vafa jis se ki bevafa ho gaya jise but banaya khuda ho gaya

i was constant but she eschewed fidelity the one i idolized, alas, claimed divinity

ham aise sada-dilon ki niyaz-mandi se buton ne ki hain jahan men khudaiyan kya kya

kyunkar us but se rakhun jaan aziiz kya nahin hai mujhe iman aziiz

the poet presents a paradox where the beloved is described as an 'idol,' yet sacrificing one's life for her is considered an act of 'faith.' ghalib implies that in the religion of love, dying for the beloved is the ultimate proof of fidelity. to save his life would be to betray his faith, which he values more than life itself.

do hi din men ye sanam hosh-ruba hote hain kal ke tarshe hue but aaj khuda hote hain

ho gae nam-e-butan sunte hi 'momin' be-qarar ham na kahte the ki hazrat parsa kahne ko hain

the couplet mocks pretended piety: the so-called ascetic loses composure the moment he hears of beloved, idol-like beauties. “butaan” hints at alluring faces, and “parsa” at moral purity; the contrast exposes hypocrisy. the emotional core is a wry, knowing sarcasm at how desire breaks through a manufactured reputation.

be-khudi men ham to tera dar samajh kar jhuk gae ab khuda maalum kaaba tha ki vo but-khana tha

nahin ye aadmi ka kaam vaaiz hamare but tarashe hain khuda ne

aap karte jo ehtiram-e-butan but-kade khud khuda khuda karte

taana-zan kufr pe hota hai abas ai zahid but-parasti hai tire zohd-e-riya se behtar

but ko pujunga sanam-khanon men ja ja ke to main us ke pichhe mira iman rahe ya na rahe

kiya ishq-e-majazi ne haqiqat ashna mujh ko buton ne zulm vo dhaya ki yaad aaya khuda mujh ko

'asghhar' ye safar shauq ka ab kaise katega jo ham ne tarasha tha vo but tuut gaya hai

jo ki sajda na kare but ko mire mashrab men aqibat us ki kisi taur se mahmud nahin

shikva us but ke jafa ka jo kiya main to kaha tum to duniya men ho ik ahl-e-vafa tum ko kya

kabhi jis par 'aqida tha hamara vo but mismar hota ja raha hai

badhegi baat na baithenge chupke ham ai but raqib se jo karoge kalam uth uth kar

chhodunga main na us but-e-kafir ka pujna chhode na khalq go mujhe kafar kahe baghhair

to stop worshipping that idol fair, i will not agree and this world will not refrain from crying heresy! the poet declares his unwavering devotion to his beloved, whom he metaphorically calls an 'infidel idol' due to their beauty and cruelty. he accepts that worshipping a human is akin to idolatry in the eyes of society, but he is willing to bear the label of 'sinner' or 'infidel' rather than abandon his love.

but nazar aenge mashuqon ki kasrat hogi aaj but-khana men allah ki qudrat hogi

thahri jo vasl ki to hui subh shaam se but mehrban hue to khuda mehrban na tha

vafa jis se ki bevafa ho gaya jise but banaya khuda ho gaya

i was constant but she eschewed fidelity the one i idolized, alas, claimed divinity

ham aise sada-dilon ki niyaz-mandi se buton ne ki hain jahan men khudaiyan kya kya

kyunkar us but se rakhun jaan aziiz kya nahin hai mujhe iman aziiz

the poet presents a paradox where the beloved is described as an 'idol,' yet sacrificing one's life for her is considered an act of 'faith.' ghalib implies that in the religion of love, dying for the beloved is the ultimate proof of fidelity. to save his life would be to betray his faith, which he values more than life itself.

chhodunga main na us but-e-kafir ka pujna chhode na khalq go mujhe kafar kahe baghhair

to stop worshipping that idol fair, i will not agree and this world will not refrain from crying heresy! the poet declares his unwavering devotion to his beloved, whom he metaphorically calls an 'infidel idol' due to their beauty and cruelty. he accepts that worshipping a human is akin to idolatry in the eyes of society, but he is willing to bear the label of 'sinner' or 'infidel' rather than abandon his love.

ilahi ek dil kis kis ko duun main hazaron but hain yaan hindostan hai

ho gae nam-e-butan sunte hi 'momin' be-qarar ham na kahte the ki hazrat parsa kahne ko hain

the couplet mocks pretended piety: the so-called ascetic loses composure the moment he hears of beloved, idol-like beauties. “butaan” hints at alluring faces, and “parsa” at moral purity; the contrast exposes hypocrisy. the emotional core is a wry, knowing sarcasm at how desire breaks through a manufactured reputation.

sanam-parasti karun tark kyunkar ai vaaiz buton ka zikr khuda ki kitab men dekha

nahin ye aadmi ka kaam vaaiz hamare but tarashe hain khuda ne

buton ko tod ke aisa khuda banana kya buton ki tarah jo ham-shakl aadmi ka ho

but nazar aenge mashuqon ki kasrat hogi aaj but-khana men allah ki qudrat hogi

thahri jo vasl ki to hui subh shaam se but mehrban hue to khuda mehrban na tha

taana-zan kufr pe hota hai abas ai zahid but-parasti hai tire zohd-e-riya se behtar

apni marzi to ye hai banda-e-but ho rahiye aage marzi hai khuda ki so khuda hi jaane

kiya ishq-e-majazi ne haqiqat ashna mujh ko buton ne zulm vo dhaya ki yaad aaya khuda mujh ko

patthar ko basaunga nahin is men kabhi main dil mera haram hai koi but-khana nahin hai

jo ki sajda na kare but ko mire mashrab men aqibat us ki kisi taur se mahmud nahin

the meri raah men lakhon butan-e-nakhvat-o-naz kahin bhi sar na jhuka tere naqsh-e-pa ke siva

kabhi jis par 'aqida tha hamara vo but mismar hota ja raha hai

apna shahkar abhi ai mire but-gar na bana dil dhadakta hai mira tu mujhe patthar na bana