Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. hafeez hoshiarpuri (1912-1973). Worked as editor of several magazines and in the ministry of information in pakistan. Was also associated with the Progressive Writer’s Association. This is a trans-composition of Byron’s poem ‘When we two parted’, and is linked to English-urdu transcompositions on the Theme page.
1
shikasta¹ dil
Khamosh, aaNkhoN meN aaNsu
hue is tarah barsoN ke liye hum
juda²    1.broken 2.separated, parted
Broken hearted. Silent. Eyes, brimming with tears. This is how we parted, forever.
2
kumla¹ gaye the
fart²-e Gham³ se
tere gul-haa⁴-e aariz⁵
lams⁶ jin ka
ravaaN⁷ karta tha lahr⁸ afsurdagi⁹ ki
rag-o-pai¹⁰ meN.
khuli ab ye haqiiqat¹¹,
Gham³-e anjaam¹² ka ek aaiina¹³ tha
judaaii¹⁴ ka vo lamha¹⁵   1.wilted 2.excess 3.sorrow 4.roses 5.face, cheeks 6.touch 7.flow 8.waves 9.melancholy, dejected 10.every fibre 11.truth, reality 12.result 13.mirror, image, foretelling 14.separation, ending 15.moment
Your rosy cheeks, wilted with excess of sorrow. Their touch sent a wave of melancholy through every fibre of my body. Now, the real picture emerges that that moment of separation was a foretelling of the intense sorrow of the ending.
3
sahr¹ ka vaqt tha
meri jabiiN² par
magar
pazshmurdagi³ chhaaii hui thi
na thii shabnam⁴
hasiiN⁵ fitrat⁶
sitamgar⁷
teri us be-vafaaii⁸ par thi giryaaN⁹
mujhe ehsaas¹⁰ ab jis ka hua hai   1.dawn 2.brow 3.blight, dejection 4.dew 5.beautiful, kind 6.nature 7.oppressor 8.breaking promise, faithlessness 9.weeping 10.realization
It was early morning but, on my brow, hovered the shadow of dejection. It was not dew, O cruel one, but kind nature was shedding tears at your faithlessness, I have just now realized.
4
tere vaade¹ kahaaN haiN
teri shohrat²
faqat³ afsaana⁴ ban kar rah ga’ii hai
kisi se naam sunta huN jo tera
jhuka leta huN gardan    1.promises 2.fame, reputation 3.only 4.legend
What happened to your promises of fidelity. You fame is now only the stuff of legends. Whenever I hear someone mention your name, I bow my head in shame and look away.
5
payaam¹-e marg² hai ye naam mujhko
mera dil
Khauf³-e rusvaaii⁴ se larzaaN⁵
tujhe chaaha tha maiN ne is qadar⁶
kyuN    1.message 2.death 3.fear 4.shame 5.trembling 6.so much
Your name is a message of death to me. My heart trembles with fear of shame. I loved you so much! Why!
6
vo tere nau-giraftaaraan¹-e ulfat²
jo karte haiN tera zikr³ aa ke mujh se
unheN maaloom⁴ ho ye raaz⁵
aye kaash⁶
mujhe bhi tujh se thi ek din mohabbat
jafaaoN⁷ ko teri kosooNga⁸ aksar⁹
zabaan-e haal¹⁰ se maiN   1.newly captivated 2.love 3.talk about 4.aware, know 5.secret 6.I wish 7.cruelties, tyranny 8.curse 9.often 10.condition
When those newly captivated in love of you, come and talk to me about it, then I dearly wish that they would know the secret that once, I too was in love with you. I often curse your tyranny with the language of my appearance (without uttering a word).
7
milay thay ham zamaane¹ ki nazar² se
nehaaN³ ho kar
yahi haalat⁴ hai ab bhi
teri bedaad⁵ ka karta huN maatam⁶
magar⁷ chup-chaap
kya Khabar⁸ thi
fareb⁹-e husn¹⁰ ki     1.world 2.eyes 3.hidden 4.condition 5.cruelty 6.mourning 7.but 8.knowledge 9.deception 10.beauty
We met secretly, hidden from the eyes of the world. Even to this day my condition is that I mourn your cruel faithlessness, but silently. Who knew that beauty would deceive.
8
gar¹ ittefaaqan²
meri taqdiir³ meN ho tujh se milna
pas-az-muddat⁴ jo tujh ko dekh paauN
miluuN is tarah⁵ se aye be-vafa⁶ maiN
Khamosh, aaNkhoN aaNsu   1.if 2.by chance 3.fate 4.after a long time 5.like, similar to 6.faithless
If it is in my fate to meet you by chance, even after a long time, even then, O faithless one, I will meet you like this – silent, eyes brimming with tears.

When we two parted – George Gordon Byron
1
When we two parted
In silence and tears,
Half broken-hearted
To sever for years,
2
Pale grew thy cheek and cold,
Colder thy kiss;
Truly that hour foretold
Sorrow to this.
3
The dew of the morning
Sunk chill on my brow—
4
It felt like the warning
Of what I feel now.
Thy vows are all broken,
And light is thy fame;
I hear thy name spoken,
And share in its shame.
5
They name thee before me,
A knell to mine ear;
A shudder comes o’er me—
Why wert thou so dear?
6
They know not I knew thee,
Who knew thee too well—
Long, long shall I rue thee,
Too deeply to tell.
7
In secret we met—
In silence I grieve,
That thy heart could forget,
Thy spirit deceive.
8
If I should meet thee
After long years,
How should I greet thee?—
With silence and tears.