POEM · PERMANENT EDITION
Mirza Ghalib غیر لیں محفل میں بوسے جام کے Ghair lein mahfil mein bose jaam ke ●sher 1 of 7

غیر لیں محفل میں بوسے جام کے

Ghair lein mahfil mein bose jaam ke

ہم رہیں یوں تشنہ لب پیغام کے

Hum rahein yun tashna-lab paigham ke

Others in the assembly kiss the cups,
While we remain thirsty-lipped for a message.

خستگی کا تم سے کیا شکوہ کہ یہ

Khashtagi ka tum se kya shikwa ke ye

ہتکھنڈے ہیں چرخ نیلی فام کے

Hathkhande hain charkh neeli faam ke

What complaint can we have of weariness from you, for these
Are but the tricks of the blue-domed sky (fate).

خط لکھیں گے گرچہ مطلب کچھ نہ ہو

Khat likhenge garche matlab kuch na ho

ہم تو عاشق ہیں تمہارے نام کے

Hum to ashiq hain tumhare naam ke

We will write letters, even if there's no purpose,
For we are lovers of your name.

رات پی زمزم پہ مے اور صبح دم

Raat pee zamzam pe may aur subh-e-dam

دھوئے دھبے جامۂ احرام کے

Dhoye dhabbe jama-e-ehram ke

Last night, I drank wine at Zamzam, and at dawn
Washed the stains from the ihram garment.

دل کو آنکھوں نے پھنسایا کیا مگر

Dil ko aankhon ne phansaya kya magar

یہ بھی حلقے ہیں تمہارے دام کے

Ye bhi halqe hain tumhare daam ke

What have the eyes ensnared the heart in, but
These too are rings of your snare.

شاہ کے ہے غسل صحت کی خبر

Shah ke hai ghusl-e-sehat ki khabar

دیکھیے کب دن پھریں حمام کے

Dekhiye kab din phirein hammaam ke

There is news of the king's recovery bath,
Let's see when the days of the bathhouse turn (prosper).

عشق نے غالبؔ نکما کر دیا

Ishq ne Ghalib nikamma kar diya

ورنہ ہم بھی آدمی تھے کام کے

Warna hum bhi aadmi the kaam ke

Love, O Ghalib, has made us useless,
Otherwise, we too were people of worth.

Context

This ghazal by Ghalib masterfully blends themes of unrequited love, existential despair, and poignant longing with characteristic wit and philosophical depth. It navigates the lover's torment of being excluded while others enjoy the beloved's proximity, expressing resignation to a fate often perceived as cruel. Ghalib's signature defiance against religious hypocrisy is evident in the bold imagery of drinking wine at Zamzam and washing its stains from a pilgrim's robe. The poem also touches on unwavering devotion, the beloved's captivating power, and societal critique, culminating in the poet's self-deprecating yet profound admission that love has rendered him 'useless,' a hallmark of his enduring literary persona.

love & longing (ishq, judāī) · wit & rebuke · defiance

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