke paḌosī ke ghar aayā hogā
(O heart, don't beat, O heart, don't beat,
Someone must have come with a letter to the neighbor's house.)

Is gulistāñ kī yahī riit hai ai shāḳh-e-gul
tū ne jis phuul ko paalā vo parāyā hogā
(This is the way of the garden, O branch of flowers,
The flower you nurtured must have become someone else's.)

Dil kī qismat hī meñ likkhā thā añdherā shāyad
warna masjid kā diyā kis ne bujhāyā hogā
(It was written in the fate of my heart that darkness would prevail,
Otherwise, who would have extinguished the lamp of the mosque?)

Gul se lipTī huī titlī ko girā kar dekho
āñdhiyo tum ne daraḳhtoñ ko girāyā hogā
(Mighty storms, you cant separate the butterfly clinging to a flower,
 you who would have brought down countless number of trees in your days.)

Khelne ke liye bachche nikal aa.e hoñge
chāñd ab us kī galī meñ utar aayā hogā
(The children must have come out to play,
The moon must have descended into her street.)

'Kaif' pardes meñ mat yaad karo apnā makāñ
ab ke bārish ne use toḌ girāyā hogā
(Kaif, don't remember your home in a foreign land,
This time, the rain must have brought it down.)

Ai Mohabbat Tere Anjām Pe Ronā Aayā
by Shakeel Badayuni

Ai mohabbat tire anjām pe ronā aayā
jaane kyuuñ aaj tire naam pe ronā aayā
(O love, it is time to cry over your end,
I don't know why today, I cry at your name.)

Yuuñ to har shaam umīdoñ meñ guzar jaatī hai
aaj kuchh baat hai jo shaam pe ronā aayā
(Usually, every evening passes with hopes,
But today, something is different; it is time to cry at dusk.)

Kabhī taqdīr kā mātam kabhī duniyā kā gila
manzil-e-ishq meñ har gaam pe ronā aayā
(Sometimes mourning fate, sometimes complaining about the world,
At every step in the path of love, it is time to cry.)

Mujh pe hī ḳhatm huā silsila-e-nauhagarī
is qadar gardish-e-ayyām pe ronā aayā
(It was on me where ended the chain of lamentation,
Such a turn in the course of time has come.)

Jab huā zikr zamāne meñ mohabbat kā 'shakīl'
mujh ko apne dil-e-nākām pe ronā aayā
(When love was mentioned in the world, 'Shakeel,'
I was drawn to cry for my failed heart.)

Insha-ji Utho Ab Kooch Karo
By Ibn-e-Insha

Insha-ji utho ab kooch karo, is shahr mein ji ko lagana kya
Vahshi ko sukoon se kya matlab, jogi ka nagar mein thikana kya
(Insha, rise now and do something; why attach your heart to this city?
What does a wanderer know of peace, or a hermit of dwelling in towns?)

Is dil ke darida daaman ko dekho to sahi, socho to sahi
Jis jholi mein sau chhed hue, us jholi ka phailana kya
(Look at this heart's torn garment, reflect for a moment, think for a while—
In a pouch with a hundred tears, what use is spreading it wide?)

Shab biti, chand bhi doob chala, zanjeer pari darwaze mein
Kyun der gaye ghar aaye ho, sajni se karoge bahana kya
(The night has passed, and the moon has set, chains now hang on the door—
Why did you delay coming home? What excuse will you make to your beloved?)

Phir hijr ki lambi raat, miyaan, sanjog ki to yahi ek ghadi
Jo dil mein hai lab par aane do, sharmana kya, ghabrana kya
(Once more, the long night of separation—yet this moment is our union's chance—
Speak aloud what resides in your heart; why shy away, why fear at all?)

Us roz jo un ko dekha hai, ab khwab ka aalam lagta hai
Us roz jo un se baat hui, vo baat bhi thi afsana kya
(That day I saw them, it feels now like a vision of dreams—
That day we spoke, even that tale now feels unreal.)

Us husn ke sachche moti ko, ham dekh saken par chhu na saken
Jise dekh saken par chhu na saken, vo daulat kya, vo khazana kya
(That beauty's true pearls—behold we may, but never touch—
What use is such a treasure, a wealth untouchable and unseen?)

Us ko bhi jala, dukhte hue man, ik shola, laal bhabuka ban
Yun aansu ban bah jana kya, yun mati mein mil jana kya
(Burn it too—this aching heart—into a fiery, glowing blaze—
Why dissolve as mere tears, why merge as mere dust into earth?)

Jab shahr ke log na rasta den, kyun ban mein na ja bisram kare
Divano ki si na baat kare, to aur kare divana kya
(When the city's folk offer no path, why not retreat to the wilderness?
If madness does not speak as madness, what else should madness do?)

Zindagi Se Badi Saza Hi Nahin
By Krishna Bihari Noor

Zindagi se badi saza hi nahin
Aur kya jurm hai, pata hi nahin
(There is no punishment greater than life itself,
And what the crime is,No one knows.)

Itne hisson mein bat gaya hoon main
Mere hisse mein kuchh bacha hi nahin
(I have been divided into so many parts,
That nothing of me remains for myself.)

Zindagi maut teri manzil hai
Doosra koi raasta hi nahin
(Life, death is your ultimate destination;
There exists no other path at all.)

Sach ghate ya bade to sach na rahe
Jhoot ki koi intiha hi nahin
(If truth diminishes or grows, it ceases to be truth;
Lies, however, know no bounds or end.)

Zindagi ab bata kahaan jaayein
Zeher bazaar mein mila hi nahin
(Life, now tell me, where should we go?
Even poison is unavailable in the marketplace.)

Jis ke kaaran fasaad hote hain
Us ka koi ata-pata hi nahin
(The cause of all these conflicts,
Has no trace or identity at all.)

Kaise avatar, kaise paighambar
Aisa lagta hai ab khuda hi nahin
(What gods, what messengers divine—
It seems now that even God does not exist.)

Chahe sone ke frame mein jad do
Aaina jhoot bolta hi nahin
(Even if adorned in a golden frame,
A mirror never lies or deceives.)

Apni rachnaon mein vo zinda hai
Noor sansar se gaya hi nahin
(He lives on in his creations immortal;
Noor has not departed from this world.)

Pahle Nahai Os Mein Phir Aansuon Mein Raat
By Shaharyar

Pahle nahai os mein phir aansuon mein raat
Yoon boond boond utri hamare gharon mein raat
(First bathed in dew, then in tears, the night;
Drop by drop, it descended into our homes, the night.)

Kuchh bhi dikhai deta nahin door door tak
Chubhti hai suiyon ki tarah jab ragon mein raat
(Nothing is visible far and wide;
It pierces like needles into the veins, the night.)

Vo khurduri chataanen vo dariya vo aabshar
Sab kuchh samet le gai apne paron mein raat
(Those rugged cliffs, rivers, and waterfalls—
The night gathered them all under its wings.)

Aankhon ko sab ki neend bhi di khwab bhi diye
Ham ko shumaar karti rahi dushmanon mein raat
(To eyes, it gave sleep and dreams alike;
To us, it kept counting among enemies, the night.)

Be-samt manzilon ne bulaya hai phir hamein
Sannate phir bichhane lagi rastoñ mein raat
(Aimless destinations have called us once again;
Silence begins to spread on the roads, the night.)

Siine Mein Jalan Aankhon Mein Toofaan Sa Kyun Hai
By Shaharyar

Siine mein jalan aankhon mein toofaan sa kyun hai
Is shahr mein har shakhs pareshan sa kyun hai
(Why does the chest burn, why is there a storm in the eyes?
Why does everyone in this city seem so distressed?)

Dil hai to dhadakne ka bahaana koi dhoonde
Patthar ki tarah be-his o be-jaan sa kyun hai
(If there is a heart, it seeks an excuse to beat;
Why is it as numb and lifeless as a stone?)

Tanhaai ki ye kaun si manzil hai rafeeqo
Ta-hadd-e-nazar ek bayabaan sa kyun hai
(What is this stage of loneliness, my friends,
Why does it stretch endlessly like a barren desert?)

Ham ne to koi baat nikali nahin gham ki
Vo zood-pashemaan pashemaan sa kyun hai
(We did not even mention sorrow,
Why is he so quick to regret, so regretful?)

Kya koi nai baat nazar aati hai ham mein
Aaina hamein dekh ke hairaan sa kyun hai
(Does anything new seem visible in us?
Why does the mirror appear astonished upon seeing us?)

Ye Kya Jagah Hai Dosto Ye Kaun Sa Dayar Hai
By Shahryar

Ye kya jagah hai dosto ye kaun sa dayar hai
Had-e-nigaah tak jahan ghubaar hi ghubaar hai
(What is this place, my friends, what land is this,
Where the horizon is cloaked in endless dust?)

Har ek jism ruuh ke azaab se nidhhaal hai
Har ek aankh shabnami har ek dil figaar hai
(Every body is weary from the torment of the soul,
Every eye glistens with dew, every heart is wounded.)

Hamein to apne dil ki dhadkanoñ pe bhi yaqeen nahin
Khosha vo log jin ko dusroñ pe e'tibaar hai
(We cannot even trust the beats of our own heart,
Blessed are those who place faith in others.)

Na jis ka naam hai koi na jis ki shakl hai koi
Ik aisi shai ka kyun hamein azal se intezaar hai
(Of something without a name, of something without form,
Why have we awaited such a thing since eternity?)

Ye Ek Baat Samajhne Mein Raat Ho Gayī Hai
By Tahzeeb Faafi

Ye ek baat samajhne mein raat ho gayī hai
Maiñ us se jiit gayā huuñ ki maat ho gayī hai
(It took the entire night to understand this one thing,
Have I won over him or defeat has occurred.)

Maiñ ab ke saal parindoñ kā din manā.ūñgā
Mirī qarīb ke jañgal se baat ho gayī hai
(This year, I will celebrate the day of the birds,
The forest near me has had a conversation.)

Bichhaḍ ke tujh se na khush rah sakūñgā sochā thā
Tirī judāī hī vajh-e-nashāt ho gayī hai
(I thought I would never be happy after parting with you,
But your separation itself has become the cause of my joy.)

Badan mein ek taraf din tulūa maiñ ne kiyā
Badan ke dūsre hisse mein raat ho gayī hai
(In my body, one side experienced the sunrise,
While the other side entered the night.)

Maiñ jañgaloñ kī taraf chal paḍā huuñ chhoḍ ke ghar
Ye kyā ki ghar kī udāsī bhī saath ho gayī hai
(I left my home and walked toward the forests,
Is it that the sadness of home too has followed me?)

Rahegā yaad Madīne se vāpsī kā safar
Maiñ nazm likhne lagā thā ki na'at ho gayī hai
(The memory of the journey back from Madinah will remain,
I began writing poetry, and it has turned into a hymn.)

Paroñ Ko Khol Zamāna UḌaan Dekhtā Hai
By Shakeel Azami

Paroñ ko khol zamāna uḌaan dekhtā hai
Zamīñ pe baiTh ke kyā āsmān dekhtā hai
(Spread your wings, the world watches your flight,
Why sit on the ground, gazing at the sky?)

Milā hai husn to is husn kī hifāzat kar
Sambhal ke chal tujhe saarā jahān dekhtā hai
(You have been blessed with beauty, so safeguard it,
Walk carefully, for the whole world watches you.)

Kanīz ho koī yā koī shāhzādī ho
Jo ishq kartā hai kab ḳhāndān dekhtā hai
(Whether a maid or a princess,
Love never looks at the family line.)

GhaTā.eñ uThtī haiñ barsāt hone lagtī hai
Jab aañkh bhar ke falak ko kisān dekhtā hai
(The clouds rise and rain begins to fall,
When a farmer gazes intently at the heavens.)

Yahī vo shahr jo mere laboñ se boltā thā
Yahī vo shahr jo merī zabān dekhtā hai
(This is the city that used to speak through my lips,
This is the city that now watches my words.)

Maiñ jab makān ke bāhar qadam nikāltā huuñ
Ajab nigāh se mujh ko makān dekhtā hai
(When I step outside my home,
The house gazes at me with a peculiar look.)

Na Jaane Kaun Sa Manzar Nazar Mein Rahta Hai
By Nida Fazli

Na jaane kaun sa manzar nazar mein rahta hai
Tamām umr musāfir safar mein rahta hai
(I don’t know which scene stays in sight,
A traveler always remains on a journey throughout life.)

Laḍāī dekhe hue dushmanon se mumkin hai
Magar wo ḳhauf jo dīwār-o-dar mein rahta hai
(Battles against enemies may be seen,
But what of the fear that resides in walls and doors?)

Ḳhudā to mālik-o-mukhtār hai kahīn bhī rahe
Kabhi bashar mein kabhi jānvār mein rahta hai
(God is sovereign, dwelling wherever He pleases,
Sometimes within humans, sometimes in animals.)

