A gentle first walk through Ghalib's most approachable couplets — start here.
Begin with the longing that runs through all of Ghalib.
hazaaron khwahishen aisi ke har khwahish pe dam nikle
bahut nikle mere armaan lekin phir bhi kam nikle
unke dekhe se jo aa jaati hai munh par raunaq
wo samajhte hain ke beemaar ka haal achcha hai
hum ko maaloom hai jannat ki haqeeqat lekin
dil ke khush rakhne ko ghalib ye khayaal achcha hai
Here the wit turns inward — read it twice.
ragon mein daudte phirne ke hum nahin qaayal
jab aankh hi se na tapka to phir lahu kya hai
na tha kuchh to khuda tha kuchh na hota to khuda hota
duboya mujh ko hone ne na hota main to kya hota
aah ko chahiye ik umr asar hote tak
kaun jeeta hai teri zulf ke sar hote tak
ishrat-e-qatra hai dariya mein fana ho jaana
dard ka had se guzarna hai dawa ho jaana
rahiye ab aisi jagah chal kar jahaan koi na ho
hum-sukhan koi na ho aur hum-zabaan koi na ho