POEM · PERMANENT EDITION
Mirza Ghalib کوئی دن گر زندگانی اور ہے Koi din gar zindagani aur hai ●sher 1 of 6

کوئی دن گر زندگانی اور ہے

Koi din gar zindagani aur hai

اپنے جی میں ہم نے ٹھانی اور ہے

Apne ji mein hum ne thani aur hai

If life still has a few days left,
I have resolved something else in my heart.

آتشِ دوزخ میں یہ گرمی کہاں

Aatish-e-dozakh mein ye garmi kahan

سوزِ غم ہائے نہانی اور ہے

Soz-e-gham haye nahani aur hai

Where is this heat in the fire of hell?
The burning of hidden sorrows is something else.

بارہا دیکھی ہیں ان کی رنجشیں

Barha dekhi hain unki ranjishein

پر کچھ اب کے سر گرانی اور ہے

Par kuch ab ke sar-girani aur hai

Many times I have seen their displeasure,
But this time, their aloofness is different.

دے کے خط منہ دیکھتا ہے نامہ بر

De ke khat munh dekhta hai nama-bar

کچھ تو پیغامِ زبانی اور ہے

Kuch to paigham-e-zabani aur hai

Having given the letter, the messenger looks at my face,
Surely, there is some verbal message yet to convey.

قاطعِ اعمار ہیں اکثر نجوم

Qati'-e-a'maar hain aksar nujoom

وہ بلائے آسمانی اور ہے

Woh balaye aasmani aur hai

Stars often cut short lives,
That heavenly calamity is something else.

ہو چکیں غالبؔ بلائیں سب تمام

Ho chukein Ghalib! balayein sab tamam

ایک مرگِ ناگہانی اور ہے

Ek marg-e-nagahani aur hai

Ghalib, all the calamities have now ended,
Only a sudden death remains.

Context

Ghalib's ghazal delves into profound themes of existential reflection, the intensity of personal sorrow surpassing external suffering, and a poignant resignation to fate. The verses convey a deep sense of weariness with worldly tribulations, emphasizing the unique anguish of hidden grief over the fire of hell, and contemplating the ultimate solace of an unexpected death as the final cessation of all woes. This reflects the rich tradition of Urdu ghazal in expressing complex human emotions, philosophical musings, and the intricacies of love and separation.

grief (gham) · the world's unfairness (shikwa) · wonder & existence

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