Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. daaGh dehlavi (1831-1905), grandson of bahadur shah zafar. After 1857, he had to move to rampur and later to hyderabad, where he died after 10+ happy years. His Ghazal are more earthy and romantic than sufiyaana or philosophical. He was a disciple of zauq, whose rivalry with/jealousy of Ghalib is well known. But daaGh had good relations with Ghalib. He composed many Ghazal in the zamin of Ghalib. I think that he can be considered a ‘shaagird in spirit’ of Ghalib. This Ghazal, in the style of ‘Khaak meN kya soorateN hoNgi keh pinhaaN ho gaiiN’, is linked to Ghalib naqsh-e qadam. Also see a Ghazal of beKhud dehlavi, a shaagird of daaGh, and that of falak dehlavi who was a shaagird of beKhud, all in the same style.
1
josh¹-e giriya² se ye aaNkheN abr³-e neesaaN⁴ ho gaiiN
ab meri betaabiyaaN⁵ mash’hoor⁶-e dauraaN⁷ ho gaiiN   1.intensity, passion 2. mourning 3.cloud 4.spring rain 5.restlessness 6. famous 7.present times
The passionate mourning of the poet/lover causes him to cry so profusely that they look like rain clouds. Because of this his pain/restlessness has become famous all over the world.
2
raaz¹-e ulfat² chhup saka ham se na us ke ruu-ba-ruu³
saaf⁴ dil ki hasrateN⁵ muNh par numaayaaN⁶ ho gaiiN    1.secret, reason, cause 2.love 3.face to face 4.clear 5.longing, yearning 6.apparent, visible
Having come face to face with the beloved, the poet/lover could not hide his secret/suppressed love. The longing of heart could clearly be seen on his face.
3
mar gaye ham ek ishaare¹ meN nigaah²-e naaz³ ke
aaj apni mushkileN ek pal meN aasaaN⁴ ho gaiiN    1.gesture 2.glance 3.coquetry 4.mushkil aasaan hona is an expression meaning – to die
The poet/lover claims that he died (but he can continue to compose verse) at a single coquettish glance of the beloved cast at him. All his difficulties were solved in one moment – he died.
4
saiNkRoN dil ho gaye andaaz¹ par tere nisaar²
saiNkRoN jaaneN teri chitvan³ pe qurbaaN⁴ ho gaiiN     1.style, grace 2.devotional offering 3.appearance, glances 4.self-sacrifice
Thousands of hearts offer themselves at your feet, for your graceful style. Thousands are willing to die for a glance from you.
5
din na poora ho chuka, ham ho gaye aaKhir¹ tamaam²
roz³-e furqat⁴ ki Khuda kya baKht⁵ ghaRiyaaN⁶ ho gaiiN   1.finally 2.finsihed – tamaam hona is an expression meaning end of life 3.day 4.separation 5.luck, fate 6.moments, time
Even before the end of the day (of separation from the beloved), my own end (death) arrived. O god, what kind of fate is this of the day of separation.
6
jab diya us ne dilaasa¹ shab² ko vaqt³-e izteraab⁴
dil ki vo betaabiyaaN⁵ sub raahat⁶-e jaaN ho gaiiN   1.consolation 2.night 3.time of 4.distress, sorrow 5.restlessness, eagerness 6.comfort
The imagery is that the poet/suitor somehow got access to the beloved and was able to express his distress. She consoled him. That was enough to convert his restlessness to the comfort of his life. The implication is that he is happy to have had that distress because it is the cause of receiving consolation from the beloved.
7
ab kisi se dil lagaa kar ham na hoNge paa’emaal¹
jo Khataa’eN² ho gaiiN aye charKh³ gardaaN⁴ ho gaiiN   1.trampled underfoot 2.sins, mistakes 3.sky, fate 4.turning, going around, trained (habituated)
Having fallen in love and trampled upon (by the beloved), the poet/lover is bent upon not repeating the same mistake again. The mistakes (of repeatedly falling in love) that he has made in the past appear to have become a habit. He declares to the sky/fate that he wants to break this habit.
8
vaah¹ aye josh²-e junooN³ aaKhir⁴ ulajh⁵ kar zo’f⁶ se
uNgliyaaN haathoN ke bhi taar-e garebaaN⁷ ho gaiiN    1.bravo 2.intensity 3.passion 4.at last 5.tangled 6.weakness, old age 7.collar
It is customary that a distraught lover tears his collar in distress and goes about like a mad man (ala majnuN of laila-majnuN legend). The poet has grown old and weak but still has intensity of passion. As he tries to tear his collar his fingers entangled in the collar have become like the threads of the torn collar, such is his weakness. But, bravo, his passion is still intense.
9
vo na aaye jab shab¹-e vaa’da² na aaii mujh ko niind
aarzu’eN³ dil ki sub Khwaab-e-pareshaaN⁴ ho gaiiN   1.night of 2.promise, commitment 3.longings, desires 4.nightmare
The beloved has promised to come, but as expected, does not keep her promise. The poet/lover is unable to sleep because all his desires are now changed to nightmares.
10
shikve¹ GhairoN² ke agar³ bejaa⁴ haiN bejaa hi sahii
ab to ye gustaaKhiyaaN⁵ mujh se meri jaaN ho gaiiN    1.complaints 2.rivals 3.if 4.inappropriate 5.rudeness, impudence, transgressions
The poet/lover has complained to the beloved about her showing favours to the rival. She upbraids him on it. In an unusual/unconentional way he protests, almost brushing her aside. If my complaints were inappropriate, so be it. I have already committed those transgressions dear, let them be.
11
daaGh¹ ab yusuf² kahaaN laila³ kahaaN shiiriiN⁴ kahaaN
jo hasiiN⁵ shakleN⁶ thiiN zer⁷-e Khaak⁸ pinhaaN⁹ ho gaiiN   1.pen-name of the poet 2.Joseph-reputed to have been very handsome 3.beauty of laila-majnuN legend 4.beauty of the shiiriiN-farhaad legend 5.beautiful 6.faces 7.under 8.soil, dust 9.hidden
O daaGh, where are yusuf, laila or shiiriiN now. All those beautiful faces have disappeared under the dust. I am not sure if the poet wants to imply that only his beautiful face remains, all the other legendary beauties are gone.