Ajīb daur hai ye tai-shuda nahīn kuchh bhī
Na chāñd shab mein na sūraj sahar mein rahta hai
(These are strange times; nothing is predetermined,
The moon doesn’t belong to the night, nor the sun to the dawn.)

Jo milnā chāho to mujh se milo kahīn bāhar
Wo koī aur hai jo mere ghar mein rahta hai
(If you wish to meet me, find me elsewhere,
There’s someone else who resides in my home.)

Badalnā chāho to duniyā badal bhī saktī hai
Ajab futūr sa har waqt sar mein rahta hai
(If you wish, you can change the world too,
Yet a peculiar restlessness always lingers in the mind.)

Maiñ Apne Ikhtiyār Mein Huuñ Bhī Nahīñ Bhī Huuñ
By Nida Fazli

Maiñ apne ikhtiyār mein huuñ bhī nahīñ bhī huuñ
Duniyā ke kārobār mein huuñ bhī nahīñ bhī huuñ
(I am within my control, yet not entirely,
Part of the world’s affairs, yet distant from them truly.)

Terī hī justujū mein lagā hai kabhī kabhī
Maiñ tere intizār mein huuñ bhī nahīñ bhī huuñ
(Sometimes engrossed in searching for you,
I wait for you, yet I do not truly wait.)

Fihrist marne vāloñ kī qātil ke pās hai
Maiñ apne hī mazār mein huuñ bhī nahīñ bhī huuñ
(The list of the dead lies with the killer,
I exist in my own grave, yet do not fully dwell there.)

Auroñ ke sāth aisā koī mas.ala nahīñ
Ik maiñ hī is dayār mein huuñ bhī nahīñ bhī huuñ
(With others, there’s no such issue,
But I alone am both here and not here in this realm.)

Mujh se hī hai har ek siyāsat kā e'tibār
Phir bhī kisī shumār mein huuñ bhī nahīñ bhī huuñ
(Every politics gains its trust through me,
Yet I remain counted and uncounted simultaneously.)

Ek Hunar Hai Jo Kar Gaya Hun Main
By Jaun Eliya

Ek hunar hai jo kar gaya hun main
Sab ke dil se utar gaya hun main
(I have mastered an art so fine,
I’ve slipped out of everyone’s mind.)

Kaise apni hansi ko zabt karun
Sun raha hun ki ghar gaya hun main
(How can I hold back my laughter now?
I hear I’ve returned home somehow.)

Kya bataun ki mar nahin pata
Jite-ji jab se mar gaya hun main
(What should I say? I’ve failed to die,
Since living, I’ve been death’s ally.)

Ab hai bas apna samna dar-pesh
Har kisi se guzar gaya hun main
(Now, I face only myself ahead,
Through everyone else, I’ve already fled.)

Wahi naz-o-ada wahi ghamze
Sar-ba-sar aap par gaya hun main
(Those same graces and playful glances,
Have led me entirely to you in trances.)

Ajab ilzam hun zamane ka
Ki yahan sab ke sar gaya hun main
(I bear the strangest blame in the world,
For I’ve burdened everyone, unfurled.)

Kabhi khud tak pahunch nahin paya
Jab ki wan umr bhar gaya hun main
(I’ve never reached myself, it seems,
Though I’ve filled a lifetime’s dreams.)

Tum se jaanan mila hun jis din se
Be-tarah khud se dar gaya hun main
(Since the day I met you, my dear,
I’ve grown to dread myself in fear.)

Ku-e-jaanan mein sog barpa hai
Ki achanak sudhar gaya hun main
(In my beloved’s lane, there’s mourning all around,
For I’ve suddenly improved, a miracle profound.)

Sitaron Se Aage Jahan Aur Bhi Hain
By Allama Iqbal

Sitaron se aage jahan aur bhi hain
Abhi ishq ke imtihan aur bhi hain
(Beyond the stars, there are realms to find,
And trials of love still await mankind.)

Tahi zindagi se nahin ye fazaen
Yahan saikDon karwan aur bhi hain
(These skies are not devoid of life's tale,
Here march countless caravans without fail.)

Qanaat na kar aalam-e-rang-o-bu par
Chaman aur bhi aashiyan aur bhi hain
(Do not be content with the hues and scents,
There are more gardens, more nests immense.)

Agar kho gaya ek nasheman to kya gham
Maqamat-e-ah-o-fughan aur bhi hain
(If one dwelling is lost, why mourn its fall?
There are more spaces to sigh and call.)

Tu shahin hai parwaz hai kaam tera
Tere samne aasman aur bhi hain
(You are a falcon; soaring is your deed,
There lie more skies ahead to heed.)

Isi roz o shab mein ulajh kar na rah ja
Ki tere zaman o makan aur bhi hain
(Do not get entangled in night and day,
For your time and space stretch far away.)

Gae din ki tanha tha main anjuman mein
Yahan ab mere raaz-dan aur bhi hain
(Gone are the days of solitude in the crowd,
Now I have confidants to share aloud.)

Kabhī Kisī Ko Mukammal Jahāñ Nahīñ Miltā
By Nida Fazli

Kabhī kisī ko mukammal jahāñ nahīñ miltā
Kahīñ zamīn kahīñ āsmāñ nahīñ miltā
(No one ever attains a perfect world,
Some lack the earth, and some the heavens unfurled.)

Tamām shahr meñ aisā nahīñ ḳhulūs na ho
Jahāñ umiid ho is kī vahāñ nahīñ miltā
(Sincerity exists, but it's rare to find,
Especially where one hopes, it's confined.)

Kahāñ charāġh jalā.eñ kahāñ gulāb rakheñ
Chhateñ to miltī haiñ lekin makāñ nahīñ miltā
(Where to light lamps, where to place the rose?
Roofs are found, but homes never compose.)

Ye kyā azaab hai sab apne aap meñ gum haiñ
Zabāñ milī hai magar ham-zabāñ nahīñ miltā
(What curse is this, everyone is lost within,
We have voices, yet no kin to listen.)

Charāġh jalte hī bīnā.ī bujhne lagtī hai
Ḳhud apne ghar meñ hī ghar kā nishāñ nahīñ miltā
(As lamps light up, vision starts to fade,
In one's own home, its essence evades.)

Ash.ār Mire Yuuñ To Zamāne Ke Liye Haiñ
By Jan Nisar Akhtar

Ash.ār mire yuuñ to zamāne ke liye haiñ
Kuchh sher faqat un ko sunāne ke liye haiñ
(My couplets are for the world at large,
But a few are meant solely to be their charge.)

Ab ye bhī nahīñ Thiik ki har dard miTā deñ
Kuchh dard kaleje se lagāne ke liye haiñ
(It isn't right to erase every ache,
Some pains are there to embrace and take.)

Socho to baḌī chiiz hai tahzīb badan kī
Varna ye faqat aag bujhāne ke liye haiñ
(Reflect, and body’s grace seems grand,
Else, it's just fire to cool on demand.)

Āñkhoñ meñ jo bhar loge to kāñToñ se chubheñge
Ye ḳhvāb to palkoñ pe sajāne ke liye haiñ
(Fill your eyes, and they'll sting like thorns,
These dreams are for lashes, not to adorn.)

Dekhūñ tire hāthoñ ko to lagtā hai tire haath
Mandir meñ faqat diip jalāne ke liye haiñ
(Looking at your hands, it seems they exist,
Only to light temple lamps in a tryst.)

Ye ilm kā saudā ye risāle ye kitābeñ
Ik shaḳhs kī yādoñ ko bhulāne ke liye haiñ
(This trade of knowledge, these journals, these tomes,
Are but to forget memories of someone once known.)

Apne Har Har Lafz Kā ḳhud Aa.ina Ho Jā.ūñgā
By Waseem Bareli

Apne har har lafz kā ḳhud aa.ina ho jā.ūñgā
Us ko chhoTā kah ke maiñ kaise baḌā ho jā.ūñgā
(I will mirror my every word in reflection,
Calling them small, how can I gain elevation?)

Tum girāne meñ lage the tum ne sochā hī nahīñ
Maiñ girā to mas.ala ban kar khaḌā ho jā.ūñgā
(You worked to bring me down, gave it no thought,
If I fall, I’ll rise as a force to be sought.)

Mujh ko chalne do akelā hai abhī merā safar
Rāsta rokā gayā to qāfila ho jā.ūñgā
(Let me walk alone, my journey is still mine,
Stop me, and I’ll become a caravan in time.)

Saarī duniyā kī nazar meñ hai mirā ahd-e-vafā
Ik tire kahne se kyā maiñ bevafā ho jā.ūñgā
(My vow of loyalty is in the world’s sight,
Your words alone won’t make me unfaithful overnight.)

Aate Aate Mera Naam Sa Rah Gaya
By Waseem Barelvi

Aate aate mera naam sa rah gaya
Us ke honTon pe kuchh kanpta rah gaya
(As they arrived, my name lingered faintly,
Something trembled on their lips faintly.)

Raat mujrim thi daman bacha le gai
Din gawahon ki saf mein khaDa rah gaya
(The night, guilty, escaped unscathed,
The day stood in line with witnesses arrayed.)

Wo mere samne hi gaya aur main
Raste ki tarah dekhta rah gaya
(They passed right before me, and I,
Stood like a road, watching them go by.)

JhuT wale kahin se kahin baDh gae
Aur main tha ki sach bolta rah gaya
(Liars surged ahead, found their way,
While I, speaking truth, was left to stay.)

Aandhiyon ke irade to achchhe na the
Ye diya kaise jalta hua rah gaya
(The storms held ill intent, it's true,
Yet this flame remained burning through.)

Us ko kandhon pe le ja rahe hain 'Wasim'
Aur wo jine ka haq mangta rah gaya
(They carry him on shoulders high, 'Wasim,'
Yet he was left pleading for life's dream.)

Be-dilī Kyā Yūñhī Din Guzar Jā.eñge
By Jaun Eliya

Be-dilī kyā yūñhī din guzar jā.eñge
Sirf zinda rahe ham to mar jā.eñge
(Will the days pass in such listless despair?
If we merely survive, we'll perish, bare.)

Raqs hai rañg par rañg ham-raqs haiñ
Sab bichhaḌ jā.eñge sab bikhar jā.eñge
(Colors dance, companions move in a throng,
Yet all will part, and scatter before long.)

Ye ḳharābātiyān-e-ḳhirad-bāḳhta
Sub.h hote hī sab kaam par jā.eñge
(These wrecked souls, drunk on wisdom's woe,
With dawn's light, to their work, they will go.)

Kitnī dilkash ho tum kitnā dil-jū huuñ maiñ
Kyā sitam hai ki ham log mar jā.eñge
(How enchanting you are, how captivated am I,
What cruelty that we too must one day die.)

Hai ġhanīmat ki asrār-e-hastī se ham
Be-ḳhabar aa.e haiñ be-ḳhabar jā.eñge
(It's a mercy we've come, unaware of existence's plight,
And in blissful ignorance, we'll take our flight.)

Ai Sub.h Maiñ Ab Kahāñ Rahā Hūñ
By Jaun Eliya

Ai sub.h maiñ ab kahāñ rahā huuñ
Ḳhvāboñ hī meñ sarf ho chukā huuñ
(Oh dawn, where do I remain now?
Spent entirely in dreams somehow.)

Sab mere baġhair mutma.in hoñ
Maiñ sab ke baġhair jī rahā huuñ
(Everyone is content without me,
And I exist without them, carefree.)

Kyā hai jo badal ga.ī hai duniyā
Maiñ bhī to bahut badal gayā huuñ
(What has changed in this world, I wonder?
For I too have changed, asunder.)

Go apne hazār naam rakh luuñ
Par apne sivā maiñ aur kyā huuñ
(Though I may take on a thousand names,
Beyond myself, what remains?)

Maiñ jurm kā e'tirāf kar ke
Kuchh aur hai jo chhupā gayā huuñ
(By confessing my crime, I obscure
Something deeper I can't endure.)

Maiñ aur faqat usī kī ḳhvāhish
Aḳhlāq meñ jhuuT boltā huuñ
(I am merely a longing for her,
And lie through morals I defer.)

Ik shaḳhs jo mujh se vaqt le kar
Aaj aa na sakā to ḳhush huā huuñ
(Someone who took my time today,
Didn't arrive; I’m glad, I’d say.)

Har shaḳhs se be-niyāz ho jā
Phir sab se ye kah ki maiñ ḳhudā huuñ
(Be detached from all you know,
Then declare to all, "I am your God, though.")

Charke to tujhe diye haiñ maiñ ne
Par ḳhuun bhī maiñ hī thūktā huuñ
(I gave you spinning wheels for thread,
Yet it’s my blood that I shed.)

Royā huuñ to apne dostoñ meñ
Par tujh se to hañs ke hī milā huuñ
(Among friends, I have cried with ease,
But with you, I only laughed to please.)

Ai shaḳhs maiñ terī justujū se
Bezār nahīñ huuñ thak gayā huuñ
(Oh, person, I’m not weary of seeking you,
But fatigued from longing anew.)

