1/18: Sahir Ludhianvi

le de ke apne paas

faqat ek nazar toh hai

kyun dekhe zindagi ko

kisi ki nazar se hum

all we have

is a viewpoint

why should we see life

from anyone else’s perspective

Theme:Hopes, Aspirations & Dreams (33)

2/18: Sahir Ludhianvi

jurm-e-ulfat pe hamen

log saza dete hain

kaise naadaan hain

shoalon ko hawa dete hain

people punish me

for my crime of love

how naive they are…

stoking the flames more

Theme:Friends, Family & Community (108)

3/18: Sahir Ludhianvi

tumhaare ahd-e-wafa ko

main ahd kya samjhoon

mujhe khud apni

mohabbat pe eitbaar naheen

your promise of faithfulness

how should i understand it

when i have no faith

in my own love

Theme:Miscellany (44)

4/18: Sahir Ludhianvi

zaalim ko jo na roke

woh shaamil hai zulm mein

qaatil ko jo na Toke

woh qaatil ke saath hai

one who doesn't stop a tyrant

is guilty of tyranny also

one who doesn't stop the murderer

is an accomplice in the murder too

Theme:Oppression, Rebellion & Freedom (38)

5/18: Sahir Ludhianvi

dulhan bani hui hain

raahen

jashn manao

saal-e-nau ke

the paths forward

are dressed up like a bride

celebrate

the new year

Theme:Miscellany (44)

6/18: Sahir Ludhianvi

har ek daur ka mazhab

naya khuda laaya

karen to hum bhi magar

kis khuda ki baat karen

each era brought in

a new religion, a new god

if we were to chat

about which god shall we talk?

Theme:Religion, Reason & Tradition (48)

7/18: Sahir Ludhianvi

woh afsaana jise anjaam tak

lana na ho mumkin

use ek khoobsurat mod

de kar chodna achcha

where not possible to find

the story a fine ending

it is best to find a beautiful turn

and leave it there with grace

Theme:Life, Living & Dying (104)

8/18: Sahir Ludhianvi

gairon pe karam

apno pe sitam

aye jaane wafa

yeh zulm na kar

tyranny for loved ones

kindness for strangers

o faithful one

be not so cruel

Theme:Friends, Family & Community (108)

9/18: Sahir Ludhianvi

hazaar barq gire

laakh aandhiyaan uTThen

vo phool khil ke rahenge

jo khilne waale hain

let a thousand lightnings struck

let many storms rise...

those flowers will keep blooming

that are given to blooming

Theme:Hopes, Aspirations & Dreams (33)

10/18: Sahir Ludhianvi

hayaat ek mustaqqil gham ke siwa

kuch bhi naheen

shaayad khushi bhi yaad aati hai toh

aansoon bankar aati hai

life is nothing

but endless sorrow

even joy, when remembered

returns, perhaps, only as tears

Theme:Loneliness, Solitude & Grief (92)

11/18: Sahir Ludhianvi

kabhi kabhi to woh

itni rasaayi deta hai

woh sochta hai to

mujhko sunaayi deta hai

sometimes, he

grants such access

when he thinks

i can hear him

Theme:Friends, Family & Community (108)

12/18: Sahir Ludhianvi

ye ehtiyat ka aalam bhi

kya qayaamat hai

pukaar bhi na sake tujhko

tere naam se hum

this state of caution

how calamitous it was

i could not even

call out to you by your name

Theme:Loneliness, Solitude & Grief (92)

13/18: Sahir Ludhianvi

hum aman chaahte hain

magar zulm ke khilaaf

agar jang laazmi hai

to phir jang hi sahi

we desire peace

but by vanquishing tyranny

if what is needed is a fight

so be it…that fight is right

Theme:Oppression, Rebellion & Freedom (38)

14/18: Sahir Ludhianvi

tera milna

khushi ki baat sahi

tujh se mil kar

udhaas rehta huun

meeting you

is surely a matter of joy

but after meeting you

i remain sad

Theme:Love, Passion and Longing (88)

15/18: Sahir Ludhianvi

aqaa’ed vahm hai mazhab

khayaal-e-khaam hai saaqi

azal se zehn-e-insaan

basta-e-auhaam hai saaqi

religion but a fanciful belief

a string of delusions

forever the human mind has been

hostage to a bundle of superstitions

Theme:Religion, Reason & Tradition (48)

16/18: Sahir Ludhianvi

jo mil gaya usi ko

muqaddar samajh liya

jo kho gaya main

usko bhulata chala gaya

that which i got in life

i thought of it as my good fate

those that i lost

i moved on, forgetting them

Theme:Life, Living & Dying (104)

17/18: Sahir Ludhianvi

gham aur khushi mein

farak na mehsoos ho jaha

main dil ko us mukaam

pe laata chala gaya

where the difference between

joy and sorrow is not felt

i kept taking my heart to

that place again and again

Theme:Life, Living & Dying (104)

18/18: Sahir Ludhianvi

lab kuchh bhi kahen

is se haqeeqat naheen khulti

insaan ke sach jhoot

ki pehchaan hain aankhen

no matter what the lips say

the reality is not revealed

the eyes are the real markers

of truth and lies

Theme:Voice, Expression & Language (61)