baaziichaa-e-atfaal hai duniyaa mere aage

baaziichaa-e-atfaal hai duniyaa mere aage
hotaa hai shab-o-roz tamaashaa mere aage

(baaziichaa-e-atfaal : child’s playground)

ik khel hai aurang-e-sulemaaN mere nazdiik
ik baat hai ijaaz-e-masiihaa mere aage

(aurang-e-SulemaaN : throne of King Solomon; ijaaz : miracle; masiihaa : Messiah, here meaning Jesus)

juz naam nahiiN suurat-e-aalam mujhe manzuur
juz vahm nahiiN hastii-e-ashyaa mere aage

(juz : other than; aalam : world; ashyaa : things)

hotaa hai nihaaN gard meN sehraa mere hote
ghistaa hai jabiiN Khaak pe dariyaa mere aage

(nihaaN : hidden; gard : dust; sehraa : wilderness; jabiiN : forehead)

mat puuchh ke kyaa haal hai meraa tere piichhe
tuu dekh ke kyaa rang hai teraa mere aage

sach kahte ho Khud’biin-o-Khud’aaraa huuN na kyuuN huuN
baiThaa hai but-e-aa’iinaa-siimaa mere aage

(Khud’biin : proud, Khud’aaraa : self adorer;  but : idol or lover; aa’iinaa-siimaa : mirror faced)

phir dekhiye andaaz-e-gul’afshaanii-e-guftaar
rakh de ko’ii paimaanaa-e-sahbaa mere aage

(gul’afshaanii-e-guftaar : to scatter flowers while speaking; sahbaa : wine)

nafrat ka gumaaN guzre hai maiN rashk se guzraa
kyuuN kar kahuuN lo naam naa us kaa mere aage

(gumaaN : doubt; rashk : envy)

iimaaN mujhe roke hai jo khiiNche hai mujhe kufr
kaabaa mere piichhe hai kaliisaa mere aage

(kufr : infidelity, kaliisaa : church)

aashiq huuN pe maashuuq-farebii hai mera kaam
majnuuN ko buraa kahtii hai lailaa mere aage

(maashuuq-farebii : to trick beloved)

Khush hote haiN par vasl meN yuuN mar nahiiN jaate
aayii shab-e-hijraaN kii tamannaa mere aage

(hijr : separation)

hai mauj’zan ik qulzum-e-KhuuN kaash! yahii ho
aataa hai abhii dekhiye kyaa-kyaa mere aage

(mauj’zan : turbulent as in waves; qulzum-e-KhuuN : red sea)

go haath ko jumbish nahiiN aaNkhoN meN to dam hai
rahne do abhii saaGhar-o-miinaa mere aage

(jumbish : movement; saaGar-o-miinaa : glass of wine and pitcher)

ham’peshaa-o-ham’mashrab-o-ham’raaz hai meraa
“Ghalib” ko buraa kyuuN kaho achchhaa mere aage

(ham’peshaa : of the same profession; ham’masharab : of the same habits; ham’raaz : confidant)

Mirza Ghalib

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