kisi ko ghar se nikalte hi mil gai manzil koi hamari tarah umr bhar safar men raha

main zindagi ka sath nibhata chala gaya

main zindagi ka saath nibhata chala gaya har fikr ko dhuen men udata chala gaya barbadiyon ka sog manana fuzul tha barbadiyon ka jashn manata chala gaya jo mil gaya usi ko muqaddar samajh liya jo kho gaya main us ko bhulata chala gaya ghham aur khushi men farq na mahsus ho jahan main dil ko us maqam pe laata chala gaya main zindagi ka sath nibhata chala gaya har fikr ko dhuen mein udata chala gaya barbaadiyon ka sog manana fuzul tha barbaadiyon ka jashn manata chala gaya jo mil gaya usi ko muqaddar samajh liya jo kho gaya main us ko bhulata chala gaya gham aur khushi mein farq na mahsus ho jahan main dil ko us maqam pe lata chala gaya

rudad-e-mohabbat kya kahiye kuchh yaad rahi kuchh bhul gae

rudad-e-mohabbat kya kahiye kuchh yaad rahi kuchh bhuul gae do din ki masarrat kya kahiye kuchh yaad rahi kuchh bhuul gae jab jaam diya tha saaqi ne jab daur chala tha mahfil men ik hosh ki saaat kya kahiye kuchh yaad rahi kuchh bhuul gae ab vaqt ke nazuk honton par majruh tarannum raqsan hai bedad-e-mashiyyat kya kahiye kuchh yaad rahi kuchh bhuul gae ehsas ke mai-khane men kahan ab fikr-o-nazar ki qindilen alam ki shiddat kya kahiye kuchh yaad rahi kuchh bhuul gae kuchh haal ke andhe sathi the kuchh maazi ke ayyar sajan ahbab ki chahat kya kahiye kuchh yaad rahi kuchh bhuul gae kanton se bhara hai daman-e-dil shabnam se sulagti hain palken phulon ki sakhavat kya kahiye kuchh yaad rahi kuchh bhuul gae ab apni haqiqat bhi 'saghhar' be-rabt kahani lagti hai duniya ki haqiqat kya kahiye kuchh yaad rahi kuchh bhuul gae rudad-e-mohabbat kya kahiye kuchh yaad rahi kuchh bhul gae do din ki masarrat kya kahiye kuchh yaad rahi kuchh bhul gae jab jam diya tha saqi ne jab daur chala tha mahfil mein ek hosh ki saat kya kahiye kuchh yaad rahi kuchh bhul gae ab waqt ke nazuk honton par majruh tarannum raqsan hai bedad-e-mashiyyat kya kahiye kuchh yaad rahi kuchh bhul gae ehsas ke mai-khane mein kahan ab fikr-o-nazar ki qindilen aalam ki shiddat kya kahiye kuchh yaad rahi kuchh bhul gae kuchh haal ke andhe sathi the kuchh mazi ke ayyar sajan ahbab ki chahat kya kahiye kuchh yaad rahi kuchh bhul gae kanton se bhara hai daman-e-dil shabnam se sulagti hain palken phulon ki sakhawat kya kahiye kuchh yaad rahi kuchh bhul gae ab apni haqiqat bhi 'saghar' be-rabt kahani lagti hai duniya ki haqiqat kya kahiye kuchh yaad rahi kuchh bhul gae

kitna hai bad-nasib 'zafar' dafn ke liye do gaz zamin bhi na mili ku-e-yar men the couplet compresses a lifetime of deprivation into the last need: a grave. “two yards of land” becomes a symbol of the smallest human right, while “the beloved’s lane” stands for home, closeness, and acceptance. the emotional core is yearning to belong—even in death—yet being denied that final nearness, turning love into a metaphor for exile and fate’s cruelty.

kisi ke tum ho kisi ka khuda hai duniya men mire nasib men tum bhi nahin khuda bhi nahin

tum hamare kisi tarah na hue varna duniya men kya nahin hota your love by any means i could not gain or else in life what would not one attain the speaker laments that despite every effort, the beloved did not accept the relationship. the second line uses a rhetorical question to say that almost everything is possible in the world—yet this one wish failed. it conveys helplessness before fate and the sharp ache of unfulfilled love. the contrast between “everything” and “this one thing” intensifies the regret.

