Aaj ki baat fir nahi hogi
Yeh mulakaat fir nahi hogi
Aise baadal to fir bhi aayenge
Aisi barsaat fir nahi hogi
What we have today – we may never have again
This rendezvous tonight – may never happen again
Clouds like these might as well appear again
But rain like tonight will certainly never happen again
Raat unko bhi yun hua mehsoos
Jaise yeh raat fir nahi hogi
Ik nazar mudh ke dekhne waale
Kya yeh khairaat fir nahi hogi?
This evening they* felt it too
That this evening may never happen again
Hey you – who only ever looked at me for a moment or two
Will this benevolence ever happen again?
*gender-neutral pronoun for the lover
Maine maasoom bahaaron mein tumhe dekha hai
Maine purnoor sitaaron mein tumhe dekha hai
Mere mehboob teri parda-nasheeni ki kasam
Maine ashkon ki kataron mein tumhe dekha hai
In the purest of springs, I have seen you
In the brightest of stars, I have seen you
I swear by how much you’ve eluded me
In unending queues of tears, I have seen you
Hum buton se jo pyaar karte hain
Nakl-e-parwar-digaar karte hain
Itni kasmein na khao ghabra kar
Jaao hum aitbaar karte hain
Us lovers of humans (instead of god)
Are only imitating the divine
No need to make these promises out of fear
Just go – I trust you
Ab bhi aa jaao kuchh nahi bigdha
Ab bhi hum intezaar karte hain
You can still come to me – it’s not too late
I’m still waiting for you.
Saaz-e-hasti baja raha hoon main
Jashn-e-masti mana raha hoon main
Playing the instrument of my being
I’m celebrating the trance that you are.
Kya ada hai nisaar hone ki
Unse pehlu bacha raha hoon main
Kitni pukhta hai meri nadaani
Tujh ko tujh se chhupa raha hoon main
The grace of my annihilation
I’m still trying to protect you from myself.
The peak of my innocence
It is you that I’m trying to hide you from.
Dil dabota hoon chashm-e-saaqi mein
May ko may mein mila raha hoon main
I dip my heart in the sights of the bartender
I dilute my alcohol with more alcohol
Na hum samjhe na tum aaye kahin se
Paseena ponchhiye apni jabeen se
Neither did I understand, nor did you return
I wipe my sweat with my forehead.
Hai kahan ka iraada tumhara sanam
Kis ke dil ko adayon se behlaoge
Sach batao ke is chandni raat mein
Kisse vaada kiya hai kahan jaaoge
Where do your intentions lie, my love?
Whose heart are you going to win with your tricks?
Spare me some honesty in this moonlight
Who have you promised? Where are you headed tonight?
Dekho achha nahi hai tumhara chalan
Yeh jawani ke din aur yeh shokhiyan
Yun na aaya karo baal khole hue
Varna duniya mein badnaam ho jaaoge
Look, this is not considered decent behaviour
These days of youth filled with naughtiness
Don’t come out with your hair undone
Or the world will make you infamous
Aaj jaao na bechain karke mujhe
Don’t leave me alone with my anxiety tonight
Jaan-e-jaan dil dukhana buri baat hai
Life-of-my-life breaking hearts is indecent behaviour
Zulf rukh se hata ke baat karo
Raat ko din bana ke baat karo
Mehkade ke chiraag madham hai
Zara aankhein mila ke baat karo
Move your hair out of your face when you talk to me
Turn the night into day when you talk to me
The lights in this bar are low
Look into my eyes and talk to me
Phool chahiyein kuchh humein
Tum zara muskura ke baat karo
Yeh bhi andaaz-e-guftugu hai koi
Jab karo dil dukha ke baat karo
I need some flowers in my life
Please smile when you talk to me
What manner of talking is this
Always hurt me whenever you talk to me
Jaan-e-jaan buri baat hai
Life-of-my-life this is indecent behaviour
Aaj jaao na bechain kar ke mujhe
Jaan-e-jaan buri baat hai
Don’t leave me alone with my anxiety tonight
Life-of-my life this is indecent behaviour
Hum tadhapte rahenge yahaan raat bhar
Tum to aaraam ki neend so jaayoge
I’ll spend the night in torture
While you sleep in peace
Paas aao to tumko lagaein gale
Muskuraate ho kyun door se dekh kar
Yun hi guzre agar yeh jawaani ke din
Hum bhi pachhtayenge tum bhi pachhtaoge
Come here so I may hug you
Why just smile from a distance?
These days of youth will just pass away
I’ll regret it later and you will too
Bewafa be-murawwat hai unki nazar
Yeh badal jaayenge zindagi loot kar
Husn waalon se dil ko lagaya agar
Ae “fanaa” (poet) dekho bemaut mar jaaoge
Disloyal and indecent are those eyes
they will just move on after robbing you of your life.
Falling in love with a thing of beauty
I have only invited a torturous death upon myself.