आज एक हर्फ़ को फिर ढूँढता फिरता है ख्याल,
मध् भरा हर्फ़ कोई, ज़हर भरा हर्फ़ कोई,
दिलनशीं हर्फ़ कोई, कहर भरा हर्फ़ कोई,
आज एक हर्फ़ को फिर ढूँढता फिरता है ख्याल...
हर्फ़-ए-उल्फत हो कोई, दिलदार-ए-नज़र हो जैसे,
जिससे मिलती है नज़र, बोसा-ए-लब की सूरत,
इतना रोशन की सरे मौजा-ए-ज़र हो जैसे,
सोहबत-ए-यार मैं आगाज़-ए-तरब की सूरत,
हर्फ़-ए-नफरत कोई शमशीर-ए-ग़ज़ब हो जैसे,
आज एक हर्फ़ को फिर ढूँढता फिरता है ख्याल...
ता आबाद शहर-ए-सितम, जिससे तबाह हो जाएँ
इतना तारिक, के शमशान की शब् हो जैसे
लब पे लाऊँ तो होंठ सियाह हो जाएँ
आज एक हर्फ़ को फिर ढूँढता फिरता है ख्याल...
- फैज़ अहमद फैज़
Urdu-English translation:-
Aaj ek harf ko phir dhoondta phirta hai khayal
(My mind is groping for a word today,)
Madh bhara harf koi, zeher bhara harf koi
(A word as sweet as wine and as bitter as poison)
Dil-nashin harf koi, qeher bhara harf koi
(A word that bewitches but is full of rage)
Aaj ek harf ko phir dhoondta phirta hai khayal...
(My mind is groping for a word today...)
Harf-e-ulfat koi dildar-e-nazar ho jaise
(A word as desirable as the lover herself)
Jis’se milti hai nazar bosa-e-lab ki surat
(Whose glance is like a kiss on the lips)
Itna roshan ke sare-mauja-e-zar ho jaise
(As radiant as a sea of gold)
Sohbat-e-yaar main aghaaz-e-tarab ki surat
(In the company of a lover, where love is blossoming)
Harf-e-nafrat koi shamsheer-e-ghazab ho jaise,
(A hateful word cuts like a terrible sword)
Aaj ek harf ko phir dhoondta phirta hai khayal...
(My mind is groping for a word today...)
Ta abad shahre-sitam jis’se tabah ho jayein
(A word that could destroy this city of sorrow forever,)
Itna tariq ke shamshan ki shab ho jaise
(As dark as the grave,)
Lab pe laoon to mere honth siyah ho jayein
(So dark that my lips turn black,)
Aaj ek harf ko phir dhoondta phirta hai khayal...
(My mind is groping for a word today...)
- Faiz Ahmed Faiz
P.S. I have translated parts of the Poem, but a lot of credit goes some prior translations on the internet and a certain Sikander Fayyaz who was patient enough to sit through agonizing trial and error session(s) .
