In life's fair, in the flood of desires,
What can I tell you, beloved, amidst such troubles?
Time flows, fate is heavy,
There's severe groundlessness, severe placelessness.
In the ocean of separation,
The throne and the plank share the same story.
What I have to tell you,
Though it's a small matter,
It's a matter of a lifetime.
When do lifetime's stories unfold in a mere moment?
In the ocean of pain,
There are countless islands, countless pearls.
What you adorned in the window of the eye,
It's about that lamp.
It's about that complaint,
Which comes like a thief in the solitude of blood,
And breaks apart on the ramparts of words.
Longer than life is the tale of sleepless nights.
How can it be on the way?
It's a matter for privacy.
In private talks, conversation is superfluous;
For lovers, a single glance is enough.
If possible, come listen someday, in solitude,
What can I tell you, beloved, amidst such troubles?
This Urdu poem, akin to a nazm, beautifully articulates the profound human yearning for intimate connection amidst the clamor and distractions of life. It explores themes of unexpressed love, the weight of fate, and the deep solitude required for genuine emotional exchange. The speaker laments the impossibility of conveying 'lifelong stories' in fleeting moments, suggesting that true understanding between lovers transcends verbal communication, requiring only a shared glance within the sanctuary of 'takhliye' (solitude). The imagery of life as a bustling fair ('mele'), separation as an 'ocean,' and pain as 'innumerable pearls' are characteristic of Urdu poetry's rich metaphorical landscape, highlighting the spiritual and emotional depths often obscured by worldly concerns.
love & longing (ishq, judāī) · grief (gham)