Best of Mirza Ghalib

Dil dhoondta hai phir wahi fursat-e-shab-o-roz
Naaz uthana, naaz uthana, naaz uthana

Hazaaron khwahishein aisi ke har khwahish pe dam nikle
Bahut nikle mere armaan, lekin phir bhi kam nikle

ham se khul jaao ba-vaqt-e-mai-parasti ek din
varna ham chheDeinge rakh kar uzr-e-masti ek din

main bhi ruk ruk ke na martaa jo zabaan ke badle
dashna ik tez saa hotaa mire gham-khvaar ke paas

dost-daar-e-dushman hai e'timaad-e-dil maalum
aah be-asar dekhi naala naa-rasaa paayaa

nazzaare ne bhi kaam kiyaa vaan naqaab kaa
masti se har nigah tire rukh par bikhar gai

hain kavaakib kuchh nazar aate hain kuchh
dete hain dhoka ye baazigar khulaa

baar-haa dekhi hain un ki ranjishein
par kuchh ab ke sargiraani aur hai

puchhte hain vo ki 'ghaalib' kaun hai
koi batlaao ki ham batlaaein kyaa

dam liyaa thaa na qayaamat ne hanuz
phir tiraa vaqt-e-safar yaad aayaa

ishq ne 'ghaalib' nikammaa kar diyaa
varna ham bhi aadmi the kaam ke

ishq se tabiat ne ziist kaa mazaa paayaa
dard ki davaa paai dard-e-be-davaa paayaa

marte hain aarzu mein marne ki
maut aati hai par nahin aati

dikhaa ke jumbish-e-lab hi tamaam kar ham ko
na de jo bosa to munh se kahin javaab to de

kyaa vo namrud ki khudaai thi
bandagi mein miraa bhalaa na huaa

be-khudi be-sabab nahin 'ghaalib'
kuchh to hai jis ki parda-daari hai

koi viraani si viraani hai
dasht ko dekh ke ghar yaad aayaa

mujh tak kab un ki bazm mein aataa thaa daur-e-jaam
saaqi ne kuchh milaa na diyaa ho sharaab mein

jalve kaa tere vo aalam hai ki gar kiije khayaal
dida-e-dil ko ziyaarat-gaah-e-hairaani kare

laazim thaa ki dekho miraa rastaa koi din aur
tanhaa gae kyuun ab raho tanhaa koi din aur

main naa-muraad dil ki tasalli ko kyaa karun
maanaa ki tere rukh se nigah kaamyaab hai

bhaage the ham bahut so usi ki sazaa hai ye
ho kar asiir daabte hain raahzan ke paanv

donon jahaan de ke vo samjhe ye khush rahaa
yaan aa paDi ye sharm ki takraar kyaa karein

khulegaa kis tarah mazmun mire maktub kaa yaa rab
qasam khaai hai us kaafir ne kaaghaz ke jalaane ki

pakDe jaate hain farishton ke likhe par naa-haq
aadmi koi hamaaraa dam-e-tahrir bhi thaa