har ek baat pe kahte ho tum ki tu kya hai
tumhin kaho ki ye andaz-e-guftugu kya hai

at every turn you question me, asking what are you?'
tell me pray what manner of speech do you pursue?

na shoale mein ye karishma na barq mein ye ada
koi batao ki wo shokh-e-tund-khu kya hai

neither flames this magic nor lightning this charm do have
who's this stormy quicksilver beauty i wish i knew

ye rashk hai ki wo hota hai ham-sukhan tum se
wagarna khauf-e-bad-amozi-e-adu kya hai

i am not afraid my foe will corrupt your mind somehow
i am merely jealous that he gets to talk to you

chipak raha hai badan par lahu se pairahan
hamare jaib ko ab hajat-e-rafu kya hai

my clothes are caused, by oozing blood, to cling unto my frame
what need is there now for my vest to be darned anew?

jala hai jism jahan dil bhi jal gaya hoga
kuredte ho jo ab rakh justuju kya hai

with my body consigned to flames, my heart too would have burnt
why do you rake the ashes now, what is it you pursue?

ragon mein daudte phirne ke hum nahin qail
jab aankh hi se na tapka to phir lahu kya hai

merely because it courses through the veins, i'm not convinced
if it drips not from one's eyes blood cannot be held true

wo chiz jis ke liye hum ko ho bahisht aziz
siwae baada-e-gulfam-e-mushk-bu kya hai

save for fragrant flavoured wine, what else can it be
that for which we paradise persistently pursue

piyun sharab agar khum bhi dekh lun do-chaar
ye shisha o qadah o kuza o subu kya hai

glasses goblets jugs and pitchers all are of no use
even if in barrels found, i'd gladly drink the brew

rahi na taqat-e-guftar aur agar ho bhi
to kis umid pe kahiye ki aarzu kya hai

no longer have i strength to speak but even if i did
what hope can i rely on to narrate my wish to you?

hua hai shah ka musahib phire hai itraata
wagarna shahr mein 'ghaalib' ki aabru kya hai

becoming the the crony of the king, he preens and struts around
or else what honour in this town to ghalib would accrue?