Ab To Ghabra Ke Ye Kahte Hain Ki Mar Jaenge

Sheikh Ibrahim Zauq

ab to ghabra ke ye kahte hain ki mar jaenge

mar ke bhi chain na paaya to kidhar jaenge

being agitated I express the hope to die, although

in death, if solace is not found, then where shall I go?

tum ne thahrai agar ghair ke ghar jaane ki

to irade yahan kuchh aur thahar jaenge

if you are thus resolved to go to my rival’s house

my cause with greater ardor for sure I will espouse

khali ai charagaro honge bahut marham-dan

par mire zakhm nahin aise ki bhar jaenge

O healers, all your potions, balms, may now be at an end

but still my wounds are not the sort that one can ever mend

pahunchenge rahguzar-e-yar talak kyuun kar ham

pahle jab tak na do aalam se guzar jaenge

the path to my beloved’s street how can I ever find

Untll I traverse the course of both the worlds combined

shola-e-ah ko bijli ki tarah chamkaun

par mujhe dar hai ki vo dekh ke dar jaenge

like lightning I would brighten the flame that is my sigh

but then I am afraid that she, in fear would start to cry

ham nahin vo jo karen khuun ka daava tujh par

balki puchhega khuda bhi to mukar jaenge

I am not one of those who will you of murder accuse

even if God would seek to know, I’d blatantly refuse

aag dozakh ki bhi ho jaegi paani paani

jab ye aasi araq-e-sharm se tar jaenge

even the blazing, roaring flames of hell will then be quenched

when these offenders there arrive in sweat of shame all drenched

nahin paega nishan koi hamara hargiz

ham jahan se ravish-e-tir-e-nazar jaenge

none will ever find the slightest trace of me perchance

I will leave this world just like the arrow of a glance

samne chashm-e-guhar-bar ke kah do dariya

chadh ke gar aae to nazron se utar jaenge

zauq, by madrasas misled mullahs have gone astray

bring them to the tavern and they will find their way

laae jo mast hain turbat pe gulabi ankhen

aur agar kuchh nahin do phuul to dhar jaenge

rukh-e-raushan se naqab apne ulat dekho tum

mehr-o-mah nazron se yaron ki utar jaenge

ham bhi dekhenge koi ahl-e-nazar hai ki nahin

yaan se jab ham ravish-e-tir-e-nazar jaenge

‘zauq’ jo madrase ke bigde hue hain mulla

un ko mai-khane men le aao sanvar jaenge