Maiñ sham'-e-sahar kā naġhma-gar thā
Ab thak ke karāhne lagā huuñ
(I was the bard of the dawn’s flame,
Now I groan, too tired to proclaim.)

Kal par hī rakho vafā kī bāteñ
Maiñ aaj bahut bujhā huā huuñ
(Keep the talks of loyalty for tomorrow,
Today I’m extinguished in sorrow.)

Koī bhī nahīñ hai mujh se nādim
Bas tai ye huā ki maiñ burā huuñ
(No one regrets me or my plight,
It’s settled—I’m the wrong in sight.)

Dil-e-Nādāñ Tujhe Huā Kyā Hai
By Mirza Ghalib

Dil-e-nādāñ tujhe huā kyā hai
Āḳhir is dard kī davā kyā hai
(Oh naive heart, what has happened to you?
What could be the cure for this pain so true?)

Ham haiñ mushtāq aur vo be-zār
Yā ilāhī ye mājrā kyā hai
(I yearn, while they are weary and distant,
Oh Lord, what is this predicament?)

Maiñ bhī muñh meñ zabān rakhtā huuñ
Kaash pūchho ki mudda.ā kyā hai
(I too have a tongue to speak my part,
If only they'd ask what resides in my heart.)

Jab ki tujh bin nahīñ koī maujūd
Phir ye hañgāma ai ḳhudā kyā hai
(When nothing exists except for You,
Then, oh God, what is this hullabaloo?)

Ye parī-chehra log kaise haiñ
Ġhamza o ishva o adā kyā hai
(Who are these angel-faced beings?
What are these gestures, charms, and leanings?)

Shikan-e-zulf-e-ambarīñ kyuuñ hai
Nigah-e-chashm-e-surma sā kyā hai
(Why the kinks in their amber locks?
What is the gaze lined with kohl that shocks?)

Sabza o gul kahāñ se aa.e haiñ
Abr kyā chiiz hai havā kyā hai
(From where have the greenery and blooms arisen?
What is this cloud, and what air has risen?)

Ham ko un se vafā kī hai ummīd
Jo nahīñ jānte vafā kyā hai
(We hope for loyalty from those, alas,
Who know not what loyalty is, nor its class.)

Hañ bhalā kar tirā bhalā hogā
Aur darvesh kī sadā kyā hai
(Do good, and good shall be your fate,
What else does a dervish state?)

Jaan tum par nisār kartā huuñ
Maiñ nahīñ jāntā duā kyā hai
(I sacrifice my soul upon you,
For I know not how to pray, it's true.)

Maiñ ne maanā ki kuchh nahīñ 'ġhālib'
Muft haath aa.e to burā kyā hai
(I concede I am nothing, oh Ghalib,
But if freely given, what's wrong in it?)

Sansār Se Bhāge Phirte Ho
By Sahir Ludhiyanvi

Sansār se bhāge phirte ho bhagvān ko tum kyā pāoge
Is lok ko bhī apnā na sake us lok meñ bhī pachhtāoge
(You wander, fleeing this world, but how will you find God?
If you couldn’t embrace this realm, you’ll regret even in the beyond.)

Ye paap hai kyā ye punn hai kyā rītoñ par dharm kī mohreñ haiñ
Har yug meñ badalte dharmoñ ko kaise ādarsh banāoge
(What is sin, and what is virtue? They’re stamped by religion’s norms.
How will you make ideals of faiths that shift with time’s storms?)

Ye bhog bhī ek tapasyā hai tum tyaag ke maare kyā jaano
Apmān rachaitā kā hogā rachnā ko agar Thukrāoge
(Enjoyment too is an asceticism; how would you, renouncers, know?
It’s an insult to the Creator if His creation you forgo.)

Ham kahte haiñ ye jag apnā hai tum kahte ho jhūTā sapnā hai
Ham janm bitā kar jā.eñge tum janm gañvā kar jāoge
(We say this world is ours; you call it a false dream,
We’ll fulfill our purpose in life; you’ll waste yours, it would seem.)

KaThin Hai Rāhguzar ThoḌī Dūr Saath Chalo
By Ahmad Faraz

KaThin hai rāhguzar thoḌī duur saath chalo
Bahut kaḌā hai safar thoḌī duur saath chalo
(The path is difficult; walk with me a little while.
The journey is harsh; share it with me for a short mile.)

Tamām umr kahāñ koī saath detā hai
Ye jāntā huuñ magar thoḌī duur saath chalo
(No one walks with you for a lifetime, I am aware,
But still, for a short distance, let’s walk together with care.)

Nashe meñ chuur huuñ maiñ bhī tumheñ bhī hosh nahīñ
BaḌā maza ho agar thoḌī duur saath chalo
(I am intoxicated, and you too are unaware,
How delightful it would be if we walked a little pair.)

Ye ek shab kī mulāqāt bhī ġhanīmat hai
Kise hai kal kī ḳhabar thoḌī duur saath chalo
(Even a meeting of one night is a precious gift,
Who knows of tomorrow? Walk with me to uplift.)

Abhī to jaag rahe haiñ charāġh rāhoñ ke
Abhī hai duur sahar thoḌī duur saath chalo
(The lamps of the path are still glowing bright,
Dawn is far; let’s walk a little in this night.)

Tavāf-e-manzil-e-jānāñ hameñ bhī karnā hai
'Farāz' tum bhī agar thoḌī duur saath chalo
(We too must circle the beloved’s abode someday,
Faraz, come along a little; let’s share the way.)

Jab Bhi Dil Khol Ke Roe Honge
By Ahmad Faraz

Jab bhi dil khol ke roe honge
Log aaram se soe honge
(Whenever hearts poured out tears of despair,
Others slept peacefully, unaware.)

Baz auqat ba-majburi-e-dil
Hum to kya aap bhi roe honge
(At times, out of sheer helplessness of heart,
Not just us, even you must have fallen apart.)

Subh tak dast-e-saba ne kya kya
Phul kanTon mein piroe honge
(By dawn, what feats the morning breeze had done,
It must have strung roses with thorns as one.)

Wo safine jinhen tufan na mile
Na-KHudaon ne Duboe honge
(Those ships that storms could never find,
Must have been sunk by their sailors’ mind.)

Raat bhar hanste hue taron ne
Un ke aariz bhi bhigoe honge
(The laughing stars, throughout the night,
Must have dampened her cheeks with light.)

Kya ajab hai wo mile bhi hon 'Faraz'
Hum kisi dhyan mein khoe honge
(How strange if they ever came, Faraz,
We must have been lost in some thought’s cause.)

Ranjish Hi Sahi Dil Hi Dukhaane Ke Liye Aa
By Ahmad Faraz

Ranjish hi sahi dil hi dukhaane ke liye aa
Aa phir se mujhe chhod ke jaane ke liye aa
(Let it be resentment, but come to hurt my heart,
Come again, even if just to depart.)

Kuchh to mere pindar-e-mohabbat ka bharam rakh
Tu bhi to kabhi mujh ko manaane ke liye aa
(Honor, at least, my pride in love’s belief,
You, too, should once come to bring me relief.)

Pehle se marasim na sahi phir bhi kabhi to
Rasm-o-rah-e-duniya hi nibhaane ke liye aa
(Even if there’s no bond as before,
Come for the world’s customs, nothing more.)

Kis kis ko bataayenge judaai ka sabab hum
Tu mujh se khafa hai to zamaane ke liye aa
(To whom will I explain the reasons for our separation?
If you’re angry, come for society’s expectation.)

Ik umr se hoon lazzat-e-girya se bhi mehroom
Ai raahat-e-jaan mujh ko rulaane ke liye aa
(Deprived of the pleasure of tears for an age,
Oh solace of my soul, come to release my rage.)

Ab tak dil-e-khush-fahm ko tujh se hain umeedein
Ye aakhri sham’ein bhi bujhaane ke liye aa
(My naïve heart still hopes for you,
Come to extinguish these last candles too.)

Dukh Fasāna Nahīñ Ki Tujh Se Kaheñ
By Ahmad Faraz

Dukh fasāna nahīñ ki tujh se kaheñ
Dil bhī mānā nahīñ ki tujh se kaheñ
(Grief is not a tale to tell you,
Even my heart doesn’t agree to confide in you.)

Aaj tak apnī bekalī kā sabab
Ḳhud bhī jānā nahīñ ki tujh se kaheñ
(The cause of my restlessness,
Even I haven’t understood to reveal it to you.)

Be-tarah hāl-e-dil hai aur tujh se
Dostāna nahīñ ki tujh se kaheñ
(My heart is in a terrible state,
But there’s no friendship left to share it with you.)

Ek tū harf-e-āshnā thā magar
Ab zamāna nahīñ ki tujh se kaheñ
(You were once familiar with my words,
But now the world has changed, so I cannot tell you.)

Qāsidā ham faqīr logoñ kā
Ik Ṭhikāna nahīñ ki tujh se kaheñ
(We, the wanderers, have no abode,
Not something I can explain to you.)

Ai ḳhudā dard-e-dil hai baḳhshish-e-dost
Āb-o-dāna nahīñ ki tujh se kaheñ
(O God, this heartache is a gift from a friend,
It is neither sustenance nor bread to disclose to you.)

Ab to apnā bhī us galī meñ 'Farāz'
Ānā jānā nahīñ ki tujh se kaheñ
(Now even my own comings and goings in that street, Faraz,
Are no more, and I can’t bring myself to tell you.)

Abhi Kuchh Aur Karishme Ghazal Ke Dekhte Hain
By Ahmad Faraz

Abhi kuchh aur karishme ghazal ke dekhte hain
'Farāz', ab zara lahja badal ke dekhte hain
(Let’s witness some more marvels of poetry,
Faraz, let’s try changing the tone for once.)

Judāiyañ to muqaddar haiñ phir bhī jaan-e-safar
Kuchh aur duur zara saath chal ke dekhte hain
(Separation is our fate, dear fellow traveler,
Yet, let’s walk together a little further to see.)

Rah-e-vafā meñ harīf-e-Khirām koī to ho
So apne āp se aage nikal ke dekhte hain
(In the path of loyalty, there must be a worthy rival,
So let’s surpass ourselves and see.)

Tū sāmne hai to phir kyuuñ yaqīn nahīñ aatā
Ye bar-bar jo āñkhoñ ko mal ke dekhte hain
(You’re in front of me, yet why can’t I believe?
Why do I keep rubbing my eyes repeatedly to see?)

Ye kaun log haiñ maujūd terī mahfil meñ
Jo lālachoñ se tujhe mujh ko jal ke dekhte hain
(Who are these people present in your gathering,
Who envy me and burn, consumed by their greed?)

Ye qurb kyā hai ki yak-jān hue na duur rahe
Hazār ek hī qālib meñ Dhal ke dekhte hain
(What is this closeness, neither united nor apart,
Yet molded into one form to see a thousand times?)

Na tujh ko maṭ huī hai na mujh ko maṭ huī
So ab ke donoñ hī chāleñ badal ke dekhte hain
(Neither you nor I have been deceived,
This time, let’s both change our moves and see.)

Ye kaun hai sar-e-sāhil ke Ḍubne vāle
Samundaroñ kī tahoñ se uchhal ke dekhte hain
(Who are these drowning ones on the shore,
Leaping up from the depths of the oceans to see?)

Abhī talak to na kundan hue na rakh hue
Ham apnī āg meñ har roz jal ke dekhte hain
(Till now, we’ve neither become pure gold nor ashes,
Daily, we burn in our fire to see what emerges.)

Bahut dinoñ se nahīñ hai kuchh us kī ḳhair-ḳhabar
Chalo 'Farāz' ko ai yār chal ke dekhte hain
(For days, there’s been no news of him,
Come, friend, let’s go and seek Faraz to see.)

Is Se Pahle Ki Be-Vafā Ho Jaa.eñ
By Ahmad Faraz

Is se pahle ki be-vafā ho jaa.eñ
Kyuuñ na ai dost ham judā ho jaa.eñ
(Before we betray each other,
Why not, my friend, part ways now?)

Tū bhī hīre se ban gayā patthar
Ham bhī kal jaane kyā se kyā ho jaa.eñ
(You, once a gem, have turned to stone,
Who knows what we may become tomorrow?)

Tū ki yaktā thā be-shumār huā
Ham bhī TūTeñ to jā-ba-jā ho jaa.eñ
(You, once unique, have multiplied,
If we break, we’ll scatter everywhere.)

Ham bhī majbūriyoñ kā uzr kareñ
Phir kahīñ aur mubtalā ho jaa.eñ
(We too may excuse our compulsions,
And get entangled elsewhere.)

Ham agar manzileñ na ban paa.e
Manziloñ tak kā rāstā ho jaa.eñ
(If we cannot become the destination,
Let’s become the path leading to it.)

Der se soch meñ haiñ parvāne
Raakh ho jaa.eñ yā havā ho jaa.eñ
(The moths ponder for long—
Should they turn to ash or become air?)

Ishq bhī khel hai nasīboñ kā
Ḳhaak ho jaa.eñ kīmiyā ho jaa.eñ
(Love too is a game of fate—
Shall we turn to dust or alchemy?)

