By: USTAD NUSRAT FATEH ALI KHAN


chehraa ek phuul kii tarah shaadaab hai
chehraa uskaa hai yaa ko’ii mahtaab hai
chehraa jaise Ghazal, chehraa jaan-e-Ghazal
chehraa jaise kalii, chehraa jaise kaNval
chehraa jaise tasavvur kii tasviir bhii
chehraa ek Khvaab bhii chehraa tabiir bhii

[Her] face is like a fresh flower.
Is it her face or moon?
[her] face is like a Ghazal, [her] face is like heart of Ghazal
[her] face is like a bud, [her] face is like lotus
[her] face is like manifestation of imagination
[her] face is like a dream, and its interpretation too.

chehraa ko’ii alif lailavii daastaaN
chehraa ek pal yaqiiN, chehraa ek pal gumaaN
chehraa jaise ke chehraa ko’ii bhii nahiiN
maah-ruuh maah-ruuh
maah-jabiiN maah-jabiiN

[Her] face is like the tales of Alif Laila*.
One moment real, another moment imagination
[her] face is like no other face
[her] forehead is moonlike
so is her body.

Note: Arabian Nights.

aaNkheN dekhii to maiN dekhtaa rah gayaa
jaam do aur donon hii do aatishah
aankheN yaa maikade ke ye do baab haiN
aankheN inko kahuuN yaa kahuuN Khvaab haiN
aankheN niichii hu’iiN to hayaa ban gayiiN
aankheN uuNchii hu’iiN to du’aa ban gayiiN
aankheN jhuk kar uThiiN to adaa ban gayiiN
aankheN jin meN haiN qaid aasmaan-o-zamiiN
nargisii nargisii
surmayii surmayii

I could not keep off my eyes after seeing her eyes
they are like two cups of wine and that too, burning
are these eyes or two doors of wine-house
her downward glance is abashness
her upward glance is prayer
when eyes look up after downward glance, is like a style
eyes, in which arrested are the sky and the earth
like Narcissus
[and] greyish

cholbe.....................