Mirza Asadullah Khan Ghalib

مرزا اسد اللہ خان غالب

1797–1869 · Late Mughal (Delhi)

The most celebrated Urdu poet, Ghalib wrote in both Persian and Urdu. His Urdu diwan, first published in 1841, ranges from dense Persianate puzzles to couplets of startling plainness. His letters are classics of Urdu prose. Asad was his earlier pen name.

How to read Ghalib

In Ghalib, look for the paradox at the centre of the sher and for one word doing two jobs. Early ghazals pile up izafat compounds; later ones are often conversational. The maqta is frequently self-mocking.

Couplets in the course (18)

ہزاروں خواہشیں ایسی کہ ہر خواہش پہ دم نکلے

بہت نکلے مرے ارمان لیکن پھر بھی کم نکلے

hazaaroñ khvaahisheñ aisii ki har khvaahish pe dam nikle

bahut nikle mire armaan lekin phir bhii kam nikle

Thousands of desires, each one worth dying for;

many of my longings were fulfilled, and still they were too few.

Mirza Asadullah Khan GhalibHazaj musamman sālimmatlaBeginnerIhaam (double meaning)

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دلِ ناداں تجھے ہوا کیا ہے

آخر اس درد کی دوا کیا ہے

dil-e-naadaañ tujhe huaa kyaa hai

aakhir is dard kii davaa kyaa hai

Foolish heart, what has come over you?

After all, what is the cure for this pain?

Mirza Asadullah Khan GhalibKhafīf musaddas makhbūn mahzūfmatlaBeginnerTajahul-e-arifana (feigned ignorance)

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ہم ہیں مشتاق اور وہ بیزار

یا الٰہی یہ ماجرا کیا ہے

ham haiñ mushtaaq aur vo bezaar

yaa ilaahii ye maajraa kyaa hai

I am eager, and the beloved is weary of me;

O God, what is going on here?

Mirza Asadullah Khan GhalibKhafīf musaddas makhbūn mahzūfsherIntermediateTazaad (antithesis)

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میں بھی منہ میں زبان رکھتا ہوں

کاش پوچھو کہ مدعا کیا ہے

maiñ bhii muñh meñ zabaan rakhtaa huuñ

kaash puuchho ki mudda'aa kyaa hai

I too have a tongue in my mouth;

if only you would ask what I want.

Mirza Asadullah Khan GhalibKhafīf musaddas makhbūn mahzūfsherBeginnerMuhavira (idiom)

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میں نے مانا کہ کچھ نہیں غالبؔ

مفت ہاتھ آئے تو برا کیا ہے

maiñ ne maanaa ki kuchh nahiiñ ghaalib

muft haath aa'e to buraa kyaa hai

I grant that Ghalib is nothing much,

but if he comes to you for free, what is the harm?

Mirza Asadullah Khan GhalibKhafīf musaddas makhbūn mahzūfmaqtaBeginnerTanz (irony)

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یہ نہ تھی ہماری قسمت کہ وصالِ یار ہوتا

اگر اور جیتے رہتے یہی انتظار ہوتا

ye na thii hamaarii qismat ki visaal-e-yaar hotaa

agar aur jiite rahte yahii intizaar hotaa

It was not my fate to be united with the beloved;

had I lived on, it would only have been more of this waiting.

Mirza Asadullah Khan GhalibRamal musamman mashkūlmatlaIntermediate

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نقش فریادی ہے کس کی شوخیٔ تحریر کا

کاغذی ہے پیرہن ہر پیکرِ تصویر کا

naqsh faryaadii hai kis kii shokhii-e-tahriir kaa

kaaghazii hai pairahan har paikar-e-tasviir kaa

Against whose playful pen does every image cry for justice?

Each figure in the picture wears a robe of paper.

Mirza Asadullah Khan GhalibRamal musamman mahzūfmatlaMasterTalmeeh (allusion)Isti'ara (metaphor)

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ہم کو معلوم ہے جنت کی حقیقت لیکن

دل کے خوش رکھنے کو غالبؔ یہ خیال اچھا ہے

ham ko ma'luum hai jannat kii haqiiqat lekin

dil ke khush rakhne ko ghaalib ye khayaal achchhaa hai

I know the truth about Paradise, but

to keep the heart happy, Ghalib, it is a pleasant thought.

