shikwe ke nam se be-mehr KHafa hota hai
ye bhi mat kah ki jo kahiye to gila hota hai
unkind, at mere mention of complaint she is annoyed
do not even utter this as grievance is implied
pur hun main shikwe se yun rag se jaise baja
ek zara chheDiye phir dekhiye kya hota hai
I am so full of complaint, as instruments with air
you have to but lightly blow, and then see what is there
go samajhta nahin par husn-e-talafi dekho
shikwa-e-jaur se sargarm-e-jafa hota hai
although she is naïve yet see, how well she makes amends
at complaints of tyranny, more cruelty attends
ishq ki rah mein hai charKH-e-makaukab ki wo chaal
sust-rau jaise koi aabla-pa hota hai
in love's path the star filled sky's footsteps are so effete
as of one who slowly moves with blisters on his feet
kyun na Thahren hadaf-e-nawak-e-bedad ki hum
aap uTha late hain gar tir KHata hota hai
target of cruelty's missiles why should I not be
Myself I gather and return arrows that miss me
KHub tha pahle se hote jo hum apne bad-KHwah
ki bhala chahte hain aur bura hota hai
had I wished ill on myself would be of greater use
Coz when now I hope for good, calamity accrues
nala jata tha pare arsh se mera aur ab
lab tak aata hai jo aisa hi rasa hota hai
my plaints went past the heavens once but it is, they now
barely reach up to my lips, if successful somehow
KHama mera ki wo hai bar-bud-e-bazm-e-suKHan
shah ki madh mein yun naghma-sara hota hai
my quill is the bard Baarbud in gatherings of rhyme
just like him breaks into song praising the king sublime
ai shahanshah-e-kawakib sipah-o-mehr-e-alam
tere ikram ka haq kis se ada hota hai
Mighty King with stars for troops, whose standard is the Sun
he who can repay your kindness, is there anyone?
sat aqlim ka hasil jo faraham kije
to wo lashkar ka tere nal-e-baha hota hai
wealth of seven continents even if were to be
would merely meet the ransom set by your cavalry
har mahine mein jo ye badar se hota hai hilal
aastan par tere mah nasiya sa hota hai
every month from full moon to a crescent it
tis because upon your doorstep supplicates it's brow
main jo gustaKH hun aain-e-ghazal-KHwani mein
ye bhi tera hi karam zauq-faza hota hai
my audacity of style in Gazal-rendering
your kindness is the cause for this zest O mighty king
rakhiyo 'ghaalib' mujhe is talKH-nawai mein muaf
aaj kuchh dard mere dil mein siwa hota hai
pardon me for bitterness that now my songs possess
the poignancy of pain in my heart is in excess
Ghazal
Shikwe ke nam se be-mehr KHafa hota hai
Mirza Ghalib