Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. mir taqi mir (1722-1810) pioneer of urdu language and Ghazal. Considered a poet of angst and sorrow. He speaks profound thoughts in simple language.
1
kis ki masjid kaise maiKhaane kahaaN ke shaiKh-o-shaab¹
ek gardish² meN teri chashm-e-syah³ ki sab Kharaab⁴     1.elders and youth 2.movement 3.dark (or drunk or angry) eyes 4.drunk, destroyed
Neither the mosque nor the tavern, neither the venerabe elder not the brazen youth, none of these count for much. They cannot withstand your dark glance. The “your” refers to the ‘saaqi’ and this could be referring to the power of the beauty of her dark (or inebriated/drooping) eyes. In seema sahgal’s singing the ‘maiKhaana’ is turned into a ‘butKhaana’ giving a whole different meaning to the she’r (I am not sure if both are authentic). The “your” becomes ‘god’ and it is his angry look that destroys all orthodoxy.
2
tu kahaaN us ki kamar keedhar¹, na kar yuN izteraab²
aye rag-e-gul³ dekhiye khaati hai jo tu pech-o-taab⁴     1.old form of kidhar, where 2.restless 3.vein of the rose (petal) 4.twists and turns (in restlessness)
The beloved’s waist is so thin/delicate as to be the envy of the vein of the rose petal. As it blows in the wind, it is considered to be twisting and turning in restlessness because of envy.
3
mooNd¹ rakhna chashm² ka hasti meN a’yn³-e diid⁴ hai
kuchh nahiN aata nazar jab aaNkh khole hai habaab⁵     1.closed 2.eye 3.essence 4.sight 5.bubble
Consider a bubble acting like a spherical mirror. As long as its eyes are closed it can “see” – show the image of things around it. As soon as the eye is open (the bubble bursts) it ceases to be able to see. Thus keeping eyes closed is the essence of sight. Here the poet/sufi implies closing eyes to the external world and looking inside for the spirit.
4
tu ho aur dunya ho saaqi maiN huN masti ho mudaam¹
par, bat-e-sahba² nikaale uR chale raNg-e sharaab    1.constant, perpetual 2.duck shaped wine flask
There is a sufiyaana implication with the saaqi becoming divine and the ‘intoxication’ being that of love. Thus, the poet/sufi wants perpetual intoxication not have to wait for the next round to be served. He wants to be so intoxicated as to see the wine-duck sprout wings and fly. Not just that, even the colour of wine (of love) should fly and spread all over.
5
hai malaamat¹ tere baa’as² shor³ par tujh se namak
Tuk to rah-e-piiri⁴ chali aati hai aye ahd-e-shabaab⁵   
1.blame, disrepute 2.due to 3.frenzy, tumult (farsi) 4.path of old age 5.time of youth
This is addressed to ‘ahd-e shabaab’, to youth. The thing that the poet values and wants to preserve is “shor” – the frenzy (of divine love). But because of the indiscretions of youth there is blame/disrepute on frenzy. The implication is that youth is in a state of frenzy because of earthly/carnal love, not divine love. Because of this there is disrepute and salt on the wound of ‘shor’. Don’t forget, O, youth, that old age is around the corner.
6
kab thii ye be-jur’ati¹ shaayaan²-e aahuu³-e haram⁴
zabah⁵ hotaa teGh se yaa aag meN hota kabaab     1.lack of courage 2.befitting 3.deer 4.k’aaba 5.slaughtered
Apparently, deer used to roam freely in the precincts of the k’aaba, since it was forbidden to kill them there. “Deer” is used metaphorically for the lover. The ideal for the lover is to be slaughtered by the beloved just like the slaughtering and roasting of deer into kabaab. The poet bemoans the fact that the deer lack courage and hang around the k’aaba/sanctuary. This does not befit them. They should venture out and be prepared to be slaughtered by the beloved.
7
kya ho raNg-e-rafta¹, kya qaasid² ho jis ko Khat diya
juz⁴ javaab-e-saaf⁵ us se kab koii laaya javaab 1.style of days gone by 2.messenger 4.except for 5.clear answer or blank paper
The poet/lover is writing letters/messages and sending them through the messenger. All he gets back is a clear message denying his imploration or even perhaps a blank paper. What kind of a ‘qaais’ is this. How can the style of days gone by (when the beloved used to respond) be brought back.
8
vaa’e¹ is jeene par aye masti², ke daur-e-charKh³ meN
jaam-e-mai⁴ par gardish⁵ aave aur maiKhaana Kharaab    1.curse on 2.intoxication 3.period of (evil) fate 4.cup of wine 5.evil fate, calamity
Curse on it, what kind of a life is this, O, intoxication, that in this period of evil fate, calamity has befallen the cup of wine and the tavern is destroyed.
9
mat Dhalak mizshgaaN¹ se ab tu aye sarashk-e-aabdaar²
muft meN jaati rahegi teri moti ki si aab³         1.eyelashes 2.shining tear drop 3.brilliance
Do not drop from the eyelash, O, shining tear drop. For nothing, you will lose your pearly brilliance. Thus, there is no use of shedding tears.
10
kuchh nahiN bahr-e-jahaaN¹ ki mauj par mat bhool mir
duur se dariya nazar aata hai laikin hai saraab²     1.world ocean 2.mirage, illusion
Do not forget O, mir that there is nothing on the waves of the ocean of life. It just appears to be an ocean but it only a mirage/illusion.