Faiz Ahmed Faiz

Nauhaa
kabhii kabhii yaad me.n ubharate hai.n naqsh-e-maazii miTe miTe se 

kabhii kabhii yaad me.n ubharate hai.n naqsh-e-maazii miTe miTe se
vo aazamaa_ish sii dil-o-nazar kii, vo qurabate.n sii vo faasale se 

[maazii=past; naqsh=trace/memories; aazamaa_ish=test; qurabate.n=nearness; faasale=distances] 

(Sometimes memories of the past come to mind, blurred and faint
subtly testing the heart and eye, some near, some far away) 

kabhii aarazuu ke seharaa me.n aake rukate hai.n qaafile se
vo saarii baate.n lagaav kii sii vo saare unavaa.N visaal ke se 

[seharaa=desert; qaafilaa=caravan; lagaav=attachment]
[unavaa.N=start; visaal=meeting with a beloved] 

(they stop in the desert of desire, like caravans half-unseen
like words of love left unsaid, like a meeting that might have been) 

nigah-o-dil ko qaraar kaisaa nishaat-o-Gam me.n kamii kahaa.N kii
vo jab mile hai.n to un se har baar kii hai ulfat naye sire se 

[nishaat=joy] 

(the heart and eye have found no peace, my joys or sorrows are not few
everytime I have met her, I have started to love her anew) 

bahut giraa.N hai ye aish-e-tanhaa kahii.n sabukatar kahii.n gavaaraa
vo dard-e-pinhaa.N ki saarii duniyaa rafiiq thii jisake vaaste se 

[giraa.N=expensive; aish-e-tanhaa=luxury of loneliness]
[sabukatar=oppressive; gavaaraa=acceptable; pinhaa.N=hidden]
[rafiiq=friendly] 

(this luxury of loneliness is expensive, sometimes unbearable, sometimes appealing
the inner anguish that I have borne for which the world befriended me) 

tumhii.n kaho ri.nd-o-muhtasib me.n ho aaj shab kaun farq aisaa
ye aake baiThe hai.n maikade me.n vo uThake aaye hai.n maikade se 

[ri.nd=one who drinks; muhtasib=one who stops from others drinking] 

(the censor and the profligate both helped maintain the score
one took his place and drank his fill, the other left by the tavern door) 

kahii.n to kaaravaan-e-dard kii ma.nzil Thahar jaaye 



kahii.n to kaaravaan-e-dard kii ma.nzil Thahar jaaye
kinaare aa lage umr-e-ravaa.N yaa dil Thahar jaaye
amaa.N kaisii ki mauj-e-Khuu.N abhii sar se nahii.n guzarii
guzar jaaye to shaayad baazuu-e-qaatil Thahar jaaye
ko_ii dam baadabaan-e-kashtii-e-sahabaa ko tah rakho
zaraa Thaharo Gubaar-e-Khaatir-e-mahafil Thahar jaaye
hamaarii Khamoshii bas dil se lab tak ek vaqfaa hai
ye tuufaa.N hai jo pal bhar bas lab-e-saahil Thahar jaaye
nigaah-e-mu.ntazir kab tak karegii aa_iinaaba.ndii
kahii.n to dasht-e-Gam me.n yaar kaa mahamil Thahar jaaye




Khudaa wo waqt na laaye  



Khudaa wo waqt na laaye ki soGawaar ho tuu
sukuu.N kii nii.nd tujhe bhii haraam ho jaaye
terii masarrat-e-paiham tamaam ho jaaye
terii hayaat tujhe talKh jaam ho jaaye
Gamo.n se aaiinaa-e-dil gudaaz ho teraa
Hujuum-e-yaas se betaab hoke rah jaaye
wafuur-e-dard se siimaab ho ke rah jaaye
teraa shabaab faqat Khwaab ho ke rah jaaye
Guruur-e-husn saraapaa niyaaz ho teraa
tawiil raato.n me.n tuu bhii qaraar ko tarase
terii nigaah kisii Gam_gusaar ko tarase
Khizaa.N_rasiidaa tamannaa bahaar ko tarase
koii jabii.n na tere sang-e-aastaa.N pe jhuke
ki jins-e-ijz-o-aqiidat se tujh ko shaad kare
fareb-e-waadaa-e-farda pe aetamaad kare
Khudaa wo waqt na laaye ki tujh ko yaad aaye
wo dil ki tere liye be-qaraar ab bhii hai
wo aa.Nkh jis ko teraa intazaar ab bhii hai



Khurshiid-e-Mahashar Kii Lau 



aaj ke din na puuchho mere dosto
duur kitane hai.n Khushiyaa.N manaane ke din
khul ke ha.Nsane ke din giit gaane ke din
pyaar karane ke din dil lagaane ke din
aaj ke din na puuchho mere dosto
zaKhm kitane abhii baKht-e-bismil me.n hai.n
dasht kitane abhii raah-e-ma.nzil me.n hai.n
tiir kitane abhii dast-e-qaatil me.n hai.n
aaj ke din zubuu.N hai mere dosto
aaj ke din to yuu.N hai mere dosto
jaise dard-o-alam ke puraane nishaa.N
sab chale suu-e-dil kaaravaa.N kaaravaa.N
haath siine pe rakho to har ustaKhvaa.N
se uThe naalaa-e-al'amaa.N al'amaa.N
aaj ke din na puuchho mere dosto
kab tumhaare lahuu ke dariidaa alam
farq-e-Khurshiid-e-mahashar pe ho.nge raqam
az karaa.N taa karaa.N kab tumhaare qadam
leke uThegaa vo bahar-e-Khuu.N yam-ba-yam
jis dil me.n dhul jaayegaa aaj ke din kaa Gam
saare dard-o-alam saare jaur-e-sitam
duur kitanii hai Khurshiid-e-mahashar kii lau
aaj ke din na puuchho mere dosto



