A very popular ghazal by Maulana Hasrat Mohani, my favourite rendition is by Begum Abida Parveen from her album Raqs-e-Bismil (Dance of the Wounded); a quick, even haphazard, at times careless translation of this masterpiece. Do bear with me!
Urdu Original (English Transliteration):
Roshan jamaal-e-yaar se hai anjuman tamaam,
Dehka hua hai aatish-e-gul se chaman tamaam,
Hairat ghuroor-e-husn se, shokhi se izteraab,
Dil ne bhi tere seekh liye hain chalan tamaam,
Allah re! jism-e-yaar ki khoobi, ke khud ba khud,
Rangeeniyon mein doob gaya pairaahan tamaam,
Dil khoon ho chuka hai, jigar ho chuka hai khaak,
Baaqi hoon mein mujhe bhi kar ai! tegh zan tamaam,
Dekho to chashm-e-yaar ki jaadoo nigaahiyaan,
Behosh ik nazar mein hui anjuman tamaam,
Hai naaz-e-husn se jo firozaan jabeen-e-yaar,
Labreiz aab-e-noor hai chaah-e-zaqan tamaam,
Nash-o-numaa-e-sabza-o-gul se bahaar mein,
Shaadaabiyon ne gher liya hai chaman tamaam,
Is naazneen ne jab se kiya hai wahaan qayaam,
Gulzaar ban gayi hai zameen-e-dakkan tamaam,
Achcha hai ahl-e-jaur kiye jaaein sakhtiyaan,
Phailegi yoon hi shorish-e-habb-e-watan tamaam,
Samjhe hain ahl-e-sharq ko shaayad qareeb-e-marg,
Maghreb ke yoon hain jam'a ye zagh-o-zaghan tamaam,
Sheeriniye 'Naseem' hai, soz-o-gudaaz-e-'Meer',
'Hasrat' tere sukhan pe hai lutf-e-sukhan tamaam!
English Translation:
Illuminates, her graceful beauty, the gathering, aplenty,
A lone fiery bloom, up in flames, the garden aplenty,
Obfuscates, thy beauteous charm, wiles at the wink of an eye,
The heart has too, learnt the ways, of chicanery aplenty,
Hallelujah! Her material form, so wretchedly beautiful,
Flares up, a palette, a million hues, her raiment, aplenty,
My desolate heart lies wasted, my spirits lifeless and cold,
Relieve me, with the sword, like my shackles aplenty,
Behold! The captivating gaze, of her bottomless eyes,
In a moment, knocked out cold, the gathering, aplenty,
Unblemished shines her coquetry, through her lovely brow,
Every dent on her face now, emits radiance aplenty,
Blooms myriad hues of spring, fecund the lush green,
Clothed in verdant hues blooms the garden aplenty,
Since this land, she has made her home, lo behold! the sight,
The Deccan now, a flower-bed, with colours aplenty,
Let the oppressors oppress, it's a blessing in disguise,
Patriotic fires, would only then, be kindled aplenty,
Thinking the people of the Orient, close to mortal death,
In droves, the Occident's birds of prey, encircle aplenty!
Infuses the sweetness in 'Naseem', the passionate intensity of 'Meer',
'Hasrat', in thy verses, play, the nuances of poesy aplenty!
Urdu Original (English Transliteration):
Roshan jamaal-e-yaar se hai anjuman tamaam,
Dehka hua hai aatish-e-gul se chaman tamaam,
Hairat ghuroor-e-husn se, shokhi se izteraab,
Dil ne bhi tere seekh liye hain chalan tamaam,
Allah re! jism-e-yaar ki khoobi, ke khud ba khud,
Rangeeniyon mein doob gaya pairaahan tamaam,
Dil khoon ho chuka hai, jigar ho chuka hai khaak,
Baaqi hoon mein mujhe bhi kar ai! tegh zan tamaam,
Dekho to chashm-e-yaar ki jaadoo nigaahiyaan,
Behosh ik nazar mein hui anjuman tamaam,
Hai naaz-e-husn se jo firozaan jabeen-e-yaar,
Labreiz aab-e-noor hai chaah-e-zaqan tamaam,
Nash-o-numaa-e-sabza-o-gul se bahaar mein,
Shaadaabiyon ne gher liya hai chaman tamaam,
Is naazneen ne jab se kiya hai wahaan qayaam,
Gulzaar ban gayi hai zameen-e-dakkan tamaam,
Achcha hai ahl-e-jaur kiye jaaein sakhtiyaan,
Phailegi yoon hi shorish-e-habb-e-watan tamaam,
Samjhe hain ahl-e-sharq ko shaayad qareeb-e-marg,
Maghreb ke yoon hain jam'a ye zagh-o-zaghan tamaam,
Sheeriniye 'Naseem' hai, soz-o-gudaaz-e-'Meer',
'Hasrat' tere sukhan pe hai lutf-e-sukhan tamaam!
English Translation:
Illuminates, her graceful beauty, the gathering, aplenty,
A lone fiery bloom, up in flames, the garden aplenty,
Obfuscates, thy beauteous charm, wiles at the wink of an eye,
The heart has too, learnt the ways, of chicanery aplenty,
Hallelujah! Her material form, so wretchedly beautiful,
Flares up, a palette, a million hues, her raiment, aplenty,
My desolate heart lies wasted, my spirits lifeless and cold,
Relieve me, with the sword, like my shackles aplenty,
Behold! The captivating gaze, of her bottomless eyes,
In a moment, knocked out cold, the gathering, aplenty,
Every dent on her face now, emits radiance aplenty,
Blooms myriad hues of spring, fecund the lush green,
Clothed in verdant hues blooms the garden aplenty,
Since this land, she has made her home, lo behold! the sight,
The Deccan now, a flower-bed, with colours aplenty,
Let the oppressors oppress, it's a blessing in disguise,
Patriotic fires, would only then, be kindled aplenty,
Thinking the people of the Orient, close to mortal death,
In droves, the Occident's birds of prey, encircle aplenty!
Infuses the sweetness in 'Naseem', the passionate intensity of 'Meer',
'Hasrat', in thy verses, play, the nuances of poesy aplenty!
