By Ahmed Faraz
Translated by Ayesha Khanna

badan me.n aag sii cheharaa gulaab jaisaa hai
ke zahar-e-Gam kaa nashaa bhii sharaab jaisaa hai
smouldering fire, velvety softness
the poison of this desire
intoxicates

kahaa.N vo qurb ke ab to ye haal hai jaise
tere firaaq kaa aalam bhii Khvaab jaisaa hai
such is the closeness now
her absence
unimaginable it makes

magar kabhii ko_ii dekhe ko_ii pa.Dhe to sahii
dil aa_iinaa hai to cheharaa kitaab jaisaa hai
then why does she
neither see nor read
my soul, my visage

vo saamane hai magar tishnagii nahii.n jaatii
ye kyaa sitam hai ke dariyaa saraab jaisaa hai
i thirst for her
yet here she stands
my ocean, my mirage

'Faraz' sang-e-malaamat se zaKhm zaKhm sahii
hame.n aziiz hai Khaanaa_Kharaab jaisaa hai
faraz, love her i will
though only torment
for me awaits

Image Courtesy Guru