puchha jo un se chand nikalta hai kis tarah zulfon ko rukh pe daal ke jhatka diya ki yuun

aah ko chahiye ik umr asar hote tak kaun jiita hai tiri zulf ke sar hote tak

a prayer needs a lifetime, an answer to obtain who can live until the time that you decide to deign ghalib laments the disparity between the brevity of human life and the time required to win a beloved's heart. while a plea for love might eventually be heard, life is too short to wait for that moment. the 'conquering of tresses' metaphorically refers to untangling the complexities of the relationship, a task that outlasts the lover's life.

ye udi udi si rangat ye khule khule se gesu tiri subh kah rahi hai tiri raat ka fasana

kai chand the sar-e-asman ki chamak chamak ke palat gae na lahu mire hi jigar men tha na tumhari zulf siyah thi

us zulf pe phabti shab-e-dijur ki sujhi andhe ko andhere men badi duur ki sujhi

apne sar ik bala to leni thi main ne vo zulf apne sar li hai

bahut mushkil hai duniya ka sanvarna tiri zulfon ka pech-o-kham nahin hai

kuchh bikhri hui yadon ke qisse bhi bahut the kuchh us ne bhi balon ko khula chhod diya tha

chhedti hain kabhi lab ko kabhi rukhsaron ko tum ne zulfon ko bahut sar pe chadha rakkha hai

zahid ne mira hasil-e-iman nahin dekha rukh par tiri zulfon ko pareshan nahin dekha

the priest has seen my piety, he hasn't seen your grace he has not seen your tresses strewn across your face

ijazat ho to main tasdiq kar luun teri zulfon se suna hai zindagi ik khub-surat daam hai saaqi

haath tuten main ne gar chhedi hon zulfen aap ki aap ke sar ki qasam bad-e-saba thi main na tha

sarak kar aa gaiin zulfen jo in makhmur ankhon tak main ye samjha ki mai-khane pe badli chhai jaati hai

dekhi thi ek raat tiri zulf khvab men phir jab talak jiya main pareshan hi raha

jo dekhte tiri zanjir-e-zulf ka aalam asiir hone ki azad aarzu karte

na jhatko zulf se paani ye moti tuut jaenge tumhara kuchh na bigdega magar dil tuut jaenge

sab ke jaisi na bana zulf ki ham sada-nigah tere dhoke men kisi aur ke shane lag jaaen

abr men chand gar na dekha ho rukh pe zulfon ko daal kar dekho

kis ne bhige hue balon se ye jhatka paani jhuum ke aai ghata tuut ke barsa paani

aap ki nazuk kamar par bojh padta hai bahut badh chale hain had se gesu kuchh inhen kam kijiye

puchha jo un se chand nikalta hai kis tarah zulfon ko rukh pe daal ke jhatka diya ki yuun

aah ko chahiye ik umr asar hote tak kaun jiita hai tiri zulf ke sar hote tak

a prayer needs a lifetime, an answer to obtain who can live until the time that you decide to deign ghalib laments the disparity between the brevity of human life and the time required to win a beloved's heart. while a plea for love might eventually be heard, life is too short to wait for that moment. the 'conquering of tresses' metaphorically refers to untangling the complexities of the relationship, a task that outlasts the lover's life.

ye udi udi si rangat ye khule khule se gesu tiri subh kah rahi hai tiri raat ka fasana

kai chand the sar-e-asman ki chamak chamak ke palat gae na lahu mire hi jigar men tha na tumhari zulf siyah thi

kis ne bhige hue balon se ye jhatka paani jhuum ke aai ghata tuut ke barsa paani

jab yaar ne utha kar zulfon ke baal bandhe tab main ne apne dil men lakhon khayal bandhe

when my beloved raised her arms to gather up her tresses a million desires gathered in my heart and got tied up in a tangle.

apne sar ik bala to leni thi main ne vo zulf apne sar li hai

bikhri hui vo zulf isharon men kah gai main bhi sharik huun tire hal-e-tabah men

kuchh bikhri hui yadon ke qisse bhi bahut the kuchh us ne bhi balon ko khula chhod diya tha

ye khule khule se gesu inhen laakh tu sanvare mire haath se sanvarte to kuchh aur baat hoti

zahid ne mira hasil-e-iman nahin dekha rukh par tiri zulfon ko pareshan nahin dekha

the priest has seen my piety, he hasn't seen your grace he has not seen your tresses strewn across your face

ai junun phir mire sar par vahi shamat aai phir phansa zulfon men dil phir vahi aafat aai

haath tuten main ne gar chhedi hon zulfen aap ki aap ke sar ki qasam bad-e-saba thi main na tha

uljha hai paanv yaar ka zulf-e-daraz men lo aap apne daam men sayyad aa gaya

the couplet plays on a witty reversal: the beloved’s long hair becomes a “trap,” and the lover who once seemed the hunter turns into the caught one. the image suggests that beauty ensnares even the one who thinks he controls the chase. emotionally, it celebrates love’s power to disarm pride and flip roles in an instant.

dekhi thi ek raat tiri zulf khvab men phir jab talak jiya main pareshan hi raha

zulfen siina naaf kamar ek nadi men kitne bhanvar

na jhatko zulf se paani ye moti tuut jaenge tumhara kuchh na bigdega magar dil tuut jaenge

phir yaad bahut aaegi zulfon ki ghani shaam jab dhuup men saaya koi sar par na milega

dekh lete jo mire dil ki pareshani ko aap baithe hue zulfen na sanvara karte

sab ke jaisi na bana zulf ki ham sada-nigah tere dhoke men kisi aur ke shane lag jaaen