Ghazal Page
GHAZEL 5
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Dhar hain kai kal ke behRukhi, humKo kal saarDai ge
Dhar hain kai kal ke behQaRaaRi, humesha ka liye apNaDai ge
Today I fear that yesterday's aloofness will end in bitterness tomorrow
Today I fear that yesterday's restlessness will take a hold of me
forever
Aaj pyar ke shooRahWath ka hum soochThai hain
ShaHid kal waHi sooChai, humMai barBaad karDai ge
Today, the beginnings of love, occupy my thoughts
Perhaps tomorrow those same thoughts, will be the ruin of me
Aaj humMai, kal ke viSaal ka behChaaNi sai intezaar hain
Shahid kal wAhi viSaal, furQuth ke behChani mein qaSaithDai ge
Today I wait impatiently for tomorrow's encounter
Perhaps tomorrow's encounter will leave me with restlessness of our
separation
Aaj raath, aapke awaaz ke aarzoo humMai jaGah RahHee hain
ShaHid kal aapke awaaz, har raath ke neend ko mitaDai ge
Tonight, the desire to hear your voice keeps me awake
Perhaps tomorrow, the sound of your voice will keep me awake forever
Aaj aapSai nazerRai milaNai ke kooShis mein hain
ShaHid kal aapKe niGaHain he, humMai tookRahDai ge
Today, my eyes anxoiulsy try to meet your gaze
Perhaps tomorrow, your gaze will turn me away forever
Aaj aapke pyar ke umeed kai sahHarRai, jeeRahHai hain
ShaHid kal ulfat ke nahKaami, har sahHaRai ko giRahDai ge
Today, the hope of your love is keeping my alive
Perhaps tomorrow, love's failure will leave no reason to live
Aaj hum aapke garM sanSo ko mahSoos karna chahThai hain
ShaHid kal aapke sanS he, humaaRai sukhOOn ko hilAhDai ge
Today I want to feel the warmness of your breath
Tomorrow, your very breaths may shake the foundations of my sanity
Aaj humaaRi taqdeer, aapke dhamAn mein chor rahHai hain
ShaHid kal apKa daMan he, Asir kai naseeb ko harRahDai ge
Today, I leave my fate at the foot of your skirt (ie. in your hands)
Perhaps tomorrow at the very foot of your skirt, Asir's destiny will be
lost
-Khurram S. Sheikh
February 21, 1999
NAZM 3: Desh kai HaaLaath (The Conditions in Our Country
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Josh ke khom mein aaj bhaRa madHosh zamaaNa hain
Khom ke hoshiyaari ko nashOn ka josh nai maaRa hain
This passionate society is living in a senseless period
The senses of the people have been ruined by their intoxicated passions
Yahan zameer, beh-GhaRahThi kai neend meh qhaiD hain
Aur jagte huwye laShAIn aasSi azadDi peh nehaal hain
The conscience of the people is trapped in a shameless slumber
These are living corps, that are content which such freedom
Iqbal ka khWab ka kya hua
Iqbal ka Dia hua naam ka upMaan hua
What has happened to Iqbal's dream?
The name that Iqbal gave this land has been disgraced
Azaadi ke khWab ka kya hua
ShaHeedo kai lashOn ka apMaan hua
What happened to the dreams for freedom?
