bichhda kuchh is ada se ki rut hi badal gai ik shakhs saare shahr ko viran kar gaya

qaid-e-hayat o band-e-ghham asl men donon ek hain maut se pahle aadmi ghham se najat paae kyuun

prison of life and sorrow's chains in truth are just the same then relief from pain, ere death,why should man obtain ghalib posits an existential truth that life and suffering are inseparable; to exist is to suffer. he argues that life itself is a form of imprisonment, identical to the chains of grief. consequently, seeking relief from pain while still alive is futile, as true liberation is only possible through the cessation of life, which is death.

maut ka bhi ilaaj ho shayad zindagi ka koi ilaaj nahin

for death a cure there well may be but for this life no remedy the couplet turns the usual fear upside down: death seems like a problem that might be solved, yet life is the deeper, unsolvable affliction. “cure” becomes a metaphor for relief from pain, restlessness, and the burdens of existence. the emotional core is weary resignation, suggesting that living brings complexities no remedy can fully fix.

us gali ne ye sun ke sabr kiya jaane vaale yahan ke the hi nahin

hue namvar be-nishan kaise kaise zamin kha gai asman kaise kaise

rahne ko sada dahr men aata nahin koi tum jaise gae aise bhi jaata nahin koi

aai hogi kisi ko hijr men maut mujh ko to niind bhi nahin aati

na gor-e-sikandar na hai qabr-e-dara mite namiyon ke nishan kaise kaise

rone valon ne utha rakkha tha ghar sar par magar umr bhar ka jagne vaala pada sota raha

maut se kis ko rustagari hai aaj vo kal hamari baari hai

na-umidi maut se kahti hai apna kaam kar aas kahti hai thahar khat ka javab aane ko hai

jo log maut ko zalim qarar dete hain khuda milae unhen zindagi ke maron se

maan ki aghhosh men kal maut ki aghhosh men aaj ham ko duniya men ye do vaqt suhane se mile

miri zindagi to guzri tire hijr ke sahare miri maut ko bhi pyare koi chahiye bahana

mangi thi ek baar dua ham ne maut ki sharminda aaj tak hain miyan zindagi se ham

once upon a time for death i did pray i am ashamed of life my friend to this very day

zindagi hai apne qabze men na apne bas men maut aadmi majbur hai aur kis qadar majbur hai

zindagi ik saval hai jis ka javab maut hai maut bhi ik saval hai jis ka javab kuchh nahin

maut ka ek din muayyan hai niind kyuun raat bhar nahin aati

when for death a day has been ordained what reason that i cannot sleep all night? this couplet captures the irony between rational belief in destiny and human emotional restlessness. ghalib argues that if death is predestined and cannot occur before its time, there is no logical reason to fear the night or stay awake guarding one's life. yet, an inexplicable anxiety or existential dread persists, denying him peace and sleep.

kam se kam maut se aisi mujhe ummid nahin zindagi tu ne to dhoke pe diya hai dhoka

the speaker contrasts death with life: death may be feared, yet it is straightforward and final, not duplicitous. life, however, keeps offering hopes and meanings only to snatch them away, turning promises into repeated betrayals. the emotional core is bitter disillusionment—being worn down not by endings, but by continual, layered deception.

maut ka intizar baaqi hai aap ka intizar tha na raha

bichhda kuchh is ada se ki rut hi badal gai ik shakhs saare shahr ko viran kar gaya

qaid-e-hayat o band-e-ghham asl men donon ek hain maut se pahle aadmi ghham se najat paae kyuun

prison of life and sorrow's chains in truth are just the same then relief from pain, ere death,why should man obtain ghalib posits an existential truth that life and suffering are inseparable; to exist is to suffer. he argues that life itself is a form of imprisonment, identical to the chains of grief. consequently, seeking relief from pain while still alive is futile, as true liberation is only possible through the cessation of life, which is death.

maut ka ek din muayyan hai niind kyuun raat bhar nahin aati

when for death a day has been ordained what reason that i cannot sleep all night? this couplet captures the irony between rational belief in destiny and human emotional restlessness. ghalib argues that if death is predestined and cannot occur before its time, there is no logical reason to fear the night or stay awake guarding one's life. yet, an inexplicable anxiety or existential dread persists, denying him peace and sleep.

maut ka bhi ilaaj ho shayad zindagi ka koi ilaaj nahin

for death a cure there well may be but for this life no remedy the couplet turns the usual fear upside down: death seems like a problem that might be solved, yet life is the deeper, unsolvable affliction. “cure” becomes a metaphor for relief from pain, restlessness, and the burdens of existence. the emotional core is weary resignation, suggesting that living brings complexities no remedy can fully fix.

zamana bade shauq se sun raha tha hamin so gae dastan kahte kahte

hue namvar be-nishan kaise kaise zamin kha gai asman kaise kaise

kahani khatm hui aur aisi khatm hui ki log rone lage taliyan bajate hue

aai hogi kisi ko hijr men maut mujh ko to niind bhi nahin aati

na gor-e-sikandar na hai qabr-e-dara mite namiyon ke nishan kaise kaise

kaun kahta hai ki maut aai to mar jaunga main to dariya huun samundar men utar jaunga

rone valon ne utha rakkha tha ghar sar par magar umr bhar ka jagne vaala pada sota raha

maut se kis ko rustagari hai aaj vo kal hamari baari hai

na-umidi maut se kahti hai apna kaam kar aas kahti hai thahar khat ka javab aane ko hai

jo log maut ko zalim qarar dete hain khuda milae unhen zindagi ke maron se

maan ki aghhosh men kal maut ki aghhosh men aaj ham ko duniya men ye do vaqt suhane se mile

miri zindagi to guzri tire hijr ke sahare miri maut ko bhi pyare koi chahiye bahana

mangi thi ek baar dua ham ne maut ki sharminda aaj tak hain miyan zindagi se ham

once upon a time for death i did pray i am ashamed of life my friend to this very day

zindagi hai apne qabze men na apne bas men maut aadmi majbur hai aur kis qadar majbur hai

maut ka intizar baaqi hai aap ka intizar tha na raha

zindagi ik saval hai jis ka javab maut hai maut bhi ik saval hai jis ka javab kuchh nahin