“Mere mehboob ne vaada kiya hai paanchve din ka,
Kisi se sun liya hoga duniya chaar din ki hai..”

“She has promised to meet me on the fifth day from today
Perhaps she has already heard that the world will exist for only four more days!!”

This comes per Sumona’s request. The particular rendition I was listening to was by the Sabri Brothers – Ghulam Farid and Maqbool Ahmed.

“Mujhko bharpur abhi tak na koi jaam mila
Saqiya aur pila, aur pila, aur pila”

While Sufi songs have many interpretations, they have almost always revolved around celebrating wine or love. “Saqiya” – literally meaning the “cup bearer” refers to the lady who serves you a drink at the “maikada” (tavern) and sometimes also joins you for a drink.

“A full glass of wine, I have never been served before,
O cup-bearer, pour some more, some more, some more”!!

“ye na thi hamari kismat 
ki visal-e-yaar hota
agar aur jeete rahte 
yehi intizar hota”

Roughly translated…

“That my love will ever be fulfilled
Fate had never designed so
Even if I had lived any longer,
I would have kept waiting more so”

“nasha sheeshe mein angraaii lene laga,
bazm-e-rindaan mein saaghar khanakne lage
maikade pe barasne lagiin mastiyaan,
jab ghata ghir ke chaaii …

…maza aa gaya”

Roughly translated (improvements welcome)

“Intoxication – hitherto asleep – woke up and spread within the bottle
The goblets started clinking in the company of the inebriated

Unbridled fun started pouring in the tavern
When the storm clouds surrounded the sky…

… I was in cloud nine in ecstasy.”

“Mat pooch ke kya haal hai mera teray peechey
Tu dekh ke kya rang tera meray aage”

Very powerful and romantic words from the renowned Mirza Ghalib (circa 19th century)

Roughly translated…

“Do not ask me about the colors draining from me after you leave
You worry about the colors that overcome you in my presence”

“Itni muddat baad miley ho
Kin sochon mein ghum rehtey ho?
Tez hawa ne mujhse poocha
“Ret pe kya likhte rehtey ho?”

Kaun si baat hai tum mein aisi?
Itni achche kyon lagte ho?
Humse na poochho hijr ke kisse
Apni kaho, ab tum kaise ho?”

Roughly translated…

“We meet today after such a long time
What thoughts are you so lost in?
The strong wind keeps asking me (sarcastically)
What am I trying to write in the sand?

What is so special about you?
Why do you look so beautiful (to me)?
Don’t ask me about our separation, please
You tell me – How are you doing these days?”

“Waiz! Teri duaon mein asar ho
To masjid ko hila kay dikha
Nahin to do ghoont pee,
Aur masjid ko hilta dekh”

To understand this beautiful couplet, one needs to understand the basis for Sufism – which was a liberal offshoot of Islam. The proponents of Sufism – the Sufis – composed a lot of beautiful poetry around three things that could purportedly put you in a transcendental high. The spirit of God, the intoxication of alcohol and the beauty of your woman. Some would argue that they actually merge at one level.

In fact, there are some interesting duels between those three concepts. This couplet is one of them. The poet is saying…

“If your prayers have that much power
Then make the mosque sway in front of me
Or else, come sit with me and take a couple of sips
And watch the minarets swing in front of your eyes” !!!

“Ankhiyon Ke Jharokhon Se Maine Dekha Jo Saanware
Tum Door Nazar Aaye Badi Door Nazar Aaye
Band Karke Jharokhon Ko Zara Baithee Jo Sochne
Man Mein Tumhi Muskaye Man Mein Tumhi Muskaye”

Roughly translated…

“From the window of my eyes, when I saw you – my Loved One
You seemed far, I saw you very far away
(And then) When I closed the windows of my eyes, and sat thinking
I saw you smiling; I saw you smiling in my own dear heart”

“Na samjho ke hum
Pee gaye peete peete
Ki thoda sa hum
Ji gaye peete peete”

Roughly translated…

“Please do not misunderstand that
I became drunk …
Because I kept on drinking
Think about it this way…
That I got to live life a little…
Because I kept drinking…”

“Koi ummeed bar nahin aati
Koi soorat nazar nahin aati
Maut ka ek din mu’ayyan hai
Neend kyun raat bhar nahi aati?”

Roughly translated.. (Improvements always welcome…)

“I don’t see any hope coming my way
Nor a visage of a solution meets my sight
That death will come one day is definitely true
Then why is it that I cannot sleep all night?”