Sher on Khat

nā-umīdī maut se kahtī hai apnā kaam kar

aas kahtī hai Thahar ḳhat kā javāb aane ko hai

na-umidi maut se kahti hai apna kaam kar

aas kahti hai Thahar KHat ka jawab aane ko hai

kyā jaane kyā likhā thā use iztirāb meñ

qāsid kī laash aa.ī hai ḳhat ke javāb meñ

kya jaane kya likha tha use iztirab mein

qasid ki lash aai hai KHat ke jawab mein

qāsid ke aate aate ḳhat ik aur likh rakhūñ

maiñ jāntā huuñ jo vo likheñge javāb meñ

qasid ke aate aate KHat ek aur likh rakhun

main jaanta hun jo wo likhenge jawab mein

añdherā hai kaise tirā ḳhat paḌhūñ

lifāfe meñ kuchh raushnī bhej de

andhera hai kaise tera KHat paDhun

lifafe mein kuchh raushni bhej de

chand tasvīr-e-butāñ chand hasīnoñ ke ḳhutūt

ba.ad marne ke mire ghar se ye sāmāñ niklā

chand taswir-e-butan chand hasinon ke KHutut

baad marne ke mere ghar se ye saman nikla

ek muddat se na qāsid hai na ḳhat hai na payām

apne va.ade ko to kar yaad mujhe yaad na kar

ek muddat se na qasid hai na KHat hai na payam

apne wade ko to kar yaad mujhe yaad na kar

ġhusse meñ barhamī meñ ġhazab meñ itaab meñ

ḳhud aa ga.e haiñ vo mire ḳhat ke javāb meñ

ghusse mein barhami mein ghazab mein itab mein

KHud aa gae hain wo mere KHat ke jawab mein

maiñ ne us kī taraf se ḳhat likkhā

aur apne pate pe bhej diyā

main ne us ki taraf se KHat likkha

aur apne pate pe bhej diya

kaafī hai mire dil kī tasallī ko yahī baat

aap aa na sake aap kā paiġhām to aayā

kafi hai mere dil ki tasalli ko yahi baat

aap aa na sake aap ka paigham to aaya

nāma-bar tū hī batā tū ne to dekhe hoñge

kaise hote haiñ vo ḳhat jin ke javāb aate haiñ

nama-bar tu hi bata tu ne to dekhe honge

kaise hote hain wo KHat jin ke jawab aate hain

tumhāre ḳhat meñ nazar aa.ī itnī ḳhāmoshī

ki mujh ko rakhne paḌe apne kaan kāġhaz par

tumhaare KHat mein nazar aai itni KHamoshi

ki mujh ko rakhne paDe apne kan kaghaz par

mirā ḳhat us ne paḌhā paḌh ke nāma-bar se kahā

yahī javāb hai is kā koī javāb nahīñ

mera KHat us ne paDha paDh ke nama-bar se kaha

yahi jawab hai is ka koi jawab nahin

ḳhat likheñge garche matlab kuchh na ho

ham to āshiq haiñ tumhāre naam ke

KHat likhenge garche matlab kuchh na ho

hum to aashiq hain tumhaare nam ke

chuuñ sham-e-sozāñ chuuñ zarra hairāñ ze mehr-e-āñ-mah bagashtam āḳhir

na niiñd naināñ na añg chaināñ na aap aave na bheje patiyāñ

chun sham-e-sozan chun zarra hairan ze mehr-e-an-mah bagashtam aaKHir

na nind nainan na ang chainan na aap aawe na bheje patiyan

ashkoñ ke nishāñ parcha-e-sāda pe haiñ qāsid

ab kuchh na bayāñ kar ye ibārat hī bahut hai

ashkon ke nishan parcha-e-sada pe hain qasid

ab kuchh na bayan kar ye ibarat hi bahut hai

tirā ḳhat aane se dil ko mere ārām kyā hogā

ḳhudā jaane ki is āġhāz kā anjām kyā hogā

tera KHat aane se dil ko mere aaram kya hoga

KHuda jaane ki is aaghaz ka anjam kya hoga

mazmūn sūjhte haiñ hazāroñ na.e na.e

qāsid ye ḳhat nahīñ mire ġham kī kitāb hai

mazmun sujhte hain hazaron nae nae

qasid ye KHat nahin mere gham ki kitab hai

kyā kyā fareb dil ko diye iztirāb meñ

un kī taraf se aap likhe ḳhat javāb meñ

kya kya fareb dil ko diye iztirab mein

un ki taraf se aap likhe KHat jawab mein

kaise māneñ ki unheñ bhuul gayā tū ai 'kaif'