Ab ke gar tū mile to ham tujh se
Aise lipTeñ tirī qabā ho jaa.eñ
(If we meet again, I’ll cling to you,
And become one with your robe.)

Bandagī ham ne chhoḌ dī hai 'Farāz'
Kyā kareñ log jab ḳhudā ho jaa.eñ
(We’ve given up devotion, Faraz,
What can one do when people become gods?)

Teri Baaten Hi Sunane Aae
By Ahmad Faraz

Teri baaten hi sunane aae
Dost bhi dil hi dukhane aae
(They came only to hear my tales,
Even friends arrived to break my heart.)

Phul khilte hain to hum sochte hain
Tere aane ke zamane aae
(When flowers bloom, I think to myself,
Perhaps it is time for your return.)

Aisi kuchh chup si lagi hai jaise
Hum tujhe haal sunane aae
(A strange silence prevails, as though
I’ve come to share my plight with you.)

Ishq tanha hai sar-e-manzil-e-gham
Kaun ye bojh uThane aae
(Love stands alone at the sorrow’s peak,
Who has come to shoulder this burden?)

Ajnabi dost hamein dekh ki hum
Kuchh tujhe yaad dilane aae
(O strange friend, look at me—
I’ve come to remind you of something.)

Dil dhaDakta hai safar ke hangam
Kash phir koi bulane aae
(The heart races during this journey,
If only someone would call me back.)

Ab to rone se bhi dil dukhta hai
Shayad ab hosh Thikane aae
(Now even crying brings pain to my heart,
Perhaps now sanity will find its place.)

Kya kahin phir koi basti ujDi
Log kyun jashn manane aae
(Has another settlement been ruined somewhere?
Why have people gathered to celebrate?)

So raho maut ke pahlu mein 'Faraz'
Nind kis waqt na jaane aae
(Sleep beside death, O Faraz—
Who knows when slumber will finally come?)

Shām-e-Ġham Kī Sahar Nahīñ Hotī
By Ibn-e-Insha

Shām-e-ġham kī sahar nahīñ hotī
Yā hamīñ ko ḳhabar nahīñ hotī
(The night of sorrow never dawns,
Or perhaps we remain unaware.)

Ham ne sab dukh jahāñ ke dekhe haiñ
Bekalī is qadar nahīñ hotī
(We have seen all the sorrows of the world,
But never have we felt such restlessness.)

Naala yuuñ nā-rasā nahīñ rahtā
Aah yuuñ be-asar nahīñ hotī
(A cry does not remain unanswered,
A sigh is never this ineffective.)

Chāñd hai kahkashāñ hai taare haiñ
Koī shai nāma-bar nahīñ hotī
(The moon, the stars, the galaxy—they exist,
Yet no message bearer is ever found.)

Ek jāñ-soz o nā-murād ḳhalish
Is taraf hai udhar nahīñ hotī
(A soul-burning, unfulfilled ache exists here,
But it’s absent on the other side.)

Dosto ishq hai ḳhatā lekin
Kyā ḳhatā darguzar nahīñ hotī
(Friends, love may be a sin,
But isn’t such a sin forgivable?)

Raat aa kar guzar bhī jaatī hai
Ik hamārī sahar nahīñ hotī
(The night comes and passes,
But our dawn never arrives.)

Be-qarārī sahī nahīñ jaatī
Zindagī muḳhtasar nahīñ hotī
(This restlessness refuses to end,
Life does not feel this brief.)

Ek din dekhne ko aa jaate
Ye havas umr bhar nahīñ hotī
(If only they came to meet for a day,
This longing wouldn’t last a lifetime.)

Husn sab ko ḳhudā nahīñ detā
Har kisī kī nazar nahīñ hotī
(Beauty is not granted to everyone by God,
Nor does everyone have an eye for it.)

Dil piyāla nahīñ gadā.ī kā
Āshiqī dar-ba-dar nahīñ hotī
(The heart is not a beggar’s bowl,
Love does not wander door to door.)

Sadiyon Ke Baad Hosh Mein Jo Aa Raha Hun Main
By Zulfiqar Naqvi

Sadiyon ke baad hosh mein jo aa raha hun main
Lagta hai pahle jurm ko dohra raha hun main
(After centuries, I awaken to consciousness,
It seems I am repeating my first sin.)

Pur-haul wadiyon ka safar hai bahut kaThin
Le ja raha hai shauq chala ja raha hun main
(The journey through the perilous valleys is arduous,
Yet passion carries me forward, and I move ahead.)

Khali hain donon hath aur daman bhi tar tar
Kyun ek musht-e-khaak pe itra raha hun main
(My hands are empty, and my robe is torn,
Why then am I so proud of this handful of dust?)

Shauq-e-visal-e-yar mein ek umr kaT di
Ab baam o dar saje hain to ghabra raha hun main
(In the longing for union with the beloved, I spent a lifetime,
Now that the thresholds are adorned, I find myself anxious.)

Shayad waraq hai paDh liya koi hayat ka
Ban kar faqih-e-shahr jo samjha raha hun main
(Perhaps someone has read the pages of life,
As I, posing as a city sage, offer explanations.)

Sahil pe baiTha dekh ke maujon ka iztirab
Uljhi hui si gutthiyan suljha raha hun main
(Sitting by the shore, observing the restless waves,
I attempt to untangle the knotted threads.)

Tire Ishq Ki Intihā Chāhtā Hūñ
By Allama Iqbal

Tire ishq kī intihā chāhtā huuñ
Mirī sādgī dekh kyā chāhtā huuñ
(I desire the ultimate of your love,
See my simplicity, what I desire?)

Sitam ho ki ho vada-e-be-hijābī
Koī baat sabr-āzmā chāhtā huuñ
(Whether it is cruelty or a promise of abandonment,
I seek something that will test my patience.)

Ye jannat mubārak rahe zāhidoñ ko
Ki maiñ āp kā sāmnā chāhtā huuñ
(Let this paradise be blessed for the ascetics,
For I desire to meet you, my beloved.)

Zarā sā to dil huuñ magar shoḵh itnā
Vahī lan-tarānī sunā chāhtā huuñ
(My heart is tender, yet so mischievous,
I wish to recite the tales of laughter and play.)

Koī dam kā mehmāñ huuñ ai ahl-e-mahfil
Charāġh-e-sahar huuñ bujhā chāhtā huuñ
(I am but a transient guest in your gathering,
A dawn's lamp, I wish to be extinguished.)

Bharī bazm meñ raaz kī baat kah dī
BaḌā be-adab huuñ sazā chāhtā huuñ
(I have revealed a secret in the crowded assembly,
I am quite impudent, and I desire the punishment.)

Kabhi Khud Pe Kabhi Haalat Pe Rona Aaya
By Sahir Ludhianvi

Kabhi KHud pe kabhi haalat pe rona aaya
Baat nikli to har ek baat pe rona aaya
(Sometimes I cried over myself, sometimes over circumstances,
When the conversation began, I ended up crying over everything.)

Hum to samjhe the ki hum bhul gae hain un ko
Kya hua aaj ye kis baat pe rona aaya
(I thought I had forgotten them,
But today, what happened? I ended up crying over this.)

Kis liye jite hain hum kis ke liye jite hain
Barha aise sawalat pe rona aaya
(For whom do we live, why do we live?
I was overwhelmed by such questions and ended up crying.)

Kaun rota hai kisi aur ki Khatir ai dost
Sab ko apni hi kisi baat pe rona aaya
(Who cries for someone else's sake, my friend?
Everyone cries for their own reasons.)

Maiñ Zindagī Kā Saath Nibhātā Chalā Gayā
By Sahir Ludhianvi

Maiñ zindagī kā saath nibhātā chalā gayā
Har fikr ko dhueñ meñ uḌātā chalā gayā
(I continued on with life, letting go of every worry,
I blew away each concern like smoke.)

Barbādiyoñ kā sog manānā fuzūl thā
Barbādiyoñ kā jashn manātā chalā gayā
(Mourning the ruin was useless,
I celebrated the destruction as I moved forward.)

Jo mil gayā usī ko muqaddar samajh liyā
Jo kho gayā maiñ us ko bhulātā chalā gayā
(Whatever I got, I accepted as my fate,
What I lost, I continued to forget as I moved on.)

Gham aur khushi meñ farq na mahsūs ho jahān
Maiñ dil ko us maqām pe laatā chalā gayā
(In a place where I could no longer feel the difference between sorrow and joy,
I brought my heart to that state and kept moving forward.)

Log Har MoḌ Pe Ruk Ruk Ke Sambhalte Kyuuñ Haiñ
By Rahat Indori

Log har moḌ pe ruk ruk ke sambhalte kyuuñ haiñ
Itnā Darte haiñ to phir ghar se nikalte kyuuñ haiñ
(Why do people stop and balance themselves at every turn,
If they are so afraid, then why do they leave their homes?)

Mai-kada zarf ke me.aar kā paimāna hai
ḳhālī shīshoñ kī tarah log uchhalte kyuuñ haiñ
(The wine cup is the measure of one's capacity,
Why do people leap like empty bottles?)

MoḌ hotā hai javānī kā sambhalne ke liye
Aur sab log yahīñ aa ke phisalte kyuuñ haiñ
(There is a curve to navigate in youth,
But why do all come here and slip?)

Niiñd se merā ta.alluq hī nahīñ barsoñ se
ḳhvāb aa aa ke mirī chhat pe Tahalte kyuuñ haiñ
(I have had no connection with sleep for years,
Why do dreams keep walking on my roof?)

Maiñ na jugnū huuñ diyā huuñ na koī taarā huuñ
Raushnī vaale mire naam se jalte kyuuñ haiñ
(I am neither a firefly, nor a star,
Why do the light-bearers burn in my name?)

Na Jism Saath Hamāre Na Jaan Hamārī Taraf
By Rajesh Reddy

Na jism saath hamāre na jaañ hamārī taraf
Hai kuchh bhī ham meñ hamārā kahāñ hamārī taraf
(Neither is the body with us, nor our soul headed in our direction,
There is nothing within us that belongs to us, where is it, our direction?)

KhaḌe haiñ pyāse anā ke isī bharose par
Ki chal ke aa.egā ik din kuaañ hamārī taraf
(Thirsty ones stand with hope that one day,
A well will come walking towards us.)

BichhaḌte waqt vo taqsīm kar gayā mausam
Bahār us kī taraf hai ḳhizāñ hamārī taraf
(When we parted, he divided the seasons,
Spring went towards him, autumn towards us.)

Isī umiid pe kirdār ham nibhāte rahe
Ki ruḳh karegī kabhī dāstāñ hamārī taraf
(On this hope, we continued playing our roles,
That one day, the story will turn towards us.)

Kahāñ kahāñ na chhupe bastiyāñ jalā ke magar
Jahāñ jahāñ ga.e aayā dhuāñ hamārī taraf
(Wherever we hid, burning cities,
Wherever we went, the smoke came towards us.)

Lagā ke jaan kī baazī jise bachāyā thā
Khiñchī huī hai usī kī kamāñ hamārī taraf
(The one we had saved by risking our lives,
Has now pulled his weapon towards us.)

Uchhāl dete haiñ patthar ḳhalā meñ ham jo kabhī
PalaT ke dekhtā hai āsmāñ hamārī taraf
(We throw stones into the empty sky sometimes,
And the heavens turn around to look towards us)

Ittifāq Apnī Jagah Ḳhush-Qismatī Apnī Jagah
By Anwar Shuoor

Ittifāq apnī jagah ḳhush-qismatī apnī jagah
Ḳhud banātā hai jahāñ meñ aadmī apnī jagah
(Coincidence has its place, fortune has its own,
Man creates his own place in the world.)

Kah to saktā huuñ magar majbūr kar saktā nahīñ
Iḳhtiyār apnī jagah hai bebasī apnī jagah
(I can speak, but I cannot compel,
Choice has its place, helplessness its own.)

Kuchh na kuchh sachchā.ī hotī hai nihāñ har baat meñ
Kahne vaale Thiik kahte haiñ sabhī apnī jagah
(There is some truth hidden in every statement,
Everyone who speaks is right in their own way.)

Sirf us ke hoñT kāġhaz par banā detā huuñ maiñ
Ḳhud banā letī hai hoñToñ par hañsī apnī jagah
(I merely sketch her lips on paper,
Her smile finds its own place upon them.)

Dost kahtā huuñ tumheñ shā.er nahīñ kahtā 'shu.ūr'
Dostī apnī jagah hai shā.erī apnī jagah
(I call you a friend, not a poet, O 'Shuoor,'
Friendship has its place, poetry its own.)

Zindagi Yun Hui Basar Tanha
By Gulzar

Zindagi yun hui basar tanha
Qafila sath aur safar tanha
(Life passed by, solitary,
With a caravan, yet the journey lonely.)

Apne sae se chaunk jate hain
Umr guzri hai is qadar tanha
(Startled by my own shadow,
Life has been this lonely.)

