This ghazal was written by Mirza Ghalib and this version was sung by Habib Wali Muhammad. This earthy, classical style of singing ghazals is so much better than the far more popular modern syrupy Bollywood-style ghazals.
I've tried to translate the ghazal and been caught between transliteration and interpretation. The verses are pure gold.
ये न थी हमारी किस्मत
Mirza Ghalib
ये न थी हमारी क़िस्मत के विसाल-ए-यार होता
अगर और जीते रहते यही इन्तेज़ार होता
विसाल: Meeting or union
It was not my destiny to be with my beloved; death is not unwelcome because had I lived on, I would still be waiting and suffering.
कोई मेरे दिल से पूछे तेरे तीर-ए-नीमकश को
ये ख़लिश कहाँ से होती जो जिगर के पार होता
तीर-ए-नीमकश: Arrow shot half-drawn; नीम: half
ख़लिश: Pain
जिगर: Liver
Ask my heart about the arrow you shot while the bow was half-drawn.
Had it been shot with the bow fully-drawn, it would have gone through my liver. The pain would have been less as the arrow would not be left to rankle.
कहूँ किससे मैं के क्या है, शब-ए-ग़म बुरी बला है
मुझे क्या बुरा था मरना ? अगर एक बार होता
शब-ए-ग़म: Night of sadness
Whom do I tell how terrible it is to be without you. I would have gladly died were it to happen just once.
Each night spent without you is like death. And I am subjected to this pain over and over again.
हुए मर के हम जो रुस्वा, हुए क्यों न ग़र्क़-ए-दरिया
न कभी जनाज़ा उठता, न कहीं मज़ार होता
रुस्वा: Humiliated
ग़र्क़-ए-दरिया: Drown
जनाज़ा: Funeral
मज़ार: Tomb/grave
This humiliation is ongoing because of there was a public spectacle and there remains a reminder of this humiliation.
Literal translation: I've lost dignity/been humiliated in my death/dying. O why did I not drown. That way there would have been no funeral and no grave.
ये मसाइल-ए-तसव्वुफ़, ये तेरा बयाँ “ग़ालिब” !
तुझे हम वली समझते, जो न बादा-ख़्वार होता
मसाइल-ए-तसव्वुफ़: conversations/discussions on mysticism/philosophy
बयाँ: speech
वली: friend
बादा-ख़्वार: alcoholic
What words and philosophy you have Ghalib? Were you not an alcoholic we would have counted you as a friend/wise-man/saint.
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Some more couplets from the same ghazal not sung by Habib Wali Muhammed:
तेरे वादे पर जिये हम तो ये जान झूट जाना
के खु़शी से मर न जाते अगर ’ऐतबार होता
I lived on your promises I knew they were false
Wouldn't I have died of of happiness had I believed they were true?
ये कहाँ कि दोस्ती है के बने हैं दोस्त नासेह
कोई चारसाज़ होता, कोई ग़मगुसार होता
What kind of friends are these that offer me advice.
I wish someone would heal me, someone would sympathise.
