Mirza Ghalib

Most of Ghalib's ghazals are written for someone whom the speaker holds very dear. It is never clear though, whether that special person is a girl a boy or god. Ghalib has successfully maintained this ambiguity in all his creations. For the sake of explanation, I shall assume that the revered subject is a girl.

आह को चाहिये एक उम्र असर होने तक,
कौन जीता है तिरी ज़ुल्फ के सर होने तक

My prayer/pleading to you will need a lifetime to get realized. By the time it makes any effect on you, I might not be alive. ज़ुल्फ के सर refers to the change which the speaker is expecting on his/her lover/god as a result of the speaker's pleadings.

हमने माना कि तघाफुल ना करोगे लेकिन,
ख़ाक हो जायेंगे हम तुमको खबर होने तक

तघाफुल means neglect. I agree that you will not neglect me once you know the state of my heart but I wonder if I shall be alive by the time you get a wind of the affairs.

परतव-ए-खुर से है शबनम को फना की तालीम
मैं भी हँू एक इनायत कि नज़र होने तक

परतव-ए-खुर is the image/reflection of sunlight. In the same way as a drop of dew (शबनम) is aware of its mortality by sunlight, I am alive just to have that one sympathetic/understanding gaze of yours.

गम-ए-हस्ती का असद किससे हो जुज़ मर्ग इलाज
शमा हर रंग में जलती है सहर होने तक

गम-ए-हस्ती is the sum total of the pains of living. It now seems that all my pains will find their solution in my death. Till then I am like that flame which has to burn in every colour till her agony is relieved by the first light of the day

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ये ना थी हमारी किस्मत कि विसाल-ए-यार होता
अगर और जीते रहते यही इन्तज़ार होता

It was not in my destiny that I got a chance to meet her. Considering this, I welcome my death as an extended life would only have meant more longing and pain.

तेरे वादे पर जिये हम तो ये जान झूठ जाना
के खुशी से मर ना जाते अगर ऐतबार होता

Although I always knew that your promise was fake, I nevertheless lived believing that lie. If only I had faith in your truthfulness, I would have died of ecstacy

कहँू किससे मैं कि क्या है, शब-ए-गम बुरी बला है
मुझे क्या बुरा था मरना, अगर एक बार होता।

Whom do I tell how painful these sad nights are? If only I had to die just once, I would have happily accepted it.

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