kahun jo haal to kahte ho muddaa kahiye
tumhin kaho ki jo tum yun kaho to kya kahiye

when i narrate my sorry state, you ask "what do you seek?"
if in this vein you talk to me, how can i ever speak

na kahiyo tan se phir tum ki hum sitamgar hain
mujhe to khu hai ki jo kuchh kaho baja kahiye

this, proudly you should never say," i am a tyrant, true"
as i am in the habit of always agreeing with you

wo neshtar sahi par dil mein jab utar jawe
nigah-e-naz ko phir kyun na aashna kahiye

though dagger it may surely be, does to my heart attend
why should i then not call her glance, a confidant and friend

nahin zariya-e-rahat jarahat-e-paikan
wo zakhm-e-tegh hai jis ko ki dil-kusha kahiye

incision of her arrow causes comfort nor release
it is the wound caused by her sword, which does my heart appease

jo muddai bane us ke na muddai baniye
jo na-saza kahe us ko na na-saza kahiye

he who with you bears enmity, be not his enemy
to him who speaks abusively, speak not abusively

kahin haqiqat-e-jaan-kahi-e-maraz likhiye
kahin musibat-e-na-sazi-e-dawa kahiye

places you write the truth about ailment's fatality
and places then you talk about the cure's infirmity

kabhi shikayat-e-ranj-e-giran-nashin kije
kabhi hikayat-e-sabr-e-gurez-pa kahiye

times you complain of sorrow that just will not go away
and times you tell the story that, your patience will not stay

rahe na jaan to qatil ko khun-baha dije
kate zaban to khanjar ko marhaba kahiye

blood money to the murderer, pay, if you lose your life
and if your tongue be severerd then, say "thank you" to the knife

nahin nigar ko ulfat na ho nigar to hai
rawani-e-rawish o masti-e-ada kahiye

if my beloved loves me not, beloved still will be
still will remain her flowing gait, and heady coquetry

nahin bahaar ko fursat na ho bahaar to hai
tarawat-e-chaman o khubi-e-hawa kahiye

let spring not have time to abide, at least it did appear
talk of the garden's verdancy and breeze that blows now here

safina jab ki kinare pe aa laga 'ghaalib'
khuda se kya sitam-o-jaur-e-na-khuda kahiye

when safety of the shore, your vessel managed to attain
why then, to god, of the pilot's tyranny and force complain