Sher on Love, Longing, Loss
Selected couplets from
Love, Longing, Loss - A collection of beautiful Urdu verses rendered in rhyme to the English language by Sanjiv Saraf. Click the translation button to read the English translations.
tā-falak le ga.ī betābi-e-dil tab bole
hazrat-e-ishq ki pahlā hai ye ziinā apnā
When my heart's / restlessness, to the skies did lead
"This is just my first rung", Mr. Love decreed
ta-falak le gai betabi-e-dil tab bole
hazrat-e-ishq ki pahla hai ye zina apna
When my heart's / restlessness, to the skies did lead
"This is just my first rung", Mr. Love decreed
taḌaptī dekhtā huuñ jab koī shai
uThā letā huuñ apnā dil samajh kar
Any trembling object when I see
I pick it up, my heart it seems to me
taDapti dekhta hun jab koi shai
uTha leta hun apna dil samajh kar
Any trembling object when I see
I pick it up, my heart it seems to me
ishq ma.ashūq ishq āshiq hai
yaanī apnā hī mubtalā hai ishq
Love is the beloved, Love's the paramour
Love is thus enmeshed/ in its own allure
ishq mashuq ishq aashiq hai
yani apna hi mubtala hai ishq
Love is the beloved, Love's the paramour
Love is thus enmeshed/ in its own allure
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Tags : Ishqand 1 more
nā-kāmi-e-ishq yā kāmyābī
donoñ kā hāsil ḳhāna-ḳharābī
Love's despair or jubilation
Both result in ruination
na-kaami-e-ishq ya kaamyabi
donon ka hasil KHana-KHarabi
Love's despair or jubilation
Both result in ruination
parastish kī yaañ tak ki ai but tujhe
nazar meñ sabhoñ kī ḳhudā kar chale
I worshipped you, O idol, to such extremity
In everybody's vision, you are divinity
parastish ki yan tak ki ai but tujhe
nazar mein sabhon ki KHuda kar chale
I worshipped you, O idol, to such extremity
In everybody's vision, you are divinity
ishq meñ maut kā naam hai zindagī
jis ko jiinā ho marnā gavārā kare
Life is but another name / for the death, in Love' domain
He who wants to live, should first / be willing to be slain
ishq mein maut ka nam hai zindagi
jis ko jina ho marna gawara kare
Life is but another name / for the death, in Love' domain
He who wants to live, should first / be willing to be slain
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Tags : Ishqand 1 more
ka.abe se ġharaz us ko na but-ḳhāne se matlab
āshiq jo tirā hai na idhar kā na udhar kā
For mosques he does not bother, for temples does not care
Anyone who Loves you is / from neither here nor there
kabe se gharaz us ko na but-KHane se matlab
aashiq jo tera hai na idhar ka na udhar ka
For mosques he does not bother, for temples does not care
Anyone who Loves you is / from neither here nor there
karūñgā kyā jo mohabbat meñ ho gayā nākām
mujhe to aur koī kaam bhī nahīñ aatā
What will I do in love / if I don't succeed
I know no other task, I have to concede
karunga kya jo mohabbat mein ho gaya nakaam
mujhe to aur koi kaam bhi nahin aata
What will I do in love / if I don't succeed
I know no other task, I have to concede
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Tags : Ishqand 3 more
tū ḳhudā hai na mirā ishq farishtoñ jaisā
donoñ insāñ haiñ to kyuuñ itne hijāboñ meñ mileñ
Neither are you God nor is / my love the angel's sort
Both are human beings then why, in veils should we consort?
tu KHuda hai na mera ishq farishton jaisa
donon insan hain to kyun itne hijabon mein milen
Neither are you God nor is / my love the angel's sort
Both are human beings then why, in veils should we consort?
