Mirza Asadullah Baig Khan, who wrote under the pen name 'Ghalib' is one of the most quotable Urdu poets whose sher or couplets relate with almost all situations of life.
His words on love, loss and life continue to enlighten us and calm our soul.
Hi...
कहूँ जो हाल तो कहते हो मुद्दआ' कहिए तुम्हीं कहो कि जो तुम यूँ कहो तो क्या कहिए
If I tell you about the state of my heart (my restlessness), then you say, 'Please state your purpose'. You only say if you would speak like this, then what can one say.
न कहियो ता'न से फिर तुम कि हम सितमगर हैं मुझे तो ख़ू है कि जो कुछ कहो बजा कहिए
From now on, don't tauntingly call yourself a tyrant. You are well aware that my habit (nature) is always to say to every word of yours 'Correct' and 'Right'. So when you said as a taunt, 'I'm a tyrant', I replied without thinking that it's true.
वो नेश्तर सही पर दिल में जब उतर जावे निगाह-ए-नाज़ को फिर क्यूँ न आश्ना कहिए
No doubt that the glance of coquetry too is a lancet (dagger). But when it would go down into the heart and the heart would accept it, then what objection is there to calling the glance of coquetry a friend/beloved?
नहीं ज़रीया-ए-राहत जराहत-ए-पैकाँ वो ज़ख़्म-ए-तेग़ है जिस को कि दिल-कुशा कहिए
The wound of an arrow is not a cause of ease/relief/pleasure. The sword-wound is 'heart-opening', since it lays the heart open with a broad, deep slash, and thus provides both more of the pleasure of pain, and also more effective access to the 'relief/ease' (and even 'exhilaration') of death. Thus it's superior to the arrow-wound, which makes a 'narrow' hole and thus is unable to open the narrowness of the heart.
जो मुद्दई' बने उस के न मुद्दई' बनिए जो ना-सज़ा कहे उस को न ना-सज़ा कहिए
If someone would show enmity toward you, don't show enmity toward them; and if someone would vilify you (call you unworthy), don't vilify them.
Sometimes we write the state of the restlessness of sickness, sometimes we express the difficulty that medicine has no effect
कभी शिकायत-ए-रंज-ए-गिराँ-नशीं कीजे कभी हिकायत-ए-सब्र-ए-गुरेज़-पा कहिए
Sometimes we sit down and bemoan the grievousness of the difficulties of separation. Sometimes complaints of fugitive endurance come to our lips.
रहे न जान तो क़ातिल को ख़ूँ-बहा दीजे कटे ज़बान तो ख़ंजर को मर्हबा कहिए
At the time when life is departing, one ought to forgive the murderer the blood-price; and if the tongue is cut out, then one ought to praise the dagger.
नहीं निगार को उल्फ़त न हो निगार तो है रवानी-ए-रविश ओ मस्ती-ए-अदा कहिए
If the beautiful beloved doesn't feel love, then let her not, but she's still the beloved. One ought to mention her excellences. It is suitable and primary to praise her airs and graces, and do justice to her beauty.
नहीं बहार को फ़ुर्सत न हो बहार तो है तरावत-ए-चमन ओ ख़ूबी-ए-हवा कहिए
If spring doesn't have leisure for settledness (as it comes for a short time) then let it not. But nevertheless, it's the spring season. One ought to abandon this complaint, and praise the verdure (greenness)of the garden and the joy and pleasure of the cool breeze. The verse praises the verdure and luxuriance of springtime despite its brevity.
सफ़ीना जब कि किनारे पे आ लगा 'ग़ालिब' ख़ुदा से क्या सितम-ओ-जौर-ए-ना-ख़ुदा कहिए
Now that the ship has come and docked at the shore, Ghalib Why will you tell the Lord about the cruelty and oppression of the captain/'ship-lord. You ought not to complain of the cruelty and oppression of the captain for this reason: that he may have been cruel, but he also brought you to the shore.
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kahun jo haal to kahte ho muddaa kahiye tumhin kaho ki jo tum yun kaho to kya kahiye
na kahiyo tan se phir tum ki hum sitamgar hain mujhe to KHu hai ki jo kuchh kaho baja kahiye
wo neshtar sahi par dil mein jab utar jawe nigah-e-naz ko phir kyun na aashna kahiye
nahin zariya-e-rahat jarahat-e-paikan wo zaKHm-e-tegh hai jis ko ki dil-kusha kahiye
jo muddai bane us ke na muddai baniye jo na-saza kahe us ko na na-saza kahiye
