Mirza Ghalib

Iqbal said "Many a poet is born after his death". Ghalib (1797-1860) was no exception to that and often dubbed 'Godless' by the Islamic establishment of his time.

ghalib bura na maan jo waaiz bura kahe,
koi aisa bhi hai ki sab achcha kahe jise !!

Yet his verse shows a constant preoccupation with God and his creation,

na tha kuchh to khuda tha, kuchh na hota to khuda hota,
duboya mujhako hone ne, na hota mein to kya hota !!

oscillating between joyful ecstasy

'Asad' khushi se mere haath paanv fool gaye,
kaha jo usane zara mere paanv dabaa to de

and hopeless despair.

kisi ko deke dil koi, nawaa-sanj-e-fugaan kyon ho,
na ho jab dil hi seene me, to fir muh me zubaan kyon ho.

Biblical and Koranic figures appear frequently in his writings

Kya vah namruud ki khudaai thi,
bandagi me bhi mera bhala na hua.

and in typical mystical love poetry tradition,

Muhabbat me nahi hai fark jeene aur marne ka,
usi ko dekh kar jeete hai jis kaafir pe dam nikale.

his themes cover every minute nuance of the lover's aching heart,

Neend uski hai dimaag uska hai raate uski hai,
teri zulfe jisake baazu par pareshaan ho gayi.

the agonies of unity and separation from the Beloved,

khush hote hai par wasl me yoo mar nahi jaate,
aaii shab-e-hizra ki tamanna mere aage.

the futility of human glory

na sataaish ki tamanna na sile ki parwah,
gar nahi hai mere aashaar me mani to na sahi.

and the hopeless predicament of a loving soul trapped within the limitations of a human body.

Kab se hu kya bataau jahan-e-kharaab me,
shab haaye hizr ko bhi gar rakhu hisaab me.

Ghalib was known as Philosopher. If it is philosophy than it is reflection of humuan experiences, which can not be processed as thopughts in an intelectual mind, instead can only be experienced in soul.

ranj se khoogar hua insaa to mit jaata hai ranj,
mushkile itani padi mujhpe ki aasaa ho gayi.

How true as Said by 'Shaili', ...
"Our sweetest songs are those that tell of saddest thought".

kahte hai jiite hai ummiid pah log,
ham ko jiine kii bhii ummiid nahii.

The God and Thy-Self, Khuda Aur Khudi

Na Tu Zameen Ke Liyeh Hai Na Aasman Ke Liyeh,
Jahan Hai Tere Liyeh, Tu Nahi Jahan Ke Liyeh
You are neither for the earth nor for the sky,
This world is for you, you are not for the world.

hakeemi ney Musalmaani Khudi Ki.
Kaleemi Ramz-e-Pinhaani Khudi Ki.
intelligence is believing Thy-self.
Talking with(or about) God is an embodiment of secrets of self.
Tujhe Gur Fakr O Shahi Ka Bata Doon,
Ghareebi Mein Nigehbani Khudhi Ki
Let me tell you the trick of being proud and royal,
in poverty, protection of self-hood.

Khudhi Ko Ker Buland Itna Ke Her Taqdeer Se Pehle,
Khudaa Bande Se Khud Poochhe Bataa Teri Razaa Kya Hai
Make self-hood so great, that, before every fate,G
God himself asks the man, "tell [me], what is thy wish?"

Yeh Hikmat E Malkooti Yeh Ilm E Laa-Hoti
Haram Ke Dard Ka Darmaan Nahi To Kuch Bhi Nahi
this intelligence like angles, this knowledge of islam, (acceptence of one God)
if it can not cure the pain of human being, than it's nothing.
Yeh Zikr E Neem Shabi ye muraakbe ye suroor
Teri Khudhi Ke Nigehbaan Nahi To Kuch Bhi Nahi
these prayers of mid-night, those religious things,
if they can not protect thy self-hood, than it's nothing.
Khirad Ne Keh Bhi Diya La Ilah To Kya Haasil
Dil-O-Nigaah Musalmaan Nahi To Kuch Bhi Nahi
even if the intelligence had accepted the one true existence, than what gain?
if heart and eyes has not accepted it, than it's nothing.

Zindagani Hai Sadaf qatra-e-nesaaN Hai Khudhi,
Woh Sadaf Kya Ke Jo Qatre Ko Gohar Ker Na Sakay.
Life is like a oyster, and self-hood is like a drop of rain,
what use of the oyster, if it can't turn the drop into pearl.
Ho Agar Khudnigar O Khudgar O Khudgeer Khudi,
Yeh Bhi Mumkin Hai Ke Tu Mout Se Bhi Mar Na Sakay.
If the self-hood is self-observant and self-building and self-ruling,
it is also possible that you won't die even in death.