Raat bhar baaten karte hain tare
Raat kaTe koi kidhar tanha
(Stars talk all night long,
Where can one actually find the total stillness to pass the night.)

Dubne wale par ja utre
Naqsh-e-pa apne chhoD kar tanha
(He who sank left behind
His footprints, solitary.)

Din guzarta nahin hai logon mein
Raat hoti nahin basar tanha
(The day doesn’t pass amidst people,
And the night remains solitary.)

Hum ne darwaze tak to dekha tha
Phir na jaane gae kidhar tanha
(I only saw up to the door,
Where he went afterward, I don’t know, alone.)

Is Safar Mein Niind Aisi Kho Gayi
By Rahi Masoom Raza

Is safar mein niind aisi kho ga.ī
Ham na so.e raat thak kar so ga.ī
(On this journey, sleep was so lost,
We didn’t sleep; the night, exhausted, slept.)

Dāman-e-mauj-e-sabā ḳhālī huā
Bū-e-gul dasht-e-vafā meñ kho ga.ī
(The breeze’s hem was left empty,
The flower’s fragrance was lost in the desert of loyalty.)

Haa.e is parchhā.iyoñ ke shahr meñ
Dil sī ik zinda haqīqat kho ga.ī
(Alas, in this city of shadows,
A living truth like the heart was lost.)

Ham ne jab hañs kar kahā mamnūn haiñ
Zindagī jaise pashemāñ ho ga.ī
(When we laughed and said we were grateful,
Life seemed as if it was regretful.)

Aankh Mein Pani Rakho By Rahat Indori

aankh mein pani rakho honTon pe chingari rakho
zinda rahna hai to tarkiben bahut sari rakho
(Keep tears in your eyes, sparks on your lips,
If you wish to stay alive, keep countless tricks.)

rah ke patthar se baDh kar kuchh nahin hain manzilen
raste aawaz dete hain safar jari rakho
(No destination is greater than the stones on the path,
The roads call out—keep the journey intact.)

ek hi naddi ke hain ye do kinare dosto
dostana zindagi se maut se yari rakho
(These two banks belong to the same river, friends,
Befriend life, but keep camaraderie with death in the end.)

aate jate pal ye kahte hain hamare kan mein
kuch ka ailan hone ko hai tayyari rakho
(Passing moments whisper softly into our ears,
Something's about to unfold—be prepared, no fears.)

ye zaruri hai ki aankhon ka bharam qaem rahe
nind rakho ya na rakho KHwab meyari rakho
(It’s vital to maintain the illusion of your eyes,
Sleep if you must, but keep dreams of the highest guise.)

ye hawaen uD na jaen le ke kaghaz ka badan
dosto mujh par koi patthar zara bhaari rakho
(Let not these winds carry away a paper-thin being,
Friends, place a stone upon me, heavier than the unseen.)

le to aae shairi bazar mein 'rahat' miyan
kya zaruri hai ki lahje ko bhi bazari rakho
(You’ve brought poetry to the market, Rahat my friend,
But must you also make your tone the market’s trend?)

Yahan Har ShaKHs Har Pal Hadsa Hone Se Darta Hai
By Rajesh Reddy

yahan har shaKHs har pal hadsa hone se Darta hai
khilauna hai jo miTTi ka fana hone se Darta hai
(Here, every person fears a calamity at every moment,
A clay toy dreads its inevitable destruction.)

mere dil ke kisi kone mein ek masum sa bachcha
baDon ki dekh kar duniya baDa hone se Darta hai
(In a corner of my heart lives an innocent child,
Seeing the world of grown-ups, it fears growing old and wild.)

na bas mein zindagi us ke na qabu maut par us ka
magar insan phir bhi kab KHuda hone se Darta hai
(Neither life nor death is under his control,
Yet when has man ever feared playing god.)

ajab ye zindagi ki qaid hai duniya ka har insan
rihai mangta hai aur riha hone se Darta hai
(What a strange prison this life is—every soul desires freedom,
Yet dreads liberation and its ensuing rhythm.)

Ab Kya Bataen TuTe Hain Kitne Kahan Se Hum
By Rajesh Reddy

ab kya bataen TuTe hain kitne kahan se hum
KHud ko sameTte hain yahan se wahan se hum
(How can we recount the places and ways we’ve broken?
We gather ourselves here and there, softly spoken.)

kya jaane kis jahan mein milega hamein sukun
naraaz hain zamin se KHafa aasman se hum
(Who knows which realm will grant us peace?
We’re upset with the earth and angry with the skies' caprice.)

ab to sarab hi se bujhane lage hain pyas
lene lage hain kaam yaqin ka guman se hum
(Now we quench our thirst with mirages alone,
Relying on guesses more than certainties shown.)

lekin hamari aankhon ne kuchh aur kah diya
kuchh aur kahte rah gae apni zaban se hum
(But our eyes spoke truths our tongues did not,
What we wanted to say, our words forgot.)

aaine se ulajhta hai jab bhi hamara aks
haT jate hain bacha ke nazar darmiyan se hum
(Whenever our reflection tangles with the mirror’s frame,
We step aside, averting eyes, hiding shame.)

milte nahin hain apni kahani mein hum kahin
ghaeb hue hain jab se teri dastan se hum
(We don’t find ourselves in our story anymore,
Ever since we have vanished from yours.)

gham bik rahe the mele mein KHushiyon ke nam par
mayus ho ke lauTe hain har ek dukan se hum
(Griefs were sold in the fair under happiness’s guise,
Disappointed, we returned from every stall’s lies.)

Jaane Kitnī UḌaan Baaqī Hai
By Rajesh Reddy

jaane kitnī uḌaan baaqī hai
is parinde meñ jaan baaqī hai
(Who knows how many flights are still left,
This bird still has a breath’s heft.)

jitnī baTnī thī baT chukī ye zamīñ
ab to bas āsmān baaqī hai
(The earth has been divided as much as it could be,
Now, only the skies remain free.)

ab vo duniyā ajiib lagtī hai
jis meñ amn-o-amān baaqī hai
(That world now feels strange to perceive,
Where peace and harmony still believe.)

imtihāñ se guzar ke kyā dekhā
ik nayā imtihān baaqī hai
(After passing through one test, what did I find?
A new trial awaits, undefined.)

sar qalam hoñge kal yahāñ un ke
jin ke muñh meñ zabān baaqī hai
(Tomorrow, their heads will roll here,
For those whose tongues still dare.)

Ghar Se Nikle The Hausla Kar Ke
By Rajesh Reddy

ghar se nikle the hausla kar ke
lauT aa.e ḳhudā ḳhudā kar ke
(We left home with courage in our stride,
Returned, invoking God, with nothing by our side.)

dard-e-dil pāoge vafā kar ke
ham ne dekhā hai tajraba kar ke
(You’ll find heartache through loyalty’s embrace,
We’ve seen it firsthand, through trials we face.)

log sunte rahe dimāġh kī baat
ham chale dil ko rahnumā kar ke
(People listened to the voice of reason and mind,
We followed our heart, leaving logic behind.)

kis ne paayā sukūn duniyā meñ
zindagānī kā sāmnā kar ke
(Who has ever found peace in this world,
Facing life head-on, its chaos unfurled?)

zindagī to kabhī nahīñ aa.ī
maut aa.ī zarā zarā kar ke
(Life never came to us, no matter how we tried,
Death arrived instead, little by little, in stride.)

Jaane Tū Kyā DhūñDh Rahā Hai Bastī Meñ Vīrāne Meñ
By Ibn-e-Insha

jaane tū kyā DhūñDh rahā hai bastī meñ vīrāne meñ
lailā to ai qais milegī dil ke daulat-ḳhāne meñ
(Who knows what you’re seeking in this desolate town,
Laila will be found in the treasure chest of the heart, not in renown.)

janam janam ke sātoñ dukh haiñ us ke māthe par tahrīr
apnā aap miTānā hogā ye tahrīr miTāne meñ
(On her forehead is written the sorrow of countless lives,
To erase this, one must erase oneself, no lies.)

mahfil meñ us shaḳhs ke hote kaif kahāñ se aatā hai
paimāne se āñkhoñ meñ yā āñkhoñ se paimāne meñ
(What joy can come from the presence of that person,
It flows either from the cup to the eyes or from the eyes to the cup’s essence.)

kis kā kis kā haal sunāyā tū ne ai afsāna-go
ham ne ek tujhī ko DhūñDā is saare afsāne meñ
(Whose story did you recount, O storyteller, so divine?
We searched for only you in this entire tale, line by line.)

is bastī meñ itne ghar the itne chehre itne log
aur kisī ke dar pe na pahuñchā aisā hosh divāne meñ
(This town had so many houses, faces, and souls,
Yet he reached only the door of the beloved, such sanity in his insanity.)

Ruh Pyasi Kahan Se Aati Hai
By Jaun Elia

ruh pyasi kahan se aati hai
ye udasi kahan se aati hai
(Where does the thirsty soul come from?
Where does this sadness arise from?)

hai wo yak-sar supurdagi to bhala
bad-hawasi kahan se aati hai
(When there is complete surrender, what is wrong with that?
Where does this restlessness come from?)

wo ham-aghosh hai to phir dil mein
na-shanasi kahan se aati hai
(If there is an embrace, then where does the feeling of unfamiliarity
come from in the heart?)

ek zindan-e-be-dili aur sham
ye saba si kahan se aati hai
(A prison of helplessness and the evening,
Where does the breeze come from?)

tu hai pahlu mein phir teri KHushbu
ho ke basi kahan se aati hai
(You are beside me, and so your scent,
Where does it come from rotten and stale?)

dil hai shab-soKHta so ai ummid
tu nida si kahan se aati hai
(The heart is burning in the night, so hope,
Where does your call come from?)

main hun tujh mein aur aas hun teri
to nirasi kahan se aati hai
(I am in you, and hope is in me,
Then where does despair come from?)

Saare Rishte Tabāh Kar Aayā
By Jaun Elia

saare rishte tabāh kar aayā
dil-e-barbād apne ghar aayā
(I ruined all my relationships,
The devastated heart returned to its home.)

āḳhirash ḳhuun thūkne se miyāñ
baat meñ terī kyā asar aayā
(After spitting blood, sir,
What impact did your words have?)

thā ḳhabar meñ ziyāñ dil o jaañ kā
har taraf se maiñ be-ḳhabar aayā
(I was aware of the loss to heart and life,
Yet I arrived unaware of everything else.)

ab yahāñ hosh meñ kabhī apne
nahīñ ā.ūñgā maiñ agar aayā
(If I return here again,
I will never come in my senses.)

maiñ rahā umr bhar judā ḳhud se
yaad maiñ ḳhud ko umr bhar aayā
(I spent a lifetime separated from myself,
Yet I remembered myself all through life.)

vo jo dil naam kā thā ek nafar
aaj maiñ is se bhī mukar aayā
(That entity called the heart,
Today, I have even denied its existence.)

muddatoñ ba.ad ghar gayā thā maiñ
jaate hī maiñ vahāñ se Dar aayā
(After ages, I went home,
But as soon as I arrived, I returned in fear.)

Abhi Ek Shor Sa Utha Hai Kahin
By Jaun Elia

abhi ek shor sa uTha hai kahin
koi KHamosh ho gaya hai kahin
(A sudden noise has risen somewhere,
Someone has fallen silent somewhere.)

hai kuchh aisa ki jaise ye sab kuchh
is se pahle bhi ho chuka hai kahin
(It feels as if all of this,
Has happened before somewhere.)

tujh ko kya ho gaya ki chizon ko
kahin rakhta hai DhunDhta hai kahin
(What has happened to you,
You place things somewhere and search for them elsewhere.)

jo yahan se kahin na jata tha
wo yahan se chala gaya hai kahin
(The one who never left this place,
Has now departed to somewhere unknown.)

aaj shamshan ki si bu hai yahan
kya koi jism jal raha hai kahin
(Today there is a crematorium-like scent here,
Is a body burning somewhere?)

hum kisi ke nahin jahan ke siwa
aisi wo KHas baat kya hai kahin
(We belong to no one but this world,
What is that special thing elsewhere?)

tu mujhe DhunD main tujhe DhunDun
koi hum mein se rah gaya hai kahin
(You search for me, I search for you,
One of us is left behind somewhere.)

kitni wahshat hai darmiyan-e-hujum
jis ko dekho gaya hua hai kahin
(Such terror fills the crowded space,
Whoever you see has vanished somewhere.)

main to ab shahr mein kahin bhi nahin
kya mera nam bhi likha hai kahin
(I am nowhere in this city anymore,
Is my name inscribed somewhere?)

isi kamre se koi ho ke widaa
isi kamre mein chhup gaya hai kahin
(Someone departed from this very room,
And hid themselves within it somewhere.)

mil ke har shaKHs se hua mahsus
mujh se ye shaKHs mil chuka hai kahin
(Meeting everyone, I felt this,
That this person has met me before somewhere.)

