tumhaare khat mein naya ek salam kis ka tha
na tha raqib to aakhir wo nam kis ka tha

that new greeting in your note, from whom was it do say
if not my rival's signature, whose name was it then, pray?

wo qatl kar ke mujhe har kisi se puchhte hain
ye kaam kis ne kiya hai ye kaam kis ka tha

after having slain me, she, from each one, seeks to know
who's to blame for this dark deed, this blood is on whose brow?

wafa karenge nibahenge baat manenge
tumhein bhi yaad hai kuchh ye kalam kis ka tha

i will bear faith, i will abide, to every wish submit
do you too perchance recall who did, to this, commit?

raha na dil mein wo bedard aur dard raha
muqim kaun hua hai maqam kis ka tha

the tyrant's in my heart no more, all that remains is pain
who was the inhabitant, and whose was this domain?

na puchh-gachh thi kisi ki wahan na aaw-bhagat
tumhaari bazm mein kal ehtimam kis ka tha

no concern for anyone, no hospitality
who managed the event last night in your company?

tamam bazm jise sun ke rah gai mushtaq
kaho wo tazkira-e-na-tamam kis ka tha

the story which had kept the whole gathering enthralled
whose saga was it, incomplete, that was being recalled?

hamare khat ke to purze kiye padha bhi nahin
suna jo tu ne ba-dil wo payam kis ka tha

to pieces was my letter shred, it wasn't even read
whose message was it, do tell me, that was heard instead?

uthai kyun na qayamat adu ke kuche mein
lihaz aap ko waqt-e-khiram kis ka tha

why was a furor, storm not raised then in my rival's lane
when your gait ventured there, what thought did constrain?

guzar gaya wo zamana kahun to kis se kahun
khayal dil ko mere subh o sham kis ka tha

gone are the days, were i to speak, to whom could i convey
who was it that occupied my thoughts all night and day?

hamein to hazrat-e-waiz ki zid ne pilwai
yahan irada-e-sharb-e-mudam kis ka tha

it was the priest's insistence that, caused me so to drink
else to imbibe non-stop this way, never did i think

agarche dekhne wale tere hazaron the
tabah-haal bahut zer-e-baam kis ka tha

though thousands had been present a sight of you to get
who was it that sat distraught below the parapet

wo kaun tha ki tumhein jis ne bewafa jaana
khayal-e-kham ye sauda-e-kham kis ka tha

who was it that thought of you as faithless and untrue
whose naivety and mindlessness did this belief pursue

inhin sifat se hota hai aadmi mashhur
jo lutf aam wo karte ye nam kis ka tha

with these very qualities a person gets much fame
if favors were bestowed on all, where would be the acclaim?

har ek se kahte hain kya 'dagh' bewafa nikla
ye puchhe un se koi wo ghulam kis ka tha

how faithless daag has proved to be, she says to one and all
whose slave was he then? someone should ask her to recall