ghar jab banā liyā tire dar par kahe baġhair
jānegā ab bhī tū na mirā ghar kahe baġhair
At your door, I have encamped, without taking consent
Even now you’ll think it not my home, till I comment?
kahte haiñ jab rahī na mujhe tāqat-e-suḳhan
jānūñ kisī ke dil kī maiñ kyūñkar kahe baġhair
She asks me when my speech is gone, when I am frail and weak
“how can I fathom your desires, when you will not speak?”
kaam us se aa paḌā hai ki jis kā jahān meñ
leve na koī naam sitamgar kahe baġhair
Favours I do seek from her, with her I’ve work you see
She whose very name invokes complaints of tyranny
jī meñ hī kuchh nahīñ hai hamāre vagarna ham
sar jaa.e yā rahe na raheñ par kahe baġhair
There’s nothing in my heart that I wish to communicate
Else even were my life forefeit I would surely narrate
chhoḌūñgā maiñ na us but-e-kāfir kā pūjnā
chhoḌe na ḳhalq go mujhe kāfar kahe baġhair
To stop worshipping that idol fair, I will not agree
And this world will not refrain from crying “heresy!”
maqsad hai nāz-o-ġhamza vale guftugū meñ kaam
chaltā nahīñ hai dashna-o-ḳhanjar kahe baġhair
Tho I do describe her glance, no one can really see
Till such time I do not draw a dagger’s similie
har chand ho mushāhida-e-haq kī guftugū
bantī nahīñ hai bāda-o-sāġhar kahe baġhair
On nature of eternal truth were there to be discourse
Sans mention of goblet and wine there is no recourse
bahrā huuñ maiñ to chāhiye duunā ho iltifāt
suntā nahīñ huuñ baat mukarrar kahe baġhair
As I am hard of hearing so, kindness should be replete
I cannot understand your words until you don’t repeat
‘ġhālib’ na kar huzūr meñ tū baar baar arz
zāhir hai terā haal sab un par kahe baġhair
Ghalib do not repeatedly plead in her presence so
Your condition, ere you speak, she does surely know