bad-qismati ko ye bhi gavara na ho saka ham jis pe mar mite vo hamara na ho saka

qismat to dekh tuuti hai ja kar kahan kamand kuchh duur apne haath se jab baam rah gaya

roz vo khvab men aate hain gale milne ko main jo sota huun to jaag uthti hai qismat meri

kho diya tum ko to ham puchhte phirte hain yahi jis ki taqdir bigad jaae vo karta kya hai the couplet captures the shock of separation and the speaker’s wandering, restless mind. losing the beloved feels like destiny itself has been ruined, so the grief turns into a single helpless question. “fate” here is a metaphor for life’s whole order collapsing, making action feel pointless. the emotional core is resignation mixed with aching longing.

nairangi-e-siyasat-e-dauran to dekhiye manzil unhen mili jo sharik-e-safar na the

koi manzil ke qarib aa ke bhatak jaata hai koi manzil pe pahunchta hai bhatak jaane se

kabhi saaya hai kabhi dhuup muqaddar mera hota rahta hai yuun hi qarz barabar mera

khush-nasibi men hai yahi ik aib bad-nasibon ke ghar nahin aati

suna hai ab bhi mire haath ki lakiron men najumiyon ko muqaddar dikhai deta hai

baad marne ke miri qabr pe aaya 'ghhafil' yaad aai mire iisa ko dava mere baad

apni qismat men sabhi kuchh tha magar phuul na the tum agar phuul na hote to hamare hote

khuda taufiq deta hai jinhen vo ye samajhte hain ki khud apne hi hathon se bana karti hain taqdiren

kabhi main apne hathon ki lakiron se nahin uljha mujhe maalum hai qismat ka likkha bhi badalta hai

bulbul ko baghhban se na sayyad se gila qismat men qaid likkhi thi fasl-e-bahar men --- --- the nightingale stands for a sensitive heart that expects joy in spring, yet ends up trapped. the poet says blame is pointless—neither caretaker nor captor is the real cause if fate has already decreed suffering. the contrast of “spring” with “cage” intensifies the pain: even the time meant for freedom and song becomes confinement. emotionally, it expresses helplessness and bitter acceptance.

kisi ko ghar se nikalte hi mil gai manzil koi hamari tarah umr bhar safar men raha

main zindagi ka sath nibhata chala gaya

main zindagi ka saath nibhata chala gaya har fikr ko dhuen men udata chala gaya barbadiyon ka sog manana fuzul tha barbadiyon ka jashn manata chala gaya jo mil gaya usi ko muqaddar samajh liya jo kho gaya main us ko bhulata chala gaya ghham aur khushi men farq na mahsus ho jahan main dil ko us maqam pe laata chala gaya main zindagi ka sath nibhata chala gaya har fikr ko dhuen mein udata chala gaya barbaadiyon ka sog manana fuzul tha barbaadiyon ka jashn manata chala gaya jo mil gaya usi ko muqaddar samajh liya jo kho gaya main us ko bhulata chala gaya gham aur khushi mein farq na mahsus ho jahan main dil ko us maqam pe lata chala gaya

rudad-e-mohabbat kya kahiye kuchh yaad rahi kuchh bhul gae

rudad-e-mohabbat kya kahiye kuchh yaad rahi kuchh bhuul gae do din ki masarrat kya kahiye kuchh yaad rahi kuchh bhuul gae jab jaam diya tha saaqi ne jab daur chala tha mahfil men ik hosh ki saaat kya kahiye kuchh yaad rahi kuchh bhuul gae ab vaqt ke nazuk honton par majruh tarannum raqsan hai bedad-e-mashiyyat kya kahiye kuchh yaad rahi kuchh bhuul gae ehsas ke mai-khane men kahan ab fikr-o-nazar ki qindilen alam ki shiddat kya kahiye kuchh yaad rahi kuchh bhuul gae kuchh haal ke andhe sathi the kuchh maazi ke ayyar sajan ahbab ki chahat kya kahiye kuchh yaad rahi kuchh bhuul gae kanton se bhara hai daman-e-dil shabnam se sulagti hain palken phulon ki sakhavat kya kahiye kuchh yaad rahi kuchh bhuul gae ab apni haqiqat bhi 'saghhar' be-rabt kahani lagti hai duniya ki haqiqat kya kahiye kuchh yaad rahi kuchh bhuul gae rudad-e-mohabbat kya kahiye kuchh yaad rahi kuchh bhul gae do din ki masarrat kya kahiye kuchh yaad rahi kuchh bhul gae jab jam diya tha saqi ne jab daur chala tha mahfil mein ek hosh ki saat kya kahiye kuchh yaad rahi kuchh bhul gae ab waqt ke nazuk honton par majruh tarannum raqsan hai bedad-e-mashiyyat kya kahiye kuchh yaad rahi kuchh bhul gae ehsas ke mai-khane mein kahan ab fikr-o-nazar ki qindilen aalam ki shiddat kya kahiye kuchh yaad rahi kuchh bhul gae kuchh haal ke andhe sathi the kuchh mazi ke ayyar sajan ahbab ki chahat kya kahiye kuchh yaad rahi kuchh bhul gae kanton se bhara hai daman-e-dil shabnam se sulagti hain palken phulon ki sakhawat kya kahiye kuchh yaad rahi kuchh bhul gae ab apni haqiqat bhi 'saghar' be-rabt kahani lagti hai duniya ki haqiqat kya kahiye kuchh yaad rahi kuchh bhul gae

