Faiz Sahab's 'Ye Jafa e Gham Ka Chaara....' : A Translation

The Original (English Transliteration)

Ye jafa e gham ka chaara, wo nijaat e dil ka aalam,
Tera husn dast e eesa, teri yaad roo e maryam,

Dil o jaan fida e raahe, kabhi aake dekh humdum!
Sar e koo e dil figaaran, shab e aarzoo ka aalam,

Teri deed se siwa hai, tere shauq mein bahaaraan,
Wo chaman jahaan giri hai, tere gesuon ki shabnam,

Ye ajab qayamatein hain, tere rahguzar mein guzraan,
Na hua ke mar mitein hum, na hua ke jee uthein hum,

Lo suni gayi humaari, ke phirein hain din ke phir se,
Wohi gosha e qafas hai, wohi fasl e gul ka maatam.

English Translation

The solace of sorrows clutches, of heart's respite, this time, 
Healing hands of Christ thy form, the Virgin's face, thy thoughts, sublime!

Hearts and souls, the dust of, these lanes, my love, behold! How, 
Us broken-hearted, we hum, joyous and gay, desire's rhyme!

Even bereft of you, love! Verdant the heart in passion, 
Drenched by the dew that dripped from, thy curls, another time!

In your streets, beloved! What has become of me now!
Neither was I in full bloom, nor the funeral bells did chime!

Alas! Moves on, the day now, my cries unanswered still, sigh! 
Still same the cage, the corner, still same the captive rhyme! 

Poet Lament

Oh! How and when, did my workhorse pen,
A slumber did it sleep?
I came across a score, a dozen,
Verses, in a heap,
Of heartfelt notes, riddles and rhymes,
And clever limericks,
Sonnets, odes, most often times,
My cheapest, quickest fix!
Remember not I, what was that,
Which led me so astray,
Listless and distraught I sat,
Mourning every single day,
The ink had dried, the words did starve,
The verses now un-penned,
The song had died, and now I carve,
The stony silence, mend,
What remained of a heart bereft,
Of rhyme and reason, pray!
Bits and pieces, what was left,
And all I had to say,
I closed my eyes, my faithful pen,
The closest friend I had,
Rescued me from this mire, amen!
Spewed out a poem, sad!
Through my veins, the blood of yore,
Now pumped with all its might,
My words had formed a heart, and more,
I lived again to fight!