1/12: Firaq Gorakhpuri

aql mein yun to

nahi koi kami

ik zaraa divangi

darkaar hai

there is nothing lacking

in intellect and reason

but you still need

a touch of madness

Theme:Life, Living & Dying (104)

2/12: Firaq Gorakhpuri

bahut pahle se un qadmon ki

aahaT jaan lete hain

tujhe, aye zindagi,

hum door se pehchaan lete hain

for a long time now, i recognize

the soft sound of your footsteps

oh life,

i recognize you from afar

Theme:Life, Living & Dying (104)

3/12: Firaq Gorakhpuri

dekh

raftaar-e-inquilab 'firaq'

kitni aahista

aur kitni tez

watch

the pace of revolution, firaq

how deliberate

and, yet, how swift

Theme:Oppression, Rebellion & Freedom (38)

4/12: Firaq Gorakhpuri

isi khanDar mein kaheen kuchh

diye hain TuuTe hue

inheen se kaam chalao

baDi udhaas hai raat

in these ruins, there are

a few broken lamps somewhere

make do with them

for this is quite a sad night

Theme:Grit, Resilience & Courage (36)

5/12: Firaq Gorakhpuri

kuchh qafas ki teeliyon se

chhan rahaa hai noor sa

kuchh faza kuchh

hasrat-e-parvaaz ki baaten karo

through the bars of the cage

some light is seeping through

speak of the expanse

speak of the desire to fly

6/12: Firaq Gorakhpuri

ye maana zindagi

hai chaar din ki

bahut hote hain, yaaro,

chaar din bhi

it is true that life is

just four days long

even these four days, friends,

are too many

Theme:Life, Living & Dying (104)

7/12: Firaq Gorakhpuri

na koyi vaada, na koyi yaqeen

na koyi ummeed

magar humein to

tera intezaar karna tha

no promise, no assurance

no hope

yet, i had to

keep waiting for you

Theme:Love, Passion and Longing (88)

8/12: Firaq Gorakhpuri

hazaar baar zamaana

idhar se guzra hai

nayi nayi si hai kuchh

teri raahguzar phir bhi

a thousand times has

the world passed by here

even then, your (love’s) path

seems new every time

Theme:Love, Passion and Longing (88)

9/12: Firaq Gorakhpuri

parda-e-lutf mein

ye zulm-o-sitam kya kahiye

haaye zaalim, tera

andaaz-e-karam kya kahiye

behind the comfort's veil, what to say

of this tyranny and cruelty

oh you tyrant, what to say

of your style of kindness

Theme:Oppression, Rebellion & Freedom (38)

10/12: Firaq Gorakhpuri

kam se kam maut se

aisi mujhe ummeed nahin

zindagi tu ne to dhoke pe

diya hai dhoka

of death, at least,

i don’t expect this

oh life, you have only

cheated me, again and again

Theme:Life, Living & Dying (104)

11/12: Firaq Gorakhpuri

maazi ke samundar mein aksar

yaadon ke jazeere milte hain

phir aao vaheen langar Daalen

phir aao unhen aabaad karen

in the ocean of the past, often

islands of memories are found

so, come, let’s anchor here

so, come, let’s dwell here

Theme:Heart, Mind & Memory (58)

12/12: Firaq Gorakhpuri

gharaz ki kaaT diye

zindagi ke din aye dost

vo teri yaad mein ho

ya tujhe bhulaane mein

the days of my life

were thus spent, my dear

either in remembering you

or in an effort to forget

Theme:Heart, Mind & Memory (58)