I have never found out who the original poet is. There have been many singers that have rendered these words in various tunes. One of my favorite ones is the way done by the young Nooran sisters (most of the vocals is from Jyoti with support from her sister Sultana).

The context is that the lover whose love remained unrequited has passed away and the lady who he longed for had come to visit his grave. The words are:

“Tumne Jo Meri Kabr Par, Aakar Yun Muskura Diya

Bijli Chamak Kar Gir Padi, Sara Kafan Jala Diya
Main So Raha Tha Chain Se, Yun Hi Kafan E Mazaar Mein,

Yahan Bhi Sataane Aa Gaye, Kisne Pata Bata Diya

Tumne Chadhaye Phool To, Ehsaan Kya Kiya

Humne Tumhare Ishq Mein, Sara Chaman Loota Diya
Pucha Na Jeete Ji Kabhi, Dard E Dil Ka Haal

Aaye Ho Kabr Par Meri, Mitti Mein Jab Mila Diya”

Roughly translated (and as always people with far better understanding of Hindi and Urdu are always welcome to suggest changes / alternatives)

“The moment you came upon my grave, and let that faint smile escape your lips
Lightning struck from the sky, and completely burnt down my shroud
I was sleeping at peace with the world, in the coffin at my tomb,
You have came here too to tease me, Oh! Tell me who gave you my address?

So, you have laid a flower on my tomb; what big favor have you done?
I, lost in your love, had spread out the whole garden for you
When I was alive, not even once you asked after my aching heart
Now you have come to me when I have become one with the ground”

Also known as Nawab Mirza Khan, Dagh was a nineteenth century Urdu poet from India. This was beautifully sung by none other than Ghulam Ali.

“Tumhare khath mein naya ek salaam kiska tha,
Na tha raqeeb to aakhir woh nam kis ka tha?
….
Na pooch-paach thi kisi ki na aao-bhagat,
Tumhari bazm mein kal ehtamam kis ka tha?”

Roughly translated (as always, improvements welcome)

“Whose was the new greetings from – in your letter to me
If not a rival, then whose name was it?
….
There were no invitation; neither was there any gathering,
Then who was being celebrated in your company?”

Kaifi Azmi was a twentieth century poet from India. Most of my Indian friends would probably recognize him as the dad of the Bollywood actress Shabana Azmi. The following couplets are from one of his early poems starting “Tum itna kyon muskra rahe ho” – made memorable in Jagjit Singh’s voice.

“Jin zakhmon ko waqt bhar chala hai
Tum kyon unhe chhede ja rahe ho?
Rekhaon ka khel hai muqaddar
Rekhaon se maat kha rahe ho”

Roughly translated….

Those scabs of wounds that time has started healing
Why do you keep picking on them?
This is a game against your lines*
And you are losing against those lines

* lines refer to the lines on your palm meaning “fate”

Nasir was a twentieth century poet who was born in undivided India and then emigrated to Pakistan when the countries were split in 1947. There is a version of this song sung by Asha Bhosle and Ghulam Ali in Meraj-e-Ghazal which was one of most favorite albums growing up. The original version was by Noor Jehan, I think.

“Haal-e-dil hum bhi sunaatey lekin
Jab wo rukhsat huye, tab yaad aaya
…
Dil dhadakne ka sabab yaad aaya
Wo teri yaad thi ab yaad aaya”

Roughly translated…

I, too, would have told her about my feelings for her
But I remembered about it only after she had left
…
I suddenly realized why my heart still beats
It is for all the memories that I have of you. Now I remember.

“Sharaab kaisi, khumaar kaisa
Yeh sab tumhari nawazishen hain
Pilayi hai kis nazar se tu ne
Ke mujhko apni khabar nahin hai

Tere pyaar ne, teri chah ne
Teri behki behki nigaah ne
Mujhe sharabi bana diya
Ke sharaab peena sikha diya”

Roughly translated (improvements welcome)

“What a drink! What an intoxication!
These are all gifts from you
How have you inebriated me with your glances?
That now I have lost all my awareness.

Your love. And your longing…
Your flirtatious looks
Has made a drunkard out of me
(For) they have taught me how to drink”

This evening was dedicated to Ramkumar Chattopadhyay. He was one of the premier exponents of a semi classical Bengali song style called “Tappa”. An example of his song:

“Ei prithhibita panthho nibas
Rail-er jaatrikhaana
Thhakey na keu chiradin hetha
Korey jay aanagona”

Roughly translated..

“This world – it is a but a short stop
Like a railway station
Nobody stays here forever
They just keep coming and going”

Anybody who has been hit by the cold water of the shower in spite of seemingly having tested it will attest to this…

“I test my bath before I sit,
And I’m always moved to wonderment
That what chills the finger not a bit
Is so frigid upon the fundament”

🙂

“Hum ne mohabbaton ke nashe mein aa kar
Usey khuda bana daala,
Hosh tab aaya jab usne kaha
Ke khuda kisi ek ka nahi hota”

Roughly translated:

“Intoxicated in my love for her
I accepted her as my God
I got back to my senses when she told me
God does not belong to any one person”

Tere bina zindagi se koyi
Shikwa to nahi, shikwa nahi,
Tere bina zindagi bhi lekin
Zindagi to nahi, zindagi nahi

[
Bereft of you, I have
But no complaints in life
Bereft of you, this is a life too
But this is no life to live
]

The poet, I believe, was Manzoor Jhalla. The original rendition of this beautiful song was by the one and only Reshma from Pakistan. I believe there is a latter version of this by a much younger singer from the same country – Fariha Pervez.First couple of stanzas…

“Kithhey nain na jorin / Mere jendiya murin,
Tenu wasta aye khuda da / Wagan watana nu morin
Kithhey nain na jorin

Pyaar waliyan nu nayio / Vekh sakda zamaana
Kerhi gal tun vichora / Aween labda paya
Aa ke lag na kisi din / Mera maan na torin

Ternu wasta aye Khuda da / Wagan watana nu morin
Kithhey nain na jorin”

I need some help from my Punjabi friends. But here is an attempt…

“Don’t let your eyes meet someone else’s eyes
Come back, while I am still alive
For the sake of God, turn your horse around to your own country
Don’t let your eyes meet someone else’s eyes

This world can’t stand to see two in love together
One or the other, it forever tries to tear them apart
Don’t believe in their words // (not sure whether it means this or “Don’t give them your word”)
And break the faith I have in you

For the sake of God, turn your horse around to your own country
Don’t let your eyes meet someone else’s eyes”