Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. dwarka das sho’la (1910-1983), lahore and later punjab and dehli. He started learning urdu because he liked ‘urdu-vaale’ around him. He inherited a pharmacy business and grew it enough to get a mention in Who’s Who, India Trade Directory, 1942. He received formal schooling only up to 8^th grade because his father recruited him in the family business. While washing bottles/vials he kept humming ash’aar. Later, hafiz jalandhari became his ustaad. He says they clicked because hafiz jaalandhari was equally unschooled and talked in panjabi. This is one of series of Ghazal with the radeef ‘kabhi kabhi’ and is linked to that icon on the refrain page.
1
meri taraf¹ bhi dekh Khudaara² kabhi kabhi
aye mehrbaaN³ idhar⁴ bhi ishaara⁵ kabhi kabhi    1.towards 2.for god’s sake 3.kind, benevolent (used sarcastically for the beloved- or perhaps for god) 4.this side 5.point, glance at, message
By god, look towards me once in a while. You are so kind/benevolent to others (including the rival) glance towards me now and then to send a message.
2
aksar¹ bikhar² gaii mere shaanoN³ pe un ki zulf⁴
saNvri⁵ hui ko aur saNvaara kabhi kabhi    1.often – going by convention this may be interpreted as – sometimes 2.spread 3.shoulders 4.hair 5.embellished, already beautiful
Sometimes her already beautiful hair spread out on my shoulders and become even more beautiful.
3
aye dost¹ azm²-e tark³-e ta’aluq⁴ ke bavujood⁵
ro kar tumhiiN ko hum ne pukaara kabhi kabhi    1.friend, beloved 2.resolve, resolution 3.give up, renounce 4.relationship 5.in spite of
O beloved, in spite of my resolve to renounce out relationship (because of your longstanding indifference) sometimes, crying in sorrow, I have called you.
4
GhairoN¹ ke paa’uN par bhi gire haiN ba-fart²-e yaas³
tinkoN⁴ ka bhi liya hai sahaara⁵ kabhi kabhi    1.rivals 2.because of excess of 3.despair, hopelessness 4.straw 5.support
The imagery is of a drowning person grabbing floating straw to save themselves. Thus, sometimes we have fallen at the feet of rivals in sheer desperation (as if we will get something out of his pity). It is like a drowning person grabbing at straws for support.
5
haaN is liye keh martaba¹ tera baland² ho
zillat³ ko bhi kiya hai gavaara⁴ kabhi kabhi    1.status, dignity 2.high 3.disrepute, insult 4.tolerate
And yes, so that your dignity may always remain highly regarded, I have borne insults and abuse many times.
6
ayin¹ ittesaal²-e saahil³ o kishti ke vaqt par
Gharqaab⁴ ho gaya hai safiina⁵ kabhi kabhi    1.critical time 2.meeting 3.shore 4.drowned 5.boat
My boat has sometimes sunk just at the critical time of the reaching the shore.
7
ham bhi kabhi kabhi hue mayoos¹-e zindagi
ham ko bhi huzn²-e yaas³ be maara kabhi kabhi   1.lose/give up hope 2.sorrowful 3.yearning
Sometimes I too have lost all hope of life. Sometimes, I too have been killed by my hopeless yearning (for the beloved).