zikr us parī-vash kā aur phir bayāñ apnā
ban gayā raqīb āḳhir thā jo rāz-dāñ apnā
the splendour of her beauty and the manner I narrate
so my rival he’s become, who was my confidant to date
mai vo kyuuñ bahut piite bazm-e-ġhair meñ yā rab
aaj hī huā manzūr un ko imtihāñ apnā
why in my rival’s company, does she drink to excess?
why today her prowess does she choose to demonstrate?
manzar ik bulandī par aur ham banā sakte
arsh se udhar hotā kaash ke makāñ apnā
if I only had possessed a home beyond the sky
a spectacle at greater heights I could then create
de vo jis qadar zillat ham hañsī meñ Tāleñge
baare āshnā niklā un kā pāsbāñ apnā
it turns out that her sentry is closely known to me
I’ll laugh it off, however he may humiliate
dard-e-dil likhūñ kab tak jā.ūñ un ko dikhlā duuñ
uñgliyāñ figār apnī ḳhāma ḳhūñ-chakāñ apnā
I would rather show to her, than write to her my pain
bloodied is my pen, and fingers, in a wounded state
ghiste ghiste miT jaatā aap ne abas badlā
nañg-e-sajda se mere sañg-e-āstāñ apnā
It would have vanished itself by rubbing of my brow
you have needlessly replaced the stone upon your gate
tā kare na ġhammāzī kar liyā hai dushman ko
dost kī shikāyat meñ ham ne ham-zabāñ apnā
to stop his bearing tales to her my rival I’ve suborned
in one voice, against our love, we both remonstrate
ham kahāñ ke daanā the kis hunar meñ yaktā the
be-sabab huā ‘ġhālib’ dushman āsmāñ apnā
when was I wise in any way, had any skills unique?
for no reason, Gaalib, heaven’s hostile to my fate
