Why would anyone suffer such wretchedness?
Why would this life feel so burdensome to us?
If a desired union were to happen, then we would meet.
Oh, if only love were a matter of choice.
This Urdu poem, characteristic of ghazal tradition, expresses the profound anguish and yearning of an unfulfilled lover. It questions the necessity of enduring such distress and finding life burdensome, lamenting the involuntary nature of love. The speaker wishes love were a choice, highlighting the classic poetic theme where 'ishq' (love) is depicted as an overwhelming, often painful, force beyond human control, leading to a state of helplessness and perpetual longing.
love & longing (ishq, judāī) · grief (gham) · the world's unfairness (shikwa)