Even if we stop tyranny, what should we stop?
They say, what face can we show you?
Day and night, the seven heavens revolve.
Something or other will happen, why should we fear?
If there is enmity, we would consider it affection.
When there is nothing at all, why should we be deceived?
Why did you go along with the letter-bearer?
O Lord, how should we deliver our letter?
Let the wave of blood pass over my head,
But should we leave the beloved's threshold?
All our lives we watched for the path to death.
We have died, but let's see what they will show.
They ask, "Who is Ghalib?"
Someone tell us, what should we tell them?
This ghazal, typical of classical Urdu poetry, delves into the complexities of love, human suffering, and existential philosophy, characteristic themes of its likely author, Mirza Ghalib. Each couplet, while adhering to the ghazal's strict rhyme and meter, often presents a self-contained thought, ranging from the beloved's indifference and the lover's unwavering devotion to reflections on fate, the futility of worry, and the anticipation of death. The language often employs profound metaphors and wordplay to express the intensity of emotion and the paradoxes of life and love, culminating in a signature couplet where the poet playfully refers to himself.
love & longing (ishq, judāī) · wonder & existence · wit & rebuke