ḳhvāh dil se mujhe na chāhe vo
zāhirī vaz.a to nibāhe vo
Though, at heart, she holds me in disdain
A civil aspect should at least maintain
KHwah dil se mujhe na chahe wo
zahiri waza to nibahe wo
Though, at heart, she holds me in disdain
A civil aspect should at least maintain
sau baar band-e-ishq se āzād ham hue
par kyā kareñ ki dil hī adū hai farāġh kā
A hundred times, Love's manacles, I've broken and got free
But what is to be done? My heart / is freedom's enemy
sau bar band-e-ishq se aazad hum hue
par kya karen ki dil hi adu hai faragh ka
A hundred times, Love's manacles, I've broken and got free
But what is to be done? My heart / is freedom's enemy
us ne apnā banā ke chhoḌ diyā
kyā asīrī hai kyā rihā.ī hai
She made me hers, away then sent
What's freedom? What's imprisonment?
us ne apna bana ke chhoD diya
kya asiri hai kya rihai hai
She made me hers, away then sent
What's freedom? What's imprisonment?
ho gayā zard paḌī jis pe hasīnoñ kī nazar
ye ajab gul haiñ ki tāsīr-e-ḳhizāñ rakhte haiñ
Pale and wan he turned, on whom / beauties cast their glance
These flowers are strange, they bear / an autumnal stance
ho gaya zard paDi jis pe hasinon ki nazar
ye ajab gul hain ki tasir-e-KHizan rakhte hain
Pale and wan he turned, on whom / beauties cast their glance
These flowers are strange, they bear / an autumnal stance
bāteñ nāseh kī sunīñ yaar ke nazzāre kiye
āñkheñ jannat meñ rahīñ kaan jahannam meñ rahe
I listened to the preacher, eyes on my Dear did dwell
My eyes remained in paradise, my ears remained in hell
baaten naseh ki sunin yar ke nazzare kiye
aankhen jannat mein rahin kan jahannam mein rahe
I listened to the preacher, eyes on my Dear did dwell
My eyes remained in paradise, my ears remained in hell
bas mohabbat bas mohabbat bas mohabbat jān-e-man
baaqī sab jazbāt kā iz.hār kam kar dījiye
Only love, Only love and only love my dear
From stating other feelings / You should stay well clear
bas mohabbat bas mohabbat bas mohabbat jaan-e-man
baqi sab jazbaat ka izhaar kam kar dijiye
Only love, Only love and only love my dear
From stating other feelings / You should stay well clear
ishq par zor nahīñ hai ye vo ātish 'ġhālib'
ki lagā.e na lage aur bujhā.e na bane
One has no power over Love, it is that flame, to wit,
Which neither can be set alight, nor extinguished once lit
ishq par zor nahin hai ye wo aatish 'ghaalib'
ki lagae na lage aur bujhae na bane
One has no power over Love, it is that flame, to wit,
Which neither can be set alight, nor extinguished once lit
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Tags : Ishqand 3 more
gar baazī ishq kī baazī hai jo chāho lagā do Dar kaisā
gar jiit ga.e to kyā kahnā haare bhī to baazī maat nahīñ
If it be Love's wager, bet what you wish, why wait?
If you win it's wonderful, loss too is no check-mate
gar bazi ishq ki bazi hai jo chaho laga do Dar kaisa
gar jit gae to kya kahna haare bhi to bazi mat nahin
If it be Love's wager, bet what you wish, why wait?
If you win it's wonderful, loss too is no check-mate
kyuuñ nahīñ letā hamārī tū ḳhabar ai be-ḳhabar
kyā tire āshiq hue the dard-o-ġham khāne ko ham
Unmindful one, why do you not / enquire after me?
Did I become your paramour / to suffer agony?
kyun nahin leta hamari tu KHabar ai be-KHabar
kya tere aashiq hue the dard-o-gham khane ko hum
Unmindful one, why do you not / enquire after me?
Did I become your paramour / to suffer agony?
dil kī vīrānī kā kyā mazkūr hai
ye nagar sau martaba luuTā gayā
Of this heart's desolation, what is there to say?
This city has, a hundred times, to plunder fallen prey
dil ki virani ka kya mazkur hai
ye nagar sau martaba luTa gaya
Of this heart's desolation, what is there to say?
This city has, a hundred times, to plunder fallen prey
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Tags : Diland 1 more
tum muḳhātib bhī ho qarīb bhī ho
tum ko dekheñ ki tum se baat kareñ
You're in front and near me too
Should I converse or look at you?
tum muKHatib bhi ho qarib bhi ho
tum ko dekhen ki tum se baat karen
You're in front and near me too
Should I converse or look at you?
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Tags : Famous shayariand 1 more