Mirza Asadullah Khan GhalibRamal musamman makhbūn mahzūfmaqtaIntermediateTanz (irony)

کوئی امید بر نہیں آتی

کوئی صورت نظر نہیں آتی

koii ummiid bar nahiiñ aatii

koii suurat nazar nahiiñ aatii

No hope is fulfilled;

no way out comes into sight.

Mirza Asadullah Khan GhalibKhafīf musaddas makhbūn mahzūfmatlaBeginnerIhaam (double meaning)

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موت کا ایک دن معین ہے

نیند کیوں رات بھر نہیں آتی

maut kaa ek din mu'ayyan hai

niind kyuuñ raat bhar nahiiñ aatii

The day of death is already fixed;

why then does sleep not come all night?

Mirza Asadullah Khan GhalibKhafīf musaddas makhbūn mahzūfsherBeginnerTazaad (antithesis)

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کب وہ سنتا ہے کہانی میری

اور پھر وہ بھی زبانی میری

kab vo suntaa hai kahaanii merii

aur phir vo bhii zabaanii merii

When does the beloved ever listen to my story,

and that too, told in my own words?

Mirza Asadullah Khan GhalibRamal musaddas makhbūn mahzūfmatlaBeginner

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آہ کو چاہیے اک عمر اثر ہونے تک

کون جیتا ہے تری زلف کے سر ہونے تک

aah ko chaahiye ik umr asar hone tak

kaun jiitaa hai tirii zulf ke sar hone tak

A sigh needs a lifetime before it takes effect;

who lives long enough to see your tresses won?

Mirza Asadullah Khan GhalibRamal musamman makhbūn mahzūfmatlaAdvancedIsti'ara (metaphor)

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ہم نے مانا کہ تغافل نہ کرو گے لیکن

خاک ہو جائیں گے ہم تم کو خبر ہونے تک

ham ne maanaa ki taghaaful na karo ge lekin

khaak ho jaa'eñ ge ham tum ko khabar hone tak

I grant that you will not ignore me, but

I shall be dust by the time the news reaches you.

Mirza Asadullah Khan GhalibRamal musamman makhbūn mahzūfsherIntermediateMubaalagha (hyperbole)

عشرتِ قطرہ ہے دریا میں فنا ہو جانا

درد کا حد سے گزرنا ہے دوا ہو جانا

ishrat-e-qatra hai daryaa meñ fanaa ho jaanaa

dard kaa had se guzarnaa hai davaa ho jaanaa

The drop's delight is to be lost in the river;

pain passing all bounds becomes its own cure.

Mirza Asadullah Khan GhalibRamal musamman makhbūn mahzūfmatlaAdvancedIsti'ara (metaphor)Tazaad (antithesis)

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یا رب وہ نہ سمجھے ہیں نہ سمجھیں گے مری بات

دے اور دل ان کو جو نہ دے مجھ کو زباں اور

yaa rab vo na samjhe haiñ na samjheñ ge mirii baat

de aur dil un ko jo na de mujh ko zabaañ aur

O Lord, they have not understood my words, nor will they;

give them another heart, if You will not give me another tongue.

Mirza Asadullah Khan GhalibHazaj musamman akhrab makfūf mahzūfsherIntermediateTazaad (antithesis)

ہیں اور بھی دنیا میں سخنور بہت اچھے

کہتے ہیں کہ غالبؔ کا ہے اندازِ بیاں اور

haiñ aur bhii dunyaa meñ sukhanvar bahut achchhe

kahte haiñ ki ghaalib kaa hai andaaz-e-bayaañ aur

There are other very fine poets in the world,

but they say Ghalib's manner of saying things is something else.

Mirza Asadullah Khan GhalibHazaj musamman akhrab makfūf mahzūfmaqtaBeginnerTa'alli (poet's boast)

کوئی دن گر زندگانی اور ہے

اپنے جی میں ہم نے ٹھانی اور ہے

koii din gar zindagaanii aur hai

apne jii meñ ham ne Thaanii aur hai

If a few more days of life remain,

I have resolved on something different in my heart.

Mirza Asadullah Khan GhalibRamal musaddas mahzūfmatlaIntermediate

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ابنِ مریم ہوا کرے کوئی

میرے دکھ کی دوا کرے کوئی

ibn-e-maryam huaa kare koii

mere dukh kii davaa kare koii

Let anyone be the Son of Mary if he likes;

let someone find a cure for my suffering.

Mirza Asadullah Khan GhalibKhafīf musaddas makhbūn mahzūfmatlaIntermediateTalmeeh (allusion)

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