Khvaab-baseraa 



is vaqt to yuu.N lagataa hai ab kuchh bhii nahii.n hai
mahataab na suuraj na a.Ndheraa na saveraa
aa.Nkho.n ke dariiche me.n kisii husn kii jhalakan
aur dil kii panaaho.n me.n kisii dard kaa Deraa
mumkin hai ko_ii vaham ho mumkin hai sunaa ho
galiyo.n me.n kisii chaap kaa ek aaKhirii pheraa
shaaKho.n me.n Khayaalo.n ke ghane pe.D kii shaayad
ab aake karegaa na ko_ii Khvaab baseraa
ik bair na ik mahar na ik rabt na rishtaa
teraa ko_ii apanaa na paraayaa ko_ii meraa
maanaa ki ye sun-saan gha.Dii saKht ba.Dii hai
lekin mere dil ye to faqat ek gha.dii hai
himmat karo jiine ko abhii umr pa.Dii hai

kuchh din se intazaar-e-savaal-e-digar me.n hai kuchh din se intazaar-e-savaal-e-digar me.n hai vo muzmahil hayaa jo kisii kii nazar me.n hai [intazaar-e-savaal-e-digar = waiting for the second question] [muzmahil = dimmed/exhausted; hayaa = shyness/modesty] siikhii yahii.n mere dil-e-kaafir ne bandagii rabb-e-kariim hai to terii rah_guzar me.n hai [kaafir = non-believer] maazii me.n jo mazaa merii shaam-o-sahar me.n thaa ab vo faqat tasavvur-e-shaam-o-sahar me.n hai [maazii = past; mazaa = enjoyment; sahar = morning] [faqat = merely; tasavvur = imagination/contemplation] kyaa jaane kis ko kis se hai ab daad kii talab vo Gam jo mere dil me.n hai terii nazar me.n hai [daad = praise/justice; talab = need]

kuchh ishq kiyaa, kuchh kaam kiyaa 

vo log bahut Khush_qismat the 
jo ishq ko kaam samajhate the 
yaa kaam se aashiqii karate the 
ham jiite jii masaruuf rahe 
kuchh ishq kiyaa kuchh kaam kiyaa 
 
kaam ishq ke aa.De aataa rahaa 
aur ishq se kaam ulajhataa rahaa 
phir aaKhir tang aakar ham ne 
dono.n ko adhuuraa chho.D diyaa 
 
[masaruuf = busy]

1976

kuchh muhatasibo.n kii Khilavat me.n kuchh vaa-iz ke ghar jaatii hai 



kuchh muhatasibo.n kii Khilavat me.n kuchh vaa-iz ke ghar jaatii hai
ham baadaa-kasho.n ke hisse ko ab jaam me.n kam kam aatii hai
yuu.N arz-o-talab se kab ai dil patthar-dil paanii hote hai.n
tum laakh razaa kii Khuu Daalo kab Khuu-e-sitamagar jaatii hai
bedaad-garo.n kii bastii hai yaa.N daad kahaa.N fariyaad kahaa.N
sar phoratii phiratii hai naadaa.N fariyaad jo dar dar jaatii hai
haa.N jii ke zayaa.N kii ham ko bhii tashviish hai lekin kyaa kiijiye
har raah jo udhar ko jaatii hai maqtal se guzar kar jaatii hai
ab kuuchaa-e-dilabar kaa rah-rau rahazan bhii bane to baat bane
pahare se uduu Talate hii nahii.n aur raat baraabar jaatii hai
ham ahal-e-qafas tanhaa bhii nahii.n har roz nasiim-e-subah-e-vatan
yaado.n se muattar aatii hai ashko.n se munavvar jaatii hai







kuchh pahale in aa.Nkho.n aage kyaa kyaa na nazaaraa guzare thaa 





kuchh pahale in aa.Nkho.n aage kyaa kyaa na nazaaraa guzare thaa
kyaa raushan ho jaatii thii galii jab yaar hamaaraa guzare thaa
the kitane achchhe log ki jinako apane Gam se fursat thii
sab puuchhe.n the ahavaal jo ko_ii dard kaa maaraa guzare thaa
[ahavaal=condition]
ab ke to Khizaa.N aisii Thaharii vo saare zamaane bhuul gaye
jab mausam-e-gul har phere me.n aa aa ke dubaaraa guzare thaa
thii yaaro.n kii bahutaat to ham aGayaar se bhii bezaar na the
jab mil baiThe to dushman kaa bhii saath gavaaraa guzare thaa
[aGayaar=strangers]
ab to haath sujhaa_ii na deve lekin ab se pahale to
aa.nkh uThate hii ek nazar me.n aalam saaraa guzare thaa