Dil mein ab yun tere bhoole hue gham aate hain
by
Faiz Ahmed Faiz
Dil mein ab yun tere bhoole hue gham aate hain
Jaise bichde hue ka’abe mein sanam aate hain
Ek ek karke hue jaate hai tare roushan
Meri manzil ki taraf tere kadam aate hain
Raqs-e-mai tez karo saaz ki lai tez karo
Su-e-maikhaana safiraan-e-haram aate hain
Kuch hamin ko nahin ahsaan uthaane ka dimaag
Woh to jab aate hain, maail-ba-karam aate hain
Aur kuch der na guzre, shab-e-furqat se kaho
Dil bhi kam dukhta hai woh yaad bhi kam aate hain
Like forsaken idols returning to temples
translated by
Mustansir Dalvi
Like forsaken idols
Returning to temples,
my heart fills with lost
memories of your sorrows.
One by one, stars
turn themselves on,
in step with you, as you
make your way to my abode.
Pick up the rhythm of the lute,
pour wine with greater abandon.
Look! The keepers of idols
make their way to the drinking house.
Whenever they arrived
they were inclined to kindness;
but we lacked the grace
to appreciate their favor.
Go tell the night of separation –
do not tarry much longer:
the heart hurts less now
the less I think of her.
