tang thi ja khatir-e-nashad mein
aap ko bhule hum un ki yaad mein

my heart, because of sorrow was constricted and upset
in thoughts of her, even myself, i managed to forget

kyunkar uthta hai khuda ranj-e-qafas
mar gae hum to kaf-e-saiyaad mein

how can i lord, the suffering of imprisonment endure?
as in the captor's grasp itself i had died for sure

wo jo hain tarikh se waqif bataen
farq baad-e-ah o baad-e-ad mein

let those who are conversant with tradition clarify
how does the wind from hell differ from a fiery sigh

yan ummid-e-qatl hi ne khun kiya
rah gai hasrat dil-e-jallad mein

it was the very hope of being slain that got me killed
the hangman's deepest wish, alas, couldn't be fulfilled

be-talluq-pan bhi aakhir qaid hai
qaid pai khatir-e-azad mein

neglect and lack of caring too are prisons of a kind
when she set me free i felt as though i was confined

ghamza-e-shirin hi ki daulat se tha
jo asar tha tesha-e-farhad mein

twas the wealth of shiiriin's glances that happened to provide
the force that in the pick axe of farhad did then reside

kyun khabar puchhi tera bimar hae
mar gaya shor-e-mubarakbaad mein

to ask after your lovesick beau, why did you have to pause
he was done to death by waves of thunderous applause

be-takalluf ji mein jo aae karo
kya dhara hai nala-o-fariyaad mein

whatever is your heart's desire do it sans a care
what's the point of crying out and wailing in despair

dhyan tujh ko ho na ho par 'shefta'
raat din rahta hai teri yaad mein

you may, may not recall but then know this to be true
sheftaa night and day remains immersed in thoughts of you