The bodies of the martyrs has been disgraced
Aaj SaaChy, zaMaNai ke qhaiDi mein hain
Aaj zaMaNai mein, rishWuth ka raj hain
Today the truth is a prisoner of the times
The society of today is run by bribery
Kabhi lashOn or khon sai, Desh ke azadDi khaReedDi
Aaj rishWuTh ke JehBon sai, azadi bikGai
There was a time when flesh and blood bought freedom
Today that freedom has been sold out to bribery
Kabhi mazHub kai puKaar nai, Desh ka khWab jagGia tha
Aaj mazHub kai pukar nai, RishWuth ko saaThi bunHia hain
There was a time, when religion's rallying cry awakened the dream of
this nation
Today, the cry of religion has made bribery its partner
Aaj musJid mein bhi, rishWuth chulThi hain
Yahan zakat nahin, rishWuth ko bukhShish ke naam dehJahThi hain
Today, rishwuth is being accepted in mosques
In those mosques, zakat is not given, but bribery is given in the name
of charity
Ab mulVi or dhoKanDar mai koi farQ nahin
MusJid or bazaar mein kohi farQ nahin
Today, there is no difference between a preacher and a shopkeeper
There is no longer any difference between a mosque and a shopping center
Desh ke muzHub nai auruThOn ko azad kia
MuzHub ke naam, Desh nai auRuth ko khaLa coffin pehNia
The religion this country has adopted freed woman
In the name of religion, this country has adorned women in a black
shroud
ORo ke auRuthOn ko ankhAin, par, par kai dekhThai hain
Apne auruThOn ke ankhOn, parDai kai andehRai mein bund karThai hain
The people of this country look at other women with lustful eyes
The cover the eyes of their own women with drapes of darkness
Yahan hijaab nahin, khaLa coffin pehNahThai hain
Yahan hijaab nahin, muzZaak pehNahThai hain
This is not hijab, this a shroud that they are forced to wear
This is not hijab; this is a joke they are forced to wear
Islam nai talLeem ko noor kehlLia tha
Is Desh nai Islam ko andherOn mai dufNia hain
Islam had recognized education as a light
This country has now buried Islam in darkness
RasSool nai taalLim sai muzZub ko bharRia tha
Is Desh nai talLeem ko andherOn mai dufNia hain
The Prophet, advanced religion through education
This country has buried education in darkness
RasSool nai apne Khom ko khulM or khalMai ke tarRuff bharRia tha
Aaj taaleem nai, jawaanOn ko chahKoo or bunDooKh ke tarRuff bharRia hain
The Prophet, brought his people towards the pen and the KalMa
Today's education, has brought the youth towards the knife and the gun
Aaj madRahSOn mein bachChoo ko achChaHee nahin dekhAhThai hain
DakhLeeYuTh ke din, rishWuth ka pehla naZerRana dekhAhThai hain
Today in school's, children are not thought righteousness
On the day of their registration, they are given their first
introduction to bribery
Kabhi ustaad, Iqbal, Ghalib or sharRiYuth sukKahThai thai
Aaj shahGird, ustaaD ko apne butWay dekhAhThai hain
There was a time when teachers presented the teachings of Iqbal, Ghalib
and Islam
Today, students present their teachers with their wallets
Kabhi taleem, jahHil ko momin bunaThi thi
Aaj JahHil, momin ko JahHil bunNahTha hain
There was a time when education, turned the ignorant, into believers
Today, the ignorant, make the believers, ignorant
Kabhi khulM or khagez nai, aadMi ko Insaan bunHia tha
Aaj khagez kai tookROn nai, Aadmi ko haiVaan bunHia hain
There was a time when man attained humanity through the pen and paper
Today a few pieces of paper (money) turn man into a devil
Kabhi khagez kai tookRai sai, aaDmi ka zameer bharTha tha
Aaj khagez kai tookRoon nai, aaDmi ka zameer lootTia hain
There was a time when a man's conscience could be raised with pieces of
paper
Today, man's conscience is stolen by pieces of paper
Kabhi Desh kai rakhWalLai, desh kai saivVa mai masroof thai
Aaj kai NathaOn, desh kai lootMaar mai masroof hain
There was a time when the guardians of this nation were busy serving the
nation
Today's leaders are busy looting the nation
Yeh Roti, Kapada aur Makan kai waadDai, khom sai karte hain
Khom ke roti, kapada aur makan sai, apne JaiBai bharThai hain
They make promises of bread, clothes, and shelters to the people
They fill their own pockets with the bread, clothes, and shelter of
others
Aaj tho yeh Khuda ke fitrat, ko bhi nahin chorThai hain
Markazi dhamOn sai Aakaash ko hilaThai hain
