gah hum se khafa wo hain gahe un se khafa hum
muddat se isi tarah nibhi jati hai baham

at times i am cross with her, at times she with me
for ages we have managed in this manner mutually

karte hain ghalat yar se izhaar-e-wafa hum
sabit jo hua ishq kuja yar kuja hum

it is wrong of me to tell her of my loyalty
where is she and where am i, if love it proves to be

kuchh nashsha-e-mai se nahin kam nashsha-e-nakhwat
taqwa mein bhi sahba ka uthate hain maza hum

greater than headiness of wine is headiness of pride
for rapture more than alcohol does abstinence provide

maujud hai jo lao jo matlub hai wo lo
mushtaq-e-wafa tum ho talabgar-e-jafa hum

give me what is present, take whatever you need
you desire faithfulness, being tortured is my creed

ne taba pareshan thi na khatir mutafarriq
wo din bhi ajab the ki hum aur aap the baham

untroubled was my temperament,my being was not undone
so full of wonder were those days, when you and i were one

kya karte hain kya sunte hain kya dekhte hain hae
us shokh ke jab kholte hain band-e-qaba hum

what i do, what will i hear, what will i see at last
when that naughty damsel's gown i manage to unfast

ye tarz-e-tarannum kahin zinhaar na dhundo
ai 'shefta' ya murgh-e-chaman rakhte hain ya hum

to seek this style of singing elsewhere i would not advise
either sheftaa carries it, else birds of paradise