un ke ḳhat aaj hameñ tere sirhāne se mile

kaise manen ki unhen bhul gaya tu ai 'kaif'

un ke KHat aaj hamein tere sirhane se mile

ham pe jo guzrī batāyā na batā.eñge kabhī

kitne ḳhat ab bhī tire naam likhe rakkhe haiñ

hum pe jo guzri bataya na bataenge kabhi

kitne KHat ab bhi tere nam likhe rakkhe hain

us ne ye kah kar pher diyā ḳhat

ḳhuun se kyuuñ tahrīr nahīñ hai

us ne ye kah kar pher diya KHat

KHun se kyun tahrir nahin hai

ruuh ghabrā.ī huī phirtī hai merī laash par

kyā janāze par mere ḳhat kā javāb aane ko hai

ruh ghabrai hui phirti hai meri lash par

kya janaze par mere KHat ka jawab aane ko hai

miT chale merī umīdoñ kī tarah harf magar

aaj tak tere ḳhatoñ se tirī ḳhushbū na ga.ī

miT chale meri umidon ki tarah harf magar

aaj tak tere KHaton se teri KHushbu na gai

ḳhat dekh kar mirā mire qāsid se yuuñ kahā

kyā gul nahīñ huā vo charāġh-e-sahar hanūz

KHat dekh kar mera mere qasid se yun kaha

kya gul nahin hua wo charagh-e-sahar hanuz

kabhī ye fikr ki vo yaad kyuuñ kareñge hameñ

kabhī ḳhayāl ki ḳhat kā javāb aa.egā

kabhi ye fikr ki wo yaad kyun karenge hamein

kabhi KHayal ki KHat ka jawab aaega

le ke ḳhat un kā kiyā zabt bahut kuchh lekin

thartharāte hue hāthoñ ne bharam khol diyā

le ke KHat un ka kiya zabt bahut kuchh lekin

thartharaate hue hathon ne bharam khol diya

khulegā kis tarah mazmūñ mire maktūb kā yā rab

qasam khaa.ī hai us kāfir ne kāġhaz ke jalāne kī

khulega kis tarah mazmun mere maktub ka ya rab

qasam khai hai us kafir ne kaghaz ke jalane ki

koī purānā ḳhat kuchh bhūlī-bisrī yaad

zaḳhmoñ par vo lamhe marham hote haiñ

koi purana KHat kuchh bhuli-bisri yaad

zaKHmon par wo lamhe marham hote hain

pahlī baar vo ḳhat likkhā thā

jis kā javāb bhī aa saktā thā

pahli bar wo KHat likkha tha

jis ka jawab bhi aa sakta tha

vo taḌap jaa.e ishāra koī aisā denā

us ko ḳhat likhnā to merā bhī havāla denā

wo taDap jae ishaara koi aisa dena

us ko KHat likhna to mera bhi hawala dena

kisī ko bhej ke ḳhat haa.e ye kaisā azaab aayā

ki har ik pūchhtā hai nāma-bar aayā javāb aayā

kisi ko bhej ke KHat hae ye kaisa azab aaya

ki har ek puchhta hai nama-bar aaya jawab aaya

phaaḌ kar ḳhat us ne qāsid se kahā

koī paiġhām-e-zabānī aur hai

phaD kar KHat us ne qasid se kaha

koi paigham-e-zabani aur hai

aayā na phir ke ek bhī kūche se yaar ke

qāsid gayā nasīm ga.ī nāma-bar gayā

aaya na phir ke ek bhi kuche se yar ke

qasid gaya nasim gai nama-bar gaya

zabāñ qāsid kī 'muztar' kaaT lī jab un ko ḳhat bhejā

ki āḳhir aadmī hai tazkira shāyad kahīñ kar de

zaban qasid ki 'muztar' kaT li jab un ko KHat bheja

ki aaKHir aadmi hai tazkira shayad kahin kar de

apnā ḳhat aap diyā un ko magar ye kah kar

