Monday, December 12, 2005

Zehal-e-Muskin

Zehal-e muskin makun taghaful,
duraye naina banaye batiyan,

ki taab-e hijran nadaram ay jaan,
na leho kaahe lagaye chhatiyan,

Shaban-e hijran daraz chun zulf wa roz-e waslat cho umr kotah,
Sakhi piya ko jo main na dekhun to kaise kaatun andheri ratiyan,

Yakayak az dil do chashm-e jadoo basad farebam baburd taskin,
Kise pari hai jo jaa sunaave piyare pi ko hamaari batiyan,

Cho sham’a sozan cho zarra hairan hamesha giryan be ishq aan meh,
Na neend naina na ang chaina na aap aaven na bhejen patiyan,

Bahaqq-e roz-e wisal-e dilbar ki daad mara ghareeb Khusrau,
Sapet man ke waraaye raakhun jo jaaye paaon piya ke khatiyan


~Amir Khusro

Translation:

Do not overlook my misery by blandishing your eyes, and weaving tales;
My patience has over-brimmed, O sweetheart, why do you not take me to your bosom.

Long like curls in the night of separation, short like life on the day of our union;
My dear, how will I pass the dark dungeon night without your face before.

Suddenly, using a thousand tricks, the enchanting eyes robbed me of my tranquil mind;
Who would care to go and report this matter to my darling?

Tossed and bewildered, like a flickering candle,
I roam about in the fire of love;
Sleepless eyes, restless body, neither comes she, nor any message.

In honour of the day I meet my beloved who has lured me so long, O Khusro;
I shall keep my heart suppressed, if ever I get a chance to get to her trick.

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This poem shows the brilliance of Amir khusro, and was a daring experiment in those times. The lines of the poem are alternately in persian and brij bhasha. It was due to experiments like these that a pidgin language called Urdu originated. The first line of this poem was filched by Gulzar in a famous (and well written) song of his for the movie "Ghulami".

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