Umr Guzregī Imtihān Meñ Kyā
By Jaun Elia

umr guzregī imtihān meñ kyā
daaġh hī deñge mujh ko daan meñ kyā
(A lifetime will pass in trials,
Will they gift me scars as offerings?)

merī har baat be-asar hī rahī
nuqs hai kuchh mire bayān meñ kyā
(None of my words had any effect,
Is there a flaw in my expression?)

mujh ko to koī Toktā bhī nahīñ
yahī hotā hai ḳhāndān meñ kyā
(No one even stops me,
Is this how it is in a family?)

apnī mahrūmiyāñ chhupāte haiñ
ham ġharīboñ kī ān-bān meñ kyā
(We hide our deprivations,
In the betterment of the poor?)

ḳhud ko jaanā judā zamāne se
aa gayā thā mire gumān meñ kyā
(I considered myself apart from the world,
Did this thought ever cross my mind?)

shaam hī se dukān-e-dīd hai band
nahīñ nuqsān tak dukān meñ kyā
(The shop of sights has been closed since evening,
Is there no loss even in this shop?)

ai mire sub.h-o-shām-e-dil kī shafaq
tū nahātī hai ab bhī baan meñ kyā
(O twilight of my heart's dawn and dusk,
Do you still bathe in the stream,the Baan of Almora?)

bolte kyuuñ nahīñ mire haq meñ
aable paḌ ga.e zabān meñ kyā
(Why don’t they speak in my favor?
Has their tongue grown blisters?)

ḳhāmushī kah rahī hai kaan meñ kyā
aa rahā hai mire gumān meñ kyā
(What is silence whispering in my ear?
What thoughts are entering my mind?)

dil ki aate haiñ jis ko dhyān bahut
ḳhud bhī aatā hai apne dhyān meñ kyā

(Heart that thinks of everything else, 
does it ever think of itself,shouldnt it once in a while think of itself.?)

vo mile to ye pūchhnā hai mujhe
ab bhī huuñ maiñ tirī amaan meñ kyā
(If I meet him, I want to ask,
Am I still safe in your trust?)

yuuñ jo taktā hai āsmān ko tū
koī rahtā hai āsmān meñ kyā
(As you keep staring at the sky,
Is someone dwelling there?)

hai nasīm-e-bahār gard-ālūd
ḳhaak uḌtī hai us makān meñ kyā
(The spring breeze is dust-laden,
Is dust rising in that house?)

ye mujhe chain kyuuñ nahīñ paḌtā
ek hī shaḳhs thā jahān meñ kyā
(Why can I not find peace?
Was there only one person in this world?)

Be-nām Sā Ye Dard Thahar Kyuuñ Nahīñ Jaatā
By Nida Fazli

be-nām sā ye dard Thahar kyuuñ nahīñ jaatā
jo biit gayā hai vo guzar kyuuñ nahīñ jaatā
(This nameless pain, why does it not settle?
Why does the past refuse to pass away?)

sab kuchh to hai kyā DhūñDhtī rahtī haiñ nigāheñ
kyā baat hai maiñ vaqt pe ghar kyuuñ nahīñ jaatā
(Everything is here, yet what are these eyes searching for?
What is it that keeps me from returning home on time?)

vo ek hī chehra to nahīñ saare jahāñ meñ
jo duur hai vo dil se utar kyuuñ nahīñ jaatā
(It isn’t the only face in this entire world,
Why does the distant one not fade from my heart?)

maiñ apnī hī uljhī huī rāhoñ kā tamāsha
jaate haiñ jidhar sab maiñ udhar kyuuñ nahīñ jaatā
(I am a spectacle of my own tangled paths,
Why don’t I follow where everyone else goes?)

vo ḳhvāb jo barsoñ se na chehra na badan hai
vo ḳhvāb havāoñ meñ bikhar kyuuñ nahīñ jaatā
(That dream, for years without a face or form,
Why does it not scatter into the air?)

Apni Marzi Se Kahan Apne Safar Ke Hum Hain
By Nida Fazli

apni marzi se kahan apne safar ke hum hain
ruKH hawaon ka jidhar ka hai udhar ke hum hain
(We do not control the course of our journey,
We go wherever the winds direct us.)

pahle har chiz thi apni magar ab lagta hai
apne hi ghar mein kisi dusre ghar ke hum hain
(Once, everything felt like it was ours, but now it seems,
We belong to another home within our own.)

waqt ke sath hai miTTi ka safar sadiyon se
kis ko malum kahan ke hain kidhar ke hum hain
(For centuries, the soil has traveled with time,
Who knows where we come from or where we are headed?)

chalte rahte hain ki chalna hai musafir ka nasib
sochte rahte hain kis rahguzar ke hum hain
(We keep moving, for it is the fate of a traveler,
Yet we wonder which path truly belongs to us.)

hum wahan hain jahan kuchh bhi nahin rasta na dayar
apne hi khoe hue sham o sahar ke hum hain
(We are where there is nothing—no road, no destination,
Lost in the twilight and dawn of our own making.)

gintiyon mein hi gine jate hain har daur mein hum
har qalamkar ki be-nam KHabar ke hum hain
(In every age, we are merely counted among numbers,
Anonymous whispers in the records of every writer.)

Tera Chup Rahna Mere Zehn Mein Kya BaiTh Gaya
By Tahjeeb Hafi

tera chup rahna mere zehn mein kya baiTh gaya
itni aawazen tujhe din ki gala baiTh gaya
(Your silence has settled deeply in my mind,
So many voices, yet the day lost its strength to speak.)

yun nahin hai ki faqat main hi use chahta hun
jo bhi us peD ki chhanw mein gaya baiTh gaya
(It’s not just me who adores its shade,
Whoever sat under that tree stayed rooted there.)

itna miTha tha wo ghusse bhara lahja mat puchh
us ne jis jis ko bhi jaane ka kaha baiTh gaya
(That anger-filled tone was strangely sweet,
Everyone he bid farewell simply stayed behind.)

apna laDna bhi mohabbat hai tumhein ilm nahin
chiKHti tum rahi aur mera gala baiTh gaya
(You don’t realize, our quarrels are a kind of love,
You kept shouting while my voice quietly faded.)

us ki marzi wo jise pas biTha le apne
is pe kya laDna fulan meri jagah baiTh gaya
(It’s his choice who sits by his side,
Why argue? Someone else took my place today.)

baat dariyaon ki suraj ki na teri hai yahan
do qadam jo bhi mere sath chala baiTh gaya
(This isn’t about rivers, the sun, or even you,
Whoever walked a few steps with me chose to rest.)

bazm-e-jaanan mein nashisten nahin hotin maKHsus
jo bhi ek bar jahan baiTh gaya baiTh gaya
(In the gathering of beloveds, no seat is reserved,
Whoever sat down once, remained seated forever.)

Tum Itna Jo Muskara Rahe Ho
By Kaifi Azmi

tum itnā jo muskurā rahe ho
kyā ġham hai jis ko chhupā rahe ho
(You smile so much,
What sorrow are you hiding?)

āñkhoñ meñ namī hañsī laboñ par
kyā haal hai kyā dikhā rahe ho
(Moist eyes, a smile on your lips,
What is your condition, what are you showing?)

ban jā.eñge zahr piite piite
ye ashk jo piite jā rahe ho
(Drinking these tears will turn them to poison,
Why do you keep drinking them?)

jin zaḳhmoñ ko vaqt bhar chalā hai
tum kyuuñ unheñ chheḌe jā rahe ho
(The wounds that time was healing,
Why do you keep scratching them?)

rekhāoñ kā khel hai muqaddar
rekhāoñ se maat khā rahe ho
(Destiny is just a play of lines,
Why are you losing to them?)

Dilbar Se Hum Apne Jab Milenge
By Meer Hasan

dilbar se hum apne jab milenge
is gum-shuda dil se tab milenge
(When we meet our beloved,
We’ll reunite with this lost heart.)

ye kis ko KHabar hai ab ke bichhDe
kya jaaniye us se kab milenge
(Who knows, now that we are apart,
When we’ll meet again?)

jaan-o-dil-o-hosh-o-sabr-o-taqat
ek milne se us ke sab milenge
(Life, heart, senses, patience, and strength,
All will be restored when we meet them.)

duniya hai sambhal ke dil lagana
yan log ajab ajab milenge
(Be cautious in giving your heart to the world,
Here, you’ll meet strange and unusual people.)

zahir mein to Dhab nahin hai koi
hum yar se kis sabab milenge
(There’s no apparent excuse,
On what pretext will we meet our beloved?)

hoga kabhi wo bhi daur jo hum
dildar se roz-o-shab milenge
(There’ll be a time when,
We’ll meet our love day and night.)

aaram 'hasan' tabhi to hoga
us lab se jab apne lab milenge
(Relief, Hasan, will only come,
When our lips meet theirs.)

Kaam Ki Baat Main Ne Ki Hi Nahin
By Jaun Eliya

kaam ki baat main ne ki hi nahin
ye mera taur-e-zindagi hi nahin
(I never discussed anything useful,
This has never been my way of life.)

ai umid ai umid-e-nau-maidan
mujh se mayyat teri uThi hi nahin
(O hope, O new field of aspirations,
Your funeral was never carried out by me.)

main jo tha us gali ka mast-e-KHiram
us gali mein meri chali hi nahin
(I, who once wandered carefree in that street,
Never found my stride in it again.)

ye suna hai ki mere kuch ke baad
us ki KHushbu kahin basi hi nahin
(It is said that after me,
Her fragrance settled nowhere else.)

thi jo ek faKHta udas udas
subh wo shaKH se uDi hi nahin
(That dove which sat so forlorn,
Never took flight from the branch in the morning.)

mujh mein ab mera ji nahin lagta
aur sitam ye ki mera ji hi nahin
(I no longer feel at ease within myself,
And the tragedy is, I am no longer myself.)

wo jo rahti thi dil-mohalle mein
phir wo laDki mujhe mili hi nahin
(The girl who once lived in my heart's neighborhood,
I never encountered her again.)

jaiye aur KHak uDaiye aap
ab wo ghar kya ki wo gali hi nahin
(Go on, scatter dust all you want,
What of that house when even the street is no more?)

hae wo shauq jo nahin tha kabhi
hae wo zindagi jo thi hi nahin
(What of the passion that never existed,
What of the life that was never truly lived?)

Donon Jahan Teri Mohabbat Mein Haar Ke
By Faiz

donon jahan teri mohabbat mein haar ke
wo ja raha hai koi shab-e-gham guzar ke
(Having lost both worlds in your love,
Someone departs after enduring the night of sorrow.)

viran hai mai-kada KHum-o-saghar udas hain
tum kya gae ki ruTh gae din bahaar ke
(The tavern lies desolate, cups and decanters forlorn,
Your departure has turned even springtime sullen.)

ek fursat-e-gunah mili wo bhi chaar din
dekhe hain hum ne hausle parwardigar ke
(The chance to sin came but for a mere few days,
We have witnessed the magnanimity of the Almighty.)

duniya ne teri yaad se begana kar diya
tujh se bhi dil-fareb hain gham rozgar ke
(The world has distanced me from your memory,
Even more alluring than you are the worries of livelihood.)

bhule se muskura to diye the wo aaj 'faiz'
mat puchh walwale dil-e-na-karda-kar ke
(Today, they accidentally smiled, O 'Faiz,'
Do not ask the thrill it brought to an unfulfilled heart.)

Aap Ki Yaad Aati Rahi Raat Bhar
By Faiz

aap kī yaad aatī rahī raat bhar
chāñdnī dil dukhātī rahī raat bhar
(Your memory kept coming to me throughout the night,
The moonlight kept aching my heart all night long.)

gaah jaltī huī gaah bujhtī huī
sham-e-ġham jhilmilātī rahī raat bhar
(At times burning, at times fading,
The evening of sorrow shimmered throughout the night.)

koī ḳhushbū badaltī rahī pairahan
koī tasvīr gaatī rahī raat bhar
(A fragrance kept changing in the attire,
An image kept singing all night long.)

phir sabā sāya-e-shāḳh-e-gul ke tale
koī qissa sunātī rahī raat bhar
(Then the morning breeze under the shade of a flower’s branch,
Kept telling a story throughout the night.)

jo na aayā use koī zanjīr-e-dar
har sadā par bulātī rahī raat bhar
(He who did not come was called by chains of the door,
Every call kept summoning him all night long.)

ek ummīd se dil bahaltā rahā
ik tamannā satātī rahī raat bhar
(A hope kept fluttering my heart,
A desire kept tormenting me all night long.)