Phir Charagh E Lala Se Roshan Hoay Koh-o-Taman.
Mujh Ko Phir Naghmon Pe Uksanay Laga Murg E Chaman.
Again, candles and tulips has lit hills and 'Taman'.
again, the bird of garden is provoking me with it's songs.
Apne Man Mein Doob Ker Pajaa Suragh E Zindagi.
Tu Agar Mera Nahi Banta, Na Ban,Apna To Ban
by drowning in self-heart, find the clue of life.
if you don't want to be mine, than don't be, be thy self's.
Mua Ki Dunya Mun Ki Dunya Soz O Masti Jazb O Shouq.
Tan Ki Dunya Tun Ki Dunya Sood O Sauda Makr O Fun.
World of heart is realm of soul, with passion, intoxication, sentiments, Zeal.
World of body is materialistic, with profit, trade, Illusion, skill
Man Ki Doulat Haath Aati Hai To Phir Jaati Nahi.
Tan Ki Daulat Chaaon Hai Aata Hai Dhan Jata Hai Dhan.
treasure of soul, once in your hand, never goes away.
materialistic wealth, is like shade, impermanent.
Man Ki Dunya Mein Na Paya Mein Ne Afrangi Ka Raaj.
Man Ki Dunya Mein Na Dekhe Mein Ne Shaikh O Brahman
In the realm of heart, there ain't a division of skin-color.
In the realm of heart, there ain't a division of religion.
Paani Paani Ker Gayi Mujh Ko Qalandar Ki Yeh Baat,
"Tu Jhuka Jab Ghair Ke Agay Na Mun Tera Na Tan."
These words of the dervish made me ashamed,
"when you bowed before others, neither soul nor body remain yours."

Ki Haqq se farishton ne Iqbal ki ghammaazi
"gustaakh hai karta hai fitrat ki hinabandi
by truth, angels complained of 'Iqbal', that
"he is mischievous to question against nature.
khaki hai magar iske andaaz hai aflaki.
rumi hai na shaami hai kaashi na samarkandi.
This creation of clay is of heavenly nature.
He is neither rumi, nor shams, nor kaashi, nor samarkandi.
sikhlaayi farishton ko aadam ki tarap isne.
aadam ko sikhaata hai aadaab-e-Khuda'wandi"
He taught the angels the suffering of Man.
And teaches Man the Manners of angels."

gaafil na ho khudii se kar apani paasbaani
shaayad kisi haram ka tuu bhii hai aastaana
Do not nerglect self-hood, Be your own Sentinel.
Perhaps you are also abodes of some sacred place.
terii nigaah se dil seenoN me kaanpte the
khoyaa gayaa hai teraa jazb-e-qalandaraana
From your sight, hearts used to be trembled in chest.
Your style of dervish is lost.
e laa-ilaah ke vaaris baakii nahii hai tujhme
gufaataar-e-dilbaraana kiradaar-e-kaahiraana
hey! master of Islam, You lack of...
lovely conversation and honest character.
ye bandagi kadaayi vo bandagi Khudaayi
yaa bandaa-e-Khuda ban yaa bandaa-e-zamaanaa
This servitude is vain, that servitude is divine,
Be either servant of God or servant of world.

Aur bhi haiN...

sitaaroN se aage jahaaN aur bhii haiN
abhii ishq ke imtihaaN aur bhii haiN
Beyond the stars, there are other worlds too.
Still, more trials of love are yet to come.

tihii zindagii se nahiiN ye fazaayeN
yahaaN saikaDoN kaaravaaN aur bhii haiN
These environments are not from this empty life,
Here are hundred of other caravans too.

kanaa'at na kar aalam-e-rang-o-bu par
chaman aur bhii, aashiyaaN aur bhii haiN
Don’t be satisfied with this fragrance and color of life
or Don't be contended with color and scent of this world.
There are other gardens, other nests too.

agar kho gayaa ek nasheman to kyaa gham
maqaamaat-e-aah-o-fugaaN aur bhii haiN
if One nest was lost, what's the [cause of] grief?
There are other places (or opportunities) for sighing and lamenting.

tuu shahiiN hai parwaaz hai kaam teraa
tere saamane aasmaaN aur bhii haiN
You are a falcon, flying is your job,
In front of you, there are yet more skies [to fly].

isii roz-o-shab meN ulajh kar na rah jaa
ke tere zamiin-o-makaaN aur bhii haiN
Do not remain tangled in this day and night (mundane of this life
For you have other places and destinations too.

gae din kii tanhaa thaa maiN aNjuman meN
yahaaN ab mere raazadaaN aur bhii haiN
Gone are those days when I was lonely in gatherings
Here, now, I have other confidants too.

Dyar-e-Ishq mein

dyar-e-ishq meiN apna maqaam paida kar
naya zamaana naye subah-o-shaam paida kar
Create a place for thyself in the realm of love;
Create a new age, new days and nights.

khuda agar dil-e-fitrat shanaas de tujhko
sakoot-e-laalaa-o-gul se kalaam paida kar
If god grants you a heart of nature,
Create poetry from the silence of Tulips and roses.

Uthaa naa sheesha-garan-e-farang ke ehsaaN
safaal-e-paak se meena-o-jaam paida kar
Do not take favours from the foreign glass-makers,
Create wine and glass from the your land only.
(Do not be beholden to the West’s artisans,)
(Seek thy sustenance in what thy land affords.)

mein shaakh-e-taak hun, meri ghazal hai mera samr
mere samr se mae-laala-faam paida kar
I am an small part of a broader view, My poem is my essence;
From my essence, create wine with fragrance of tulip.
(My ghazal is the essence of my life-blood)
(Create thy elixir of life out ‘of this essence.)

mera tareek ameeri nahi faqeeri hai
khudi na Baich gareebi mein naam paida kar
My ways are not wealth but poverty,
Do not sell selfhood, creat honour in poverty.
(My way of life is poverty, not the pursuit of wealth)
(Barter not thy Selfhood; win a name in adversity)