This is one of my favourite and a highly relatable Nazm by Faiz Ahmed Faiz..
Phir koi aaya, dil - ae - zaar, nahi koi nahi,
Raah - rau hoga kahi, aur chala jaayega.
Dhal chuki raat, bikharne laga taaro ka gubaar,
Ladkhadaane lage aiwaanon mein khwabeeda charaagh.
So gayi raasta tak tak ke har ik raahguzar,
Ajnabi khaak ne dhundhla diye kadmo ke suraagh.
Gul karo shamaen, badha do may o meena o ayaagh,
Apne be - khwab kiwaadon ko muqaffal kar lo.
Ab yaha koi nahi, koi nahi aayega........
Following is the English translation by ChatGPT :
"Phir koi aaya dil-e-zaar, nahi koi nahi"
Once more it felt -- someone had come to soothe this broken heart...
But no... no one came. No one at all.
"Raah - rau hoga kahi, aur chala jaayega"
Perhaps it was a wanderer...
who paused a moment, then moved along another path.
"Dhal chuki raat, bikharne laga taaro ka gubaar"
Night had waned; the silver mist of stars began to drift apart,
scattered like dreams from the sleeves of sleep.
"Ladkhadaane lage aiwaanon mein khwabeeda charaagh"
And the palace lamps, heavy with slumber,
began to flicker and falter -- shadows trembling at their edge.
"So gayi raasta tak tak ke har ik raahguzar"
Even the pathways had fallen asleep,
after waiting too long for footsteps that never came.
"Ajnabi khaak ne dhundhla diye kadmo ke suraagh"
Strange dust had blurred every trace --
every footprint lost in the hush of the unknown.
"Gul karo shamaen, badha do may o meena o ayaagh"
Snuff out the candles now -- pour the wine, fill the goblets deep.
Let the silence drink with us.
"Apne be - khwab kiwaadon ko muqaffal kar lo"
Lock the doors of your sleepless rooms,
seal them against the ache of hope.
"Ab yaha koi nahi, koi nahi aayega"
For no one is here now..
And no one shall ever come again..
Phir koi aaya, dil - ae - zaar, nahi koi nahi,
Raah - rau hoga kahi, aur chala jaayega.
Dhal chuki raat, bikharne laga taaro ka gubaar,
Ladkhadaane lage aiwaanon mein khwabeeda charaagh.
So gayi raasta tak tak ke har ik raahguzar,
Ajnabi khaak ne dhundhla diye kadmo ke suraagh.
Gul karo shamaen, badha do may o meena o ayaagh,
Apne be - khwab kiwaadon ko muqaffal kar lo.
Ab yaha koi nahi, koi nahi aayega........
Following is the English translation by ChatGPT :
"Phir koi aaya dil-e-zaar, nahi koi nahi"
Once more it felt -- someone had come to soothe this broken heart...
But no... no one came. No one at all.
"Raah - rau hoga kahi, aur chala jaayega"
Perhaps it was a wanderer...
who paused a moment, then moved along another path.
"Dhal chuki raat, bikharne laga taaro ka gubaar"
Night had waned; the silver mist of stars began to drift apart,
scattered like dreams from the sleeves of sleep.
"Ladkhadaane lage aiwaanon mein khwabeeda charaagh"
And the palace lamps, heavy with slumber,
began to flicker and falter -- shadows trembling at their edge.
"So gayi raasta tak tak ke har ik raahguzar"
Even the pathways had fallen asleep,
after waiting too long for footsteps that never came.
"Ajnabi khaak ne dhundhla diye kadmo ke suraagh"
Strange dust had blurred every trace --
every footprint lost in the hush of the unknown.
"Gul karo shamaen, badha do may o meena o ayaagh"
Snuff out the candles now -- pour the wine, fill the goblets deep.
Let the silence drink with us.
"Apne be - khwab kiwaadon ko muqaffal kar lo"
Lock the doors of your sleepless rooms,
seal them against the ache of hope.
"Ab yaha koi nahi, koi nahi aayega"
For no one is here now..
And no one shall ever come again..
hum b phir ashiqi karein ge