Tū Is Qadar Mujhe Apne Qarīb Lagta Hai
By Jaan Nisar Akhtar

tū is qadar mujhe apne qarīb lagtā hai
tujhe alag se jo sochūñ ajiib lagtā hai
(You seem so close to me,
When I think of you differently, it feels strange.)

jise na husn se matlab na ishq se sarokār
vo shaḳhs mujh ko bahut bad-nasīb lagtā hai
(The one who has no concern for beauty or love,
That person seems very unfortunate to me.)

hudūd-e-zāt se bāhar nikal ke dekh zarā
na koī ġhair na koī raqīb lagtā hai
(Step outside the boundaries of your self,
And you will see, there is neither a stranger nor a rival.)

ye dostī ye marāsim ye chāhateñ ye ḳhulūs
kabhī kabhī mujhe sab kuchh ajiib lagtā hai
(This friendship, these relationships, these desires, this sincerity,
At times, it all seems so strange to me.)

ufuq pe duur chamaktā huā koī taarā
mujhe charāġh-e-dayār-e-habīb lagtā hai
(A distant star shining on the horizon,
Seems to me like a lamp in the land of my beloved.)

Ishq Mein Ghairat-e-Jazbaat Ne Rone Na Diya
By Sudarshan Faqir

ishq meñ ġhairat-e-jazbāt ne rone na diyā
varna kyā baat thī kis baat ne rone na diyā
(In love, the pride of emotions did not allow me to cry,
Otherwise, what was it, what was it that stopped me from crying?)

aap kahte the ki rone se na badleñge nasīb
umr bhar aap kī is baat ne rone na diyā
(You used to say that crying won’t change destiny,
For a lifetime, it was your words that stopped me from crying.)

rone vāloñ se kaho un kā bhī ronā ro leñ
jin ko majbūri-e-hālāt ne rone na diyā
(Tell those who cry, to cry their heart out too,
Who, due to the constraints of circumstances, were not allowed to cry.)

tujh se mil kar hameñ ronā thā bahut ronā thā
tañgi-e-vaqt-e-mulāqāt ne rone na diyā
(After meeting you, I had so much to cry about,
But the shortage of time in our meeting did not allow me to cry.)

ek do roz kā sadma ho to ro leñ 'fākir'
ham ko har roz ke sadmāt ne rone na diyā
(If it was the shock of a day or two, I would have cried, 'Faqir',
But the shocks of every day stopped me from crying.)

Kuchh To Duniya Ki Inayat Ne Dil Tod Diya
By Sudarshan Faqir

kuchh to duniyā kī ināyāt ne dil toḌ diyā
aur kuchh talḳhī-e-hālāt ne dil toḌ diyā
(Somehow, the world’s blessings broke my heart,
And some bitterness of circumstances broke my heart.)

ham to samjhe the ke barsāt meñ barsegī sharāb
aa.ī barsāt to barsāt ne dil toḌ diyā
(I thought the rain would bring wine,
But when the rain arrived, it broke my heart.)

dil to rotā rahe or aañkh se aañsū na bahe
ishq kī aisī rivāyāt ne dil toḌ diyā
(The heart continues to cry, but no tears fall,
Such is the tradition of love, it broke my heart.)

vo mire haiñ mujhe mil jā.eñge aa jā.eñge
aise bekār ḳhayālāt ne dil toḌ diyā
(They are mine, they will come to me,
Such futile thoughts broke my heart.)

aap ko pyaar hai mujh se ki nahīñ hai mujh se
jaane kyuuñ aise savālāt ne dil toḌ diyā
(Do you love me or not?
I don't know why such questions broke my heart.)

Dil Ke Diwar-O-Dar Pe Kya Dekha
By Sudarshan Faqir

dil ke diwar-o-dar pe kya dekha
bas tera nam hi likha dekha
(What did I see on the walls and doors of my heart,
Only your name written, I saw.)

teri aankhon mein hum ne kya dekha
kabhi qatil kabhi KHuda dekha
(What did I see in your eyes,
At times a killer, at times God, I saw.)

apni surat lagi parai si
jab kabhi hum ne aaina dekha
(My reflection appeared foreign,
Whenever I looked into the mirror.)

hae andaz tere rukne ka
waqt ko bhi ruka ruka dekha
(Oh, the way you stopped,
Even time seemed to halt, I saw.)

tere jaane mein aur aane mein
hum ne sadiyon ka fasla dekha
(In your leaving and returning,
I saw the distance of centuries.)

phir na aaya KHayal jannat ka
jab tere ghar ka rasta dekha
(Then, the thought of heaven never came,
When I saw the path to your home.)

Mere Dukh Ki Koi Dawa Na Karo
By Sudarshan Faqir

mere dukh kī koī davā na karo
mujh ko mujh se abhī judā na karo
(Do not offer any cure for my sorrow,
Do not separate me from myself yet.)

nāḫudā ko kḫudā kahā hai to phir
duub jaao kḫudā kḫudā na karo
(If non-God has been called God,
Let yourself drown, do not call God.)

ye sikhāyā hai dostī ne hameñ
dost ban kar kabhī vafā na karo
(Friendship has taught me this,
Never be loyal under the guise of friendship.)

ishq hai ishq ye mazāq nahīñ
chand lamhoñ meñ faisla na karo
(Love is love, it is no joke,
Do not make decisions in just a few moments.)

āshiqī ho ki bandagī 'fākir'
be-dilī se to ibtidā na karo
(Whether it is love or devotion, 'Faqir',
Do not begin with a heart full of indifference.)

Meri Zaban Se Meri Dastan Suno To Sahi
By Sudarshan Faqir

meri zaban se meri dastan suno to sahi
yaqin karo na karo mehrban suno to sahi
(Listen to my tale from my lips, just once;
Believe it or not, O kind one, just listen.)

chalo ye man liya mujrim-e-mohabbat hain
hamare jurm ka hum se bayan suno to sahi
(Alright, accept that I am guilty of love;
But hear the confession of my crime from me.)

banoge dost mere tum bhi dushmano ek din
meri hayat ki aah-o-fughan suno to sahi
(Even you, my foes, will one day be my friends;
Listen to the sighs and laments of my life.)

labon ko si ke jo baiThe hain bazm-e-duniya mein
kabhi to un ki bhi KHamoshiyan suno to sahi
(Those who sit silent, their lips sealed in this world’s gathering,
At least once, hear the stories their silence holds.)

Tum Na Ghabrao Mere Zakhm-e-Jigar Ko Dekh Kar
By Sudarshan Faqir

tum na ghabrao mere zakhm-e-jigar ko dekh kar
main na mar jaun tumhaari chashm-e-tar ko dekh kar
(Do not fear, seeing my wounded heart;
I will not die, gazing at your tearful eyes.)

zakhm taza kar raha hun chaaragar ko dekh kar
rasta main ne badal Dala Khizar ko dekh kar
(I deepen my wounds, beholding the healer;
I changed my path, observing Khizar’s way.)

zindagani ek fareb-e-daimi hai sar-ba-sar
mujh pe ye zahir hua sham-o-sahar ko dekh kar
(Life is an everlasting deception, through and through;
This truth dawned upon me, watching dusk and dawn.)

garche un se koi ummid-e-wafa mujh ko nahin
ji bahal jata hai phir bhi nama-bar ko dekh kar
(Though I expect no loyalty from them,
My heart finds solace, seeing the messenger.)

aaj insan se hai insan barsar-e-paikar yun
al-aman shaitan paDhe KHu-e-bashar ko dekh kar
(Today, man is at war with man, such is the plight;
Even Satan seeks refuge, witnessing human nature.)

aadmi mein aadmiyyat ka nishan baqi nahin
bech Dala is ne iman sim-o-zar ko dekh kar
(Humanity’s essence is no longer within man;
He has sold his faith for silver and gold.)

aasman tak to hum ai 'Rifat' rahe garm-e-KHiram
us se aage chal na pae rahbar ko dekh kar
(To the heavens, we journeyed, O ‘Rifat,’ with zeal;
But we could not go further, seeing the guide falter.)

Kisi Ranjish Ko Hawa Do Ki Main Zinda Hun Abhi
By Sudarshan Faqir

kisi ranjish ko hawa do ki main zinda hun abhi
mujh ko ehsas dila do ki main zinda hun abhi
(Stir up some grievance, let me feel alive,
Remind me of my existence, that I am still alive.)

mere rukte hi meri sansen bhi ruk jaengi
fasle aur baDha do ki main zinda hun abhi
(If I stop, my breath will halt as well,
Extend the distance, let me feel alive.)

zahr pine ki to aadat thi zamane walo
ab koi aur dawa do ki main zinda hun abhi
(I was accustomed to drinking poison, O people,
Now offer me another remedy, that I am still alive.)

chalti rahon mein yunhi aankh lagi hai 'fakir'
bhiD logon ki haTa do ki main zinda hun abhi
(I fell asleep walking on the path, 'Faqir,'
Clear this crowd of people, let me feel alive.)

Shāyad Maiñ Zindagī Kī Sahar Le Ke Aa Gayā
By Sudarshan Faqir

shāyad maiñ zindagī kī sahar le ke aa gayā
qātil ko aaj apne hī ghar le ke aa gayā
(Perhaps I have brought the dawn of life along;
Today, I’ve led the executioner to my own home.)

tā-umr DhūñDhtā rahā manzil maiñ ishq kī
anjām ye ki gard-e-safar le ke aa gayā
(A lifetime I sought the destination of love;
The end was this—I returned with the dust of the journey.)

nashtar hai mere haath meñ kāñdhoñ pe mai-kada
lo maiñ ilāj-e-dard-e-jigar le ke aa gayā
(With a scalpel in hand and a tavern on my shoulders,
Behold, I’ve brought the cure for the anguish of my heart.)

'fākir' sanam-kade meñ na aatā maiñ lauT kar
ik zaḳhm bhar gayā thā idhar le ke aa gayā
(O 'Faqir,' I wouldn’t have returned to the idol’s abode,
But a wound here had healed, and I carried it along.)

Jag Mein Aa Kar Idhar Udhar Dekhā
By Khwaja Meer Dard

Jag meñ ā kar idhar udhar dekhā
tū hī āyā nazar jidhar dekhā
(Upon entering the world, I looked here and there,
Yet, wherever I glanced, it was only you I saw.)

Jān se ho ga.e badan ḳhālī
jis taraf tū ne āñkh bhar dekhā
(The soul left the body entirely,
When you cast a full gaze in any direction.)

Nāla fariyād āh aur zārī
aap se ho sakā so kar dekhā
(Complaints, cries, sighs, and laments,
Whatever I could manage, I offered to you.)

Un laboñ ne na kī masīhā.ī
ham ne sau sau tarah se mar dekhā
(Those lips did not perform any healing,
Though in countless ways, we tried to perish.)

Zor āshiq-mizāj hai koī
'dard' ko qissa muḳhtasar dekhā
(Such is the force of a passionate lover,
'Dard' found the tale to be brief.)

Thīk Hai Khud Ko Hum Badalte Haiñ
By Jaun Eliya

Thīk hai Khud ko hum badalte haiñ
shukriyā mashwarat kā chalte haiñ
(Fine, we'll change ourselves now,
Thanks for the advice—we'll move along.)

Ho rahā huuñ maiñ kis tarah barbād
dekhne vāle hāth malte haiñ
(How I am being ruined,
Those watching, wring their hands in dismay.)

Hai vo jaan ab har ek mahfil kī
hum bhī ab ghar se kam nikalte haiñ
(Now they are the soul of every gathering,
And we, too, have stopped stepping out much.)

Kyā takalluf kareñ ye kahne meñ
jo bhī KHush hai hum us se jalte haiñ
(Why hesitate to admit,
We envy anyone who is happy.)

Hai use duur kā safar dar-pesh
hum sambhāle nahīñ sambhalte haiñ
(They have a long journey ahead,
While we struggle to even steady ourselves.)

Tum bano rang tum bano KHushbū
hum to apne suKHan meñ Dhalte haiñ
(You become colors, you become fragrance,
While we, we mold ourselves into our words.)

Main usī tarah to bahaltā huuñ
aur sab jis tarah bahalte haiñ
(I soothe myself in the same old way,
The way everyone else consoles themselves.)

Hai ajab faisle kā sahrā bhī
chal na paḌiye to paañv jalte haiñ
(Even the desert of decisions is strange,
Take no step, and yet the feet still burn.)

Haalat-e-Haal Ke Sabab Haalat-e-Haal Hi Gai
By Jaun Eliya

Haalat-e-haal ke sabab haalat-e-haal hi gai
shauq mein kuchh nahin gaya, shauq ki zindagi gai
(The state of my being destroyed itself by its very nature,
Nothing was lost in passion, yet the life of longing perished.)

Tera firaq jaan-e-jaan aish tha kya mere liye
yani tere firaq mein KHūb sharāb pī gai
(Was your absence a luxury to me, my love?
For in your separation, I indulged deeply in wine.)

Tere visāl ke liye apne kamāl ke liye
haalat-e-dil kī thī KHarāb aur KHarāb kī gai
(For the joy of union with you, for the perfection of my craft,
My heart's condition was bad, and I made it worse deliberately.)

Us kī umīd-e-naz kā hum se ye man thā ki aap
umr guzar dījiye umr guzar dī gai
(Her hope of admiration was that I should spend my life,
And so, I spent my entire life fulfilling that wish.)