kitna hai bad-nasib 'zafar' dafn ke liye do gaz zamin bhi na mili ku-e-yar men the couplet compresses a lifetime of deprivation into the last need: a grave. “two yards of land” becomes a symbol of the smallest human right, while “the beloved’s lane” stands for home, closeness, and acceptance. the emotional core is yearning to belong—even in death—yet being denied that final nearness, turning love into a metaphor for exile and fate’s cruelty.

kisi ke tum ho kisi ka khuda hai duniya men mire nasib men tum bhi nahin khuda bhi nahin

tum hamare kisi tarah na hue varna duniya men kya nahin hota your love by any means i could not gain or else in life what would not one attain the speaker laments that despite every effort, the beloved did not accept the relationship. the second line uses a rhetorical question to say that almost everything is possible in the world—yet this one wish failed. it conveys helplessness before fate and the sharp ache of unfulfilled love. the contrast between “everything” and “this one thing” intensifies the regret.

bulbul ko baghhban se na sayyad se gila qismat men qaid likkhi thi fasl-e-bahar men --- --- the nightingale stands for a sensitive heart that expects joy in spring, yet ends up trapped. the poet says blame is pointless—neither caretaker nor captor is the real cause if fate has already decreed suffering. the contrast of “spring” with “cage” intensifies the pain: even the time meant for freedom and song becomes confinement. emotionally, it expresses helplessness and bitter acceptance.

yahan kisi ko bhi kuchh hasb-e-arzu na mila kisi ko ham na mile aur ham ko tu na mila

qismat to dekh tuuti hai ja kar kahan kamand kuchh duur apne haath se jab baam rah gaya

ham ko na mil saka to faqat ik sukun-e-dil ai zindagi vagarna zamane men kya na tha

kho diya tum ko to ham puchhte phirte hain yahi jis ki taqdir bigad jaae vo karta kya hai the couplet captures the shock of separation and the speaker’s wandering, restless mind. losing the beloved feels like destiny itself has been ruined, so the grief turns into a single helpless question. “fate” here is a metaphor for life’s whole order collapsing, making action feel pointless. the emotional core is resignation mixed with aching longing.

tuut padti thiin ghataen jin ki ankhen dekh kar vo bhari barsat men tarse hain paani ke liye

koi manzil ke qarib aa ke bhatak jaata hai koi manzil pe pahunchta hai bhatak jaane se

tujh se qismat men miri surat-e-qufl-e-abjad tha likha baat ke bante hi juda ho jaana ghalib uses the brilliant metaphor of a 'qufl-e-abjad' (a combination lock that opens when letters form a specific word). just as the lock opens and its parts separate precisely when the correct word is formed, the poet's destiny is such that the moment his connection with the beloved succeeds ('the point is made'), immediate separation follows.

kabhi saaya hai kabhi dhuup muqaddar mera hota rahta hai yuun hi qarz barabar mera

khush-nasibi men hai yahi ik aib bad-nasibon ke ghar nahin aati

suna hai ab bhi mire haath ki lakiron men najumiyon ko muqaddar dikhai deta hai

baad marne ke miri qabr pe aaya 'ghhafil' yaad aai mire iisa ko dava mere baad

apni qismat men sabhi kuchh tha magar phuul na the tum agar phuul na hote to hamare hote

khuda taufiq deta hai jinhen vo ye samajhte hain ki khud apne hi hathon se bana karti hain taqdiren