Khvaab thaa yaa Khayaal thaa, kyaa thaa?
hijr thaa yaa visaal thaa, kyaa thaa?
mere pahluu meN raat jaakar vo
maah thaa yaa hilaal thaa, kyaa thaa?
chamkii bijlii sii par na samjhe ham
husn thaa yaa jamaal thaa, kyaa thaa?
jisko ham roz-e-hijr samjhe the
maah thaa, vo saal thaa, kyaa thaa?
“Mushafi” shab jo chup tuu baiThaa thaa
kyaa tujhe kuch malaal thaa, kyaa thaa?
Ghulam Hamdani Mushafi
Translated by David Matthews from An Anthology of Urdu Verse in English.
Was it a dream of strange communion? What was it?
Separation, or was it union? What was it?
Last night when she was present by my side,
Was it the moon or was it the crescent? What was it?
Was it lightning flashing through the heaven?
Radiance or beauty dashing? What was it?
Our parting was not clear; I cannnot tell–
Was it a month or was it a year? What was it?
In silence sore oppressed I spent the night.
Could I have been depressed? Ah ! What was it?