Ek hī haadsa to hai aur wo ye ki āj tak
bāat nahīn kahī gai, bāat nahīn sunī gai
(There is only one tragedy, and that is, till today,
Neither was the matter spoken, nor was it ever heard.)

Baad bhī tere jaan-e-jaan dil meñ rahā ajab samān
yaad rahī terī yahān phir terī yaad bhī gai
(Even after you, my love, my heart held a strange treasure,
First, your memory remained here, and then even that faded away.)

Us ke badan ko dī numūd ham ne suKHan meñ aur phir
us ke badan ke wāste ek qabā bhī sī gai
(I gave form to her body through my words,
And then even tailored a garment to adorn her form.)

Mīnā-ba-mīnā mai-ba-mai jam-ba-jam jam-ba-jam
naf piyāle kī tere yaad ajab sahī gai
(Goblet by goblet, cup by cup, vessel by vessel,
In your memory, I drank wine like never before.)

Kahni hai mujh ko ek baat aap se yani aap se
aap ke shahr-e-wasl meñ lazzat-e-hijr bhī gai
(I must tell you something, to you, just to you,
Even in the city of union with you, the sweetness of separation faded.)

Sehn-e-KHayāl-e-yār meñ kī na basar shab-e-firāq
jab se wo chaandnā gayā, jab se wo chaandnī gai
(In the courtyard of my beloved's imagination, the night of separation could not be endured,
Ever since that moonlight disappeared, ever since that radiance was lost.)

Gham Se Bahal Rahe Hain Aap, Aap Bahut Ajeeb Hain
By Pirzada Qasim

Gham se bahal rahe hain aap, aap bahut ajeeb hain
dard mein dhal rahe hain aap, aap bahut ajeeb hain
(You console yourself with grief—how peculiar you are,
You mold yourself into pain—how peculiar you are.)

Saya-e-wasl kab se hai aap ka muntazir magar
hijr mein jal rahe hain aap, aap bahut ajeeb hain
(The shadow of union has long awaited your presence,
Yet you burn in separation—how peculiar you are.)

Apne KHilaf faisla KHud hi likha hai aap ne
hath bhi mal rahe hain aap, aap bahut ajeeb hain
(You’ve written your own verdict against yourself,
And now you wring your hands in despair—how peculiar you are.)

Waqt ne aarzu ki lau der hui bujha bhi di
ab bhi pighal rahe hain aap, aap bahut ajeeb hain
(Time extinguished the flame of desire long ago,
Yet you continue to melt away—how peculiar you are.)

Daera-war hi to hain ishq ke raste tamam
rah badal rahe hain aap, aap bahut ajeeb hain
(The paths of love are circular, all leading to the same place,
Yet you keep changing your route—how peculiar you are.)

Apni talash ka safar KHatm bhi kijiye kabhi
KHwab mein chal rahe hain aap, aap bahut ajeeb hain
(End this journey of searching for yourself someday,
For you wander only in dreams—how peculiar you are.)

Intishaar-o-KHauf Har Ek Sar Mein Hai
By Abdul Mateen Niyaz

Intishaar-o-KHauf har ek sar mein hai
aafiyat se kaun apne ghar mein hai
(Chaos and fear reign over every head,
Who truly resides in peace within their home?)

Zindagi par sab haqiqat khul chuki
tu abhi tak KHwab ke paikar mein hai
(Life has revealed all its truths,
Yet you remain sculpted in the shape of dreams.)

Mutmain insan kahin par bhi nahin
ek si haalat zamane bhar mein hai
(Nowhere is mankind content,
The same unrest pervades the entire world.)

Raat ki chaTTan se subhen tarash
KHwab ki tabir isi patthar mein hai
(Morning is carved out of the rock of night,
The interpretation of dreams lies within this stone.)

JhuT ki ban aai hai chaaron taraf
sach agar hai bhi to pas-manzar mein hai
(Falsehood thrives everywhere,
If truth exists, it lingers in the backdrop.)

Barf ehsasat ki pighla sake
wo sharar mazi ki KHakistar mein hai
(The spark that could melt the ice of emotions,
Lies buried in the ashes of the past.)

TuT jaane tak uDenge hum 'niyaz'
hausla itna to baal-o-par mein hai
(We shall keep soaring until we shatter, O Niyaz,
For there is courage enough in these wings.)

Hum Kahan Aur Tum Kahan Jaanan
By Jaun Eliya

Hum kahan aur tum kahan jaanan
hain kai hijr darmiyan jaanan
(Where are we, and where are you, my dear?
So many separations lie between us, my dear.)

Raegan wasl mein bhi waqt hua
par hua KHub raegan jaanan
(Even in union, the time was wasted,
But oh, how beautifully it was wasted, my dear.)

Mere andar hi to kahin gum hai
kis se puchhun tera nishan jaanan
(Within myself lies your absence,
Who should I ask for your trace, my dear?)

Aalam-e-be-karan-e-rang hai tu
tujh mein Thahrun kahan kahan jaanan
(You are a boundless world of hues,
Where could I pause within you, my dear?)

Main hawaon se kaise pesh aaun
yahi mausam hai kya wahan jaanan
(How should I confront the winds?
Is it the same season there, my dear?)

Raushni bhar gai nigahon mein
ho gae KHwab be-aman jaanan
(My eyes were filled with light,
And dreams turned restless, my dear.)

Dard-mandan-e-ku-e-dildari
gae ghaarat jahan tahan jaanan
(The heart's lovers in agony,
They were ravaged everywhere, my dear.)

Ab bhi jhilon mein aks paDte hain
ab bhi nila hai aasman jaanan
(Still, reflections fall on the lakes,
The sky is still blue, my dear.)

Hai jo pur-KHun tumhaara aks-e-KHayal
zaKHm aae kahan kahan jaanan
(Your bloodstained image in my thoughts,
How many wounds have arrived, my dear?)

Khud Par Koi Tufan Guzar Jaane Ke Dar Se
By Hasan Aziz

Khud par koi tufan guzar jaane ke dar se
main band hun kamre mein bikhar jaane ke dar se
(Out of fear of a storm passing over me,
I am locked in my room, afraid of scattering.)

Ye log mujhe khun ka tajir na samajh len
main tegh liye phirta hun sar jaane ke dar se
(These people should not mistake me for a trader of blood,
I wander with a sword, fearing the loss of my head.)

Har saay pe aahat pe nazar rakhta hun shab bhar
bistar pe nahin jata hun dar jaane ke dar se
(I keep my eyes on every shadow, every sound throughout the night,
I don’t lie on the bed, fearing something might happen.)

Main tootne deta nahin rangon ka tasalsul
zaKHmon ko hara karta hun bhar jaane ke dar se
(I do not let the continuity of colors break,
I make wounds bloom out of fear of them fading.)

Wo man ki mohabbat ki bulandi thi ki us ne
zinda hi na chhodā mujhe mar jaane ke dar se
(It was the height of the love in my heart that he
did not leave me alive, fearing I would die.)

Kuchh jit mein bhi faeda hota nahin phir bhi
wo jang nahin haarta harjaane ke dar se
(Even in some victories, there is no gain, still,
he does not lose the battle, fearing defeat.)

Afsurda 'Hasan' hain mere lashkar ke sipahi
us tak mere zaKHmon ki khabar jaane ke dar se
(My soldiers are disheartened, 'Hasan',
They are afraid of my wounds reaching him.)

Mere Ham-nafas Mere Ham-nawa
By Shakeel Badayuni

Mere ham-nafas mere ham-nawa mujhe dost ban ke dagha na de
main hun dard-e-ishq se jaan-ba-lab mujhe zindagi ki dua na de
(My companion, my confidant, don't betray me as a friend,
I am drowning in the pain of love, don't offer me life’s prayer in the end.)

Mere dagh-e-dil se hai raushni isi raushni se hai zindagi
mujhe dar hai ai mere chaara-gar ye charagh tu hi bujha na de
(From the wounds of my heart, there is light,
It is from this light that my life takes flight.
I fear, oh healer, you may extinguish this flame,
Do not snuff it out, let my life remain.)

Mujhe chhoD de mere haal par tera kya bharosa hai chaara-gar
ye teri nawazish-e-mukhtasar mera dard aur baDha na de
(Leave me to my state, what trust do I have in you, O healer?
Your fleeting kindness may only add to my pain, deeper and truer.)

Mera azm itna buland hai ki parae shoalon ka dar nahin
mujhe khauf aatish-e-gul se hai ye kahin chaman ko jala na de
(My resolve is so strong that I fear not the foreign flames,
It is the fire of the rose I fear, for it may burn the garden with its name.)

Wo uThe hain le ke khum-o-subu are o 'shakil' kahan hai tu
tera jam lene ko bazm mein koi aur hath baDha na de
(They have risen, taking the sorrow and the wine,
Where are you, Shakil, don't let another hand in line.
In the gathering, no one else should reach for the cup divine.)

Bekasi Had Se Jab Guzar Jae
By Jaan Nisar Akhtar

Bekasi had se jab guzar jae
koi ai dil jiye ki mar jae
(When despair crosses every boundary,
Oh heart, one might wish to live or die freely.)

Zindagi se kaho dulhan ban ke
aaj to do ghaDi sanwar jae
(Ask life to adorn itself as a bride,
For just a fleeting moment, let it stride.)

Un ko ji bhar ke dekh lene de
dil ki dhaDkan zara thahar jae
(Let me behold them to my heart's content,
And let my heartbeat pause, even if for a moment.)

Hum hain apni hi jaan ke dushman
kyun ye ilzam un ke sar jae
(I am the enemy of my own soul,
Why should they bear the blame as a whole?)

Mere naghmon se un ka dil na dukhe
gham nahin mujh pe jo guzar jae
(May my songs never hurt their heart,
I’ll endure any sorrow, no matter how sharp.)

Udasiyon Mein Bhi Raste Nikal Leta Hai
By Waseem Barelvi

Udasiyon mein bhi raste nikal leta hai
ajib dil hai, girun to sambhaal leta hai
(Even in despair, it carves out paths anew,
What a strange heart, catching me as I subdue.)

Ye kaisa shaKHs hai, kitni hi achchhi baat kaho
koi burai ka pahlu nikal leta hai
(What kind of person is this, no matter how kind the word,
He still finds a fault, an angle absurd.)

Dhale to hoti hai kuchh aur ehtiyat ki umr
ki bahte bahte ye dariya uchhaal leta hai
(As age ripens, caution should emerge,
Yet this river surges, refusing to converge.)

BaDe-baDon ki tarah-dariyan nahin chaltin
uruj teri KHabar jab zawal leta hai
(Not all waves follow the great ones’ stride,
Your rise is noticed when the tide subsides.)

Jab us ke jam mein ek bund tak nahin hoti
wo meri pyas ko phir bhi sambhaal leta hai
(Even when his goblet holds not a single drop,
He still quenches my thirst, making it stop.)

Sansar Ki Har Shai Ka Itna Hi Fasana Hai
By Sahir Ludhiyanvi

Sansar ki har shai ka itna hi fasana hai
ek dhund se aana hai, ek dhund mein jaana hai
(Every object in this world has a simple tale to tell,
Emerging from a mist, and into a mist it must dwell.)

Ye rah kahan se hai, ye rah kahan tak hai
ye raaz koi rahi samjha hai na jaana hai
(Where does this path begin, where does it lead?
No traveler has understood, nor has anyone perceived.)

Ek pal ki palak par hai Thahri hui ye duniya
ek pal ke jhapakne tak har khel suhana hai
(This world is perched on the blink of an eye,
Every game is delightful until that moment goes by.)

Kya jaane koi kis par kis moD pe kya bite
is rah mein ai rahi har moD bahana hai
(Who knows what fate awaits at any turn on the way,
Every bend on this path is but an excuse to sway.)

Hum log khilauna hain ek aise khilaDi ka
jis ko abhi sadiyon tak ye khel rachana hai
(We are mere playthings of a player so divine,
Who will continue this game for centuries of time.)

Lutf Wo Ishq Mein Pae Hain
By Dagh Dehlavi

Lutf wo ishq mein pae hain ki ji jaanta hai
ranj bhi aise uthāe hain ki ji jaanta hai
(Such pleasures have been found in love that only the heart knows,
And such sorrows have been borne that only the heart knows.)

Jo zamaane ke sitam hain wo zamaana jaane
tu ne dil itne satāe hain ki ji jaanta hai
(The cruelties of the world, let the world understand,
But you have tormented this heart so much that only it knows.)

Tum nahin jaante ab tak ye tumhaare andaz
wo mere dil mein samāe hain ki ji jaanta hai
(You still don’t know that your ways,
Have nestled deep in my heart, only it knows.)

Inhi qadmon ne tumhaare inhi qadmon ki qasam
khāk mein itne milāe hain ki ji jaanta hai
(By these very steps of yours, I swear by them,
They have been trampled into dust so much that only the heart knows.)

Dosti mein teri dar-pardā hamaare dushman
is qadar apne parāe hain ki ji jaanta hai
(In your friendship, hidden enemies have emerged,
So much so that our own feel like strangers, only the heart knows.)