aah ko chaahiye ik umr asar hone tak

aah ko chaahiye ik umr asar hone tak
kaun jiitaa hai terii zulf ke sar hone tak

(aah : sigh; zulf : tresses)

daam har mauj meN hai halqaa-e-sad-kaam-e-nahang
dekheN kyaa guzre hai qatre pe guhar hone tak

(daam : trap; mauj : wave; halqaa : ring; sad : hundred; nahang : crocodile; guhar : pearl)

aashiquii sabr-talab aur tamannaa betaab
dil kaa kyaa rang karuuN Khuun-e-jigar hone tak

(sabr-talab : requiring patience)

ham ne maanaa ke taGhaaful na karoge lekin
Khaak ho jaayeNge ham tum ko Khabar hone tak

(taGhaaful : neglect)

partav-e-Khuur se hai shabanam ko fanaa kii taaliim
maiN bhii huuN ek inaayat kii nazar hone tak

(partav-e-Khuur : Sun rays; shabanam : dew; fanaa : to perish; inaayat : favour)

yak-nazar besh nahiiN fursat-e-hastii Ghaafil
garmii-e-bazm hai ik raqs-e-sharar hone tak

(besh : excess; Ghaafil : ignorant; raqs : dance; sharar : fire)

Gham-e-hastii kaa ‘Asad’ kis se ho juz marg ilaaj
shammaa har rang meN jaltii hai sahar hone tak

(juz : other than; marg : death; sahar : dawn)

Mirza Ghalib

A detailed explanation of this Ghazal is available at the page maintained by Frances Pritchett.