1/22: Faiz Ahmed Faiz

maqaam, faiz, koyi raah mein

jacha hi naheen

jo koo-e-yaar se nikle

to soo-e-dar chale

no station, faiz, seemed

appealing along the way

those who left the beloved's lane

walked straight to the gallows

Theme:Love, Passion and Longing (88)

2/22: Faiz Ahmed Faiz

woh log bahut

khush-qismat thay

jo kaam ko

ishq samajhte thay

those were

most fortunate

who saw work

as their love

Theme:Love, Passion and Longing (88)

3/22: Faiz Ahmed Faiz

tez hai aaj

dard-e-dil, saaqi

talkhi-e-mai ko

tez-tar kar de

it is sharper today

the pain of my heart

strengthen the wine

oh cup-bearer

Theme:Loneliness, Solitude & Grief (92)

4/22: Faiz Ahmed Faiz

dil na-ummeed to nahi

nakaam hi to hai

lambi hai gham ki shaam

magar shaam hi to hai

the heart is not hopeless

just not sorted for now

long is the night of sorrow

yet, it is just a night (that'll pass)

Theme:Grit, Resilience & Courage (36)

5/22: Faiz Ahmed Faiz

jaanta hai ki

woh na aayenge

phir bhi

masroof-e-intezaar hai dil

i know

she will not come

but yet,

my heart is busy waiting

Theme:Loneliness, Solitude & Grief (92)

6/22: Faiz Ahmed Faiz

woh log bahut

khush-qismat thay

jo kaam ko

ishq samajhte thay

those are

most fortunate

who saw work

as their love

Theme:Love, Passion and Longing (88)

7/22: Faiz Ahmed Faiz

hum parvarish-e-lauh-o-qalam

karte rahenge

jo dil pe guzarti hai raqam

karte rahenge

we will keep nurturing

the pen and the paper

we will continue to capture

that which flows through our heart

Theme:Voice, Expression & Language (61)

8/22: Faiz Ahmed Faiz

be-dam huye beemar

dawa kyun nahi dete

tum acche maseeha ho

shifa kyun nahi dete

the restless have fallen sick

why don’t you offer a medicine

you are such a good healer

why don’t you cure their illness

Theme:Religion, Reason & Tradition (48)

9/22: Faiz Ahmed Faiz

nahi nigah mein manzil

to justaju hi sahi

nahi visaal mayassar

to aarzoo hi sahi

if the destination is not in sight

the quest is the way

if union with the beloved is not possible

just the desire is the way

Theme:Hopes, Aspirations & Dreams (33)

10/22: Faiz Ahmed Faiz

jab zulm-o-sitam ke

koh-e-garan

rooyi ki tarah uD jaayenge

hum dekhenge

when the mighty mountains

of tyranny and oppression

fly away like clumps of cotton

we shall see

Theme:Oppression, Rebellion & Freedom (38)

11/22: Faiz Ahmed Faiz

minnat-e-chaara-saaz

kaun kare

dard jab

jaan-nawaaz ho jaaye

who would seek

the favor of the healer

when the pain itself

becomes a life-giver

Theme:Life, Living & Dying (104)

12/22: Faiz Ahmed Faiz

minnat-e-chaara-saaz

kaun kare

dard jab

jaan-nawaaz ho jaaye

who will

plead with the healer

when pain

itself is life-giving

Theme:Love, Passion and Longing (88)

13/22: Faiz Ahmed Faiz

sheikh saahab sey

rasm-o-raah na kee

shukr hai zindagi

tabaah na kee

i didn’t have the priest

perform rituals and customs

happy that i didn’t

waste my life thus

Theme:Religion, Reason & Tradition (48)

14/22: Faiz Ahmed Faiz

tum naahaq sheeshe chun chun kar

daaman mein chupaaye baithe ho

sheeshe ka maseeha koyi nahin

kya aas lagaaye baithe ho?

picking some scraps of glass

and hiding them in your clothes

there is no savior in these trinkets

what hope are you holding on to?

Theme:Religion, Reason & Tradition (48)

15/22: Faiz Ahmed Faiz

ho mohtaseeb ki khair

uncha hai usi ke naam se

rind ka saaqi ka mae ka

khum ka paemaane ka naam

may god (or critics) be blessed

it is because of them

the drunkard, wine-pourer, wine

cask and goblet have gained fame

Theme:Miscellany (44)

16/22: Faiz Ahmed Faiz

jaise sahraaon mein

haule se chale baad-e-nasim

jaise beemar ko

be-wajh qaraar aa jaaye

like the gentle breeze

flowing through the deserts

like how the sick

unexpectedly get relief

Theme:Nature, World & Universe (44)

17/22: Faiz Ahmed Faiz

itna kyun sikhaye

jaa rahi hai zindagi?

humne kaunsi sadiyan

guzarni hai yahan

why is life teaching me

so many lessons?

how many ages am I

going to spend here?

Theme:Life, Living & Dying (104)

18/22: Faiz Ahmed Faiz

agar baazi ishq ki baazi hai

jo chaho lagado dar kaisa

agar jeet gaye to kya kahna

haaray bhi to baazi maat nahi

if the gamble is of love

bet what you want, why fear

if you win, nothing like it

even if you lose, it is not a loss

Theme:Love, Passion and Longing (88)

19/22: Faiz Ahmed Faiz

aur kya dekhne ko

baaqi hai

aap se dil laga ke

dekh liya

what else is

left to be seen

giving my heart to you

i have seen it all

Theme:Love, Passion and Longing (88)

20/22: Faiz Ahmed Faiz

raat yun dil mein

teri khoyi hui yaad aayi

jaise veerane mein

chupke se bahaar aa jaaye

in the middle of the night

lost memories of you came to mind

like in a barren desert

silently, the spring arrived

Theme:Love, Passion and Longing (88)

21/22: Faiz Ahmed Faiz

naheen shikaayat-e-hijraan ki

is vaasile se

hum un se rishta-e-dil

ustuvaar karte rahe

i never complained about

the separation for this reason

i kept nurturing this

relationship of the heart with her

Theme:Loneliness, Solitude & Grief (92)

22/22: Faiz Ahmed Faiz

aur bhi dukh hain zamaane mein

mohabbat ke siva

rahatein aur bhi hain

wasl ki raahat ke siva

there are other sorrows

in this life than love’s longing

there are other comforts too

than the union with the beloved

Theme:Life, Living & Dying (104)