Life is beautiful

yeh arzu thi tujhe gul ke rubaru karte
ham aur bulbul-e betab guftagu karte.
payambar na muyassar hua to khub hua
zaban-e ghair se kya sharh-e arzu karte.
meri tarah se mah-o mihr bhi hain avara
kisi habib ki yih bhi hain justaju karte.
jo dekhte tere zanjir-e zulf ka alam
asir hone ki azad arzu karte.
na puch alam-e bargashta-tali’i Atish
barasti ag jo baran ki arzu karte.
-Khvajah Haidar 'Ali 'Atish' (1777-1847)

(‘My desire was to set you opposite the rose
so I might discuss you with the pining nightingale.
It was good that no messenger was available:
how could another’s tongue have set out my desire?
Like me, the sun and moon are wandering:
they too are searching for someone that they love.
Those who see what the chain of your long hair is like
freely desire their own imprisonment.
Do not ask about my ill-starred condition, Atish:
it is a raining fire which desires the rain.’)
Donon jahaan teri mohabbat mein haar ke
Woh jaa raha hai koi shab-e-gham guzaar ke
Viraan hai maikada khum-o-saaghar udaas hain
Tum kya gaye ke ruth gaye din bahaar ke
Ek fursat-e-gunah mili woh bhi chaar din
Dekhe hain hum ne hausle parwardigaar ke
Duniya ne teri yaad se begaana kar diya
Tujh se bhi dilfreb hain gham rozgaar ke
Bhule se muskra ke diye woh aaj Faiz
Mat puchh walwale dil-e-nakarda kaar ke
- Faiz Ahmed Faiz(1911 – 1984)

(‘With both worlds forfeited through loving you
there goes someone after a night spent in pain.
The tavern is in ruins, the wine-jar and the goblet are sad:
what a walk-out you staged to make the springtime sulk!
I got one opportunity for sin, but only for a few days:
I have seen the Provider’s plans for me.
The world has alienated me from memories of you,
Even you are outcharmed by the world’s suffering.
It was by mistake that she smiled today, Faiz,
Do not ask about the feelings of this clumsy heart.’)


Har ek baat pe kehte ho tum ke "tu kyaa hai"
TumhiN kaho ke yeh andaaz−e−guftagu kyaa hai

Na shole meiN yeh karishma, na barq meiN yeh adaa
Koi bataao ke shokh−e−tuNd-KHOO kyaa hai

Yeh rashk hai ke woh hota hai hum−sukhan tum se
Wagarna khauf−e−bad aamozi−e adoo kyaa hai

Chipak rahaa hai badan par lahoo se pairaahan
Hamaari je'b ko ab haajat-e-rafoo kyaa hai

Jalaa hai jism jahaaN dil bhi jal gayaa hoga
Kuredte ho jo ab raakh, justjoo kyaa hai

RagoN meiN daudte phirne ke hum naheeN Qaayal
Jab aankh hi se na tapkaa to phir lahoo kyaa hai

Woh cheez jis ke liye hum ko hai behesht azeez
Siwaa−e− baada−e−gulfaam−e−mushk-boo kyaa hai

PiyooN sharaab, agar Khum bhi dekh looN do chaar
Yeh sheesha −o− qadah −o− kooza(h) −o− suboo kyaa hai

Rahi na taaqat−e−guftaar, aur agar ho bhi
To kis umeed pe kahiye ke aarzoo kyaa hai

Huwa hai shaah ka musahib, phire hai itraata
Wagarna shehr meiN “Ghalib” ki aabroo kyaa hai
- Mirza Asadullah Beg Khan "Ghalib"
Important Sources:
http://www.soas.ac.uk/southasianstudies/keywords/24804.pdf
http://newsgroups.derkeiler.com/pdf/Archive/Rec/rec.music.indian.misc/2006-03/msg00655.pdf
http://www.uramamurthy.com/faiz.html
http://www.uramamurthy.com/ghalib.html