This poem was translated by Professor Carlo Coppola as part of the MULOSIGE Translations project. You can explore our collection of Urdu Poetry here.

Professor Carlo Coppola, Oakland University

G̲h̲azal: Shām-i g̲h̲am kuch us nigāh-yi nāz kī bāten̲ karo /   Ghazal: This is the evening of sorrow

This is the evening of sorrow; say something of that look of naz;

Intoxication spreads; speak now of secrets.

.

This silence of naz; this breaking the heart’s veins;

In the silence, say something of the breaking of the instrument.

.

The redolence of spreading hair! The story of the veiling of sorrow!

Speak of such things till the coming of dawn.

.

Let every heart’s vein be enraptured! Let it also be pained! 

Similarly, speak of her proper and improper naz.

.

Speak of that silence of the secrets, of that voice,

The essence of non-existence, the message of Life.

.

Love has begun to be disgraced, without pleasure, fed up.

Today, speak of her evasive eye.

.

O, Friends! Speak of that new spring of naz,

The mere mention of whose name creates the world of color, of smell.

.

What’s the sense of the excuse of negligence? Why accuse Love?

Today, speak of the sky, the creator of divisions.

.

Some sort of light is filtering through the bars of the cage;

Speak of some open spaces, of some unfulfilled desire.

.

Today, speak of something of that naz and andaz

Which is eternal life, which is sudden death.

.

Even careless love is beginning to be somewhat impatient;

Speak of the playfulness of enchanting beauty.

.

O, Firaq, today speak of that one who has the life-giving quality as Christ did;

Separation from her rejuvenated Love.

.

From: Gul-i nag̲h̲mah (Flower Songs), Part 1. Allahābād: Idārah-yi Anīs-i Urdū, 1971. p. 117

             

This is the evening of sorrow; say something of that look of naz;

Intoxication spreads; speak now of secrets.

.

This silence of naz; this breaking the heart’s veins;

In the silence, say something of the breaking of the instrument.

.

The redolence of spreading hair! The story of the veiling of sorrow!

Speak of such things till the coming of dawn.

.

Let every heart’s vein be enraptured! Let it also be pained! 

Similarly, speak of her proper and improper naz.

.

Speak of that silence of the secrets, of that voice,

The essence of non-existence, the message of Life.

.

Love has begun to be disgraced, without pleasure, fed up.

Today, speak of her evasive eye.

.

O, Friends! Speak of that new spring of naz,

The mere mention of whose name creates the world of color, of smell.

.

What’s the sense of the excuse of negligence? Why accuse Love?

Today, speak of the sky, the creator of divisions.

.

Some sort of light is filtering through the bars of the cage;

Speak of some open spaces, of some unfulfilled desire.

.

Today, speak of something of that naz and andaz

Which is eternal life, which is sudden death.

.

Even careless love is beginning to be somewhat impatient;

Speak of the playfulness of enchanting beauty.

.

O, Firaq, today speak of that one who has the life-giving quality as Christ did;

Separation from her rejuvenated Love.

.

From: Gul-i nag̲h̲mah (Flower Songs), Part 1. Allahābād: Idārah-yi Anīs-i Urdū, 1971. p. 117