ḳhat to pahchāniye ye ḳhat mujhe gumnām milā

apna KHat aap diya un ko magar ye kah kar

KHat to pahchaniye ye KHat mujhe gumnam mila

kisī nā-ḳhvāñda būḌhe kī tarah ḳhat us kā paḌhtā huuñ

ki sau sau baar ik ik lafz se uñglī guzartī hai

kisi na-KHwanda buDhe ki tarah KHat us ka paDhta hun

ki sau sau bar ek ek lafz se ungli guzarti hai

ḳhat likhā yaar ne raqīboñ ko

zindagī ne diyā javāb mujhe

KHat likha yar ne raqibon ko

zindagi ne diya jawab mujhe

kyā bhuul ga.e haiñ vo mujhe pūchhnā qāsid

naama koī muddat se mire kaam na aayā

kya bhul gae hain wo mujhe puchhna qasid

nama koi muddat se mere kaam na aaya

tumheñ ye ġham hai ki ab chiTThiyāñ nahīñ ātīñ

hamārī socho hameñ hichkiyāñ nahīñ ātīñ

tumhein ye gham hai ki ab chiTThiyan nahin aatin

hamari socho hamein hichkiyan nahin aatin

ḳhat-e-shauq ko paḌh ke qāsid se bole

ye hai kaun dīvāna ḳhat likhne vaalā

KHat-e-shauq ko paDh ke qasid se bole

ye hai kaun diwana KHat likhne wala

yā us se javāb-e-ḳhat laanā yā qāsid itnā kah denā

bachne kā nahīñ bīmār tirā irshād agar kuchh bhī na huā

ya us se jawab-e-KHat lana ya qasid itna kah dena

bachne ka nahin bimar tera irshad agar kuchh bhi na hua

ho chukā aish kā jalsa to mujhe ḳhat bhejā

aap kī tarah se mehmān bulā.e koī

ho chuka aish ka jalsa to mujhe KHat bheja

aap ki tarah se mehman bulae koi

aap kā ḳhat nahīñ milā mujh ko

daulat-e-do-jahāñ milī mujh ko

aap ka KHat nahin mila mujh ko

daulat-e-do-jahan mili mujh ko

qayāmat hai ye kah kar us ne lauTāyā hai qāsid ko

ki un kā to har ik ḳhat āḳhirī paiġhām hotā hai

qayamat hai ye kah kar us ne lauTaya hai qasid ko

ki un ka to har ek KHat aaKHiri paigham hota hai

jab us ne mirā ḳhat na chhuā haath se apne

qāsid ne bhī chipkā diyā dīvār se kāġhaz

jab us ne mera KHat na chhua hath se apne

qasid ne bhi chipka diya diwar se kaghaz

patā miltā nahīñ us be-nishāñ kā

liye phirtā hai qāsid jā-ba-jā ḳhat

pata milta nahin us be-nishan ka

liye phirta hai qasid ja-ba-ja KHat

ḳhat ke purze aa.e haiñ qāsid kā sar tasvīr-e-ġhair

ye hai bhejā us sitamgar ne mire ḳhat kā javāb

KHat ke purze aae hain qasid ka sar taswir-e-ghair

ye hai bheja us sitamgar ne mere KHat ka jawab

tavaqqo.a hai dhoke meñ aa kar vo paḌh leñ

ki likkhā hai naamā unheñ ḳhat badal kar

tawaqqoa hai dhoke mein aa kar wo paDh len

ki likkha hai nama unhen KHat badal kar

ajī pheñko raqīb kā naama

na ibārat bhalī na achchhā ḳhat

aji phenko raqib ka nama

na ibarat bhali na achchha KHat

aaj kā ḳhat hī use bhejā hai korā lekin

aaj kā ḳhat hī adhūrā nahīñ likhkhā maiñ ne

aaj ka KHat hi use bheja hai kora lekin

aaj ka KHat hi adhura nahin likhkha main ne