Today, the don't even leave the creation of God alone
They shake the sky with nuclear blasts
ZaMeen ko HilaKai, khomi jazBah or muzBhi shaan mahSoos karThai hain
Khuda nai tho apne fitRuth pai har humla, JiHaad mein bhi ghuNa khaLia
hain
They feel national and religious pride when shaking the earth
When even in Jihad (holy war), God has forbidden all attacks on his
creations
Kabhi Poorab, roshni ke hifaZuth karTha tha
AndherOn mein bhi, Paachim ko roshni bejTha tha
There was a time when the East was a guardian of light
The West was sent light, when in darkness
Aaj roshni Paachim meh jagThi hain, aur Paachim meh he sohJahThi hain
Poorab nai rooshni ko tookRaHia, or Paachim kai AndherOn ko apnia hain
Today the light rises in the West, and returns to slumber in the West
The East has shunned light, and accepted the West's darkness
Har anDhera ka savera hoTha hain
Is Desh kai saVera mein bhi anDhera hoTha hain
Every darkness has a morning
The mornings in this country also bring darkness
HuMaara Desh, aaj PaaChim kai andherOn ko, phujTha hain
Oossi Paachim ke roshni, yeh Desh, ghuNa maanTha hain
Our country worships the darkness of the West
The light the West offers, is shunned by this country for being sinful
Poorab nai apne roshni, Paahim ke andherai sai budHalDi hain
Ab is roshni ko, PooRab nai PaaChim sai he neKaalNi hain
The East has exchanged it's light with the darkness of the West
Now the East must bring back this light from the West
-Khurram S. Sheikh
February 1, 1999
-Khurram S. Sheikh
February 1, 1999NAZM 1: Aap or Ghulab (The Rose & You)
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BaHar, ghulaB ko ek bhaar sujAhTha hain
Aapke husN peh baHar, bhar bhar aaTha hain
The spring presents beauty to a rose only once
Your beauty is increased every spring
MauSum ke samne, ghulaB hamesha jukhJahTha hain
Aapka aabRu, har mauSum mai muzBooth rehTha hain
The rose must always bow to the seasons
Your honour/dignity remains firm in all seasons
Shabnam sai bheegai huwYe ghulaB, ankhOn ko pushlaathai hain
Aapke shabnam bhaari ankhAin, humaarai dil ko rolAhThai hain
The dew drenched rose seduces the eyes
The dew in your eyes, causes my heart to cry
HusN bahrRai BhagOn mein, ghulaB sirRuff ek hisSaH hain
Aapke husN ke aab, har mehfil mein, ajab kisSaH hain
A rose in only a part of gardens that are filled with beauty
The splendour of your beauty are the fable/epic for every gathering
Apne nurmi ke neechai, ghulaB, kaanTai bhi chupAhThai hain
Aapke zeenuth ke peechai, adl jazbaath, chamMukThai hain
The rose also hides thorns under its tenderness
Behind your beauty, righteous feelings/thoughts sparkle
GhulabOn ka husN, saarRai zamaaNai kai liye hain
Aapke husN ke ek naZer bhi, qisMuth wale ke liye hain
The beauty of the rose is displayed to the whole world
Only the the lucky/fortunate can get even a glance your beauty
Ghulab, tho sarRai zamaaNai ke liye bunNai huwYe hain
Aapka, zindagi bhar ka saath tho naseeb wale ke liye hain
The rose is made for the whole world to enjoy
Your hand is only for someone lucky/well destined
-Khurram S. Sheikh
January 18, 1999
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pushLaathai - seduce
adl - righteous
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NAZM 2: Aapke HusN ke MisSaal (the examples of your beauty)
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Qudrat ke haseen wadiYaan jab samne aathi hain
Aapke husN ke misSaal, humhai tarPaathi hain
Whenever I am presented by beauty of nature
I encounter an example of your beauty
Qudrat ke haZaarRi pai hum, apna moh pher sakThai hain
Aapke na-HazaarRi mein bhi, aapko bhula nahin sakThai hain
I can glance away (turn my back) on nature's beauty
Even when you are not present, I cannot forget you
Raath kai andhHerai mai, chand apna daag paish karTha hain
Aapke chehRai peh sujAh huWa thil, dil ko pushLatha hain
When the night's darkness presents the scarred moon
The mole adorning your cheek, seduces my heart
Jab Chand ka gola, helaal hoJahTha hain
Aapke abrhoo, Eid ka chand bunJahTha hain
When the new moon gives birth to a crescent
Your eyebrows became's the moon that marks Eid
Jab bikurRai huywe tarai, aakash ke andherAin ko roshan karThai hain
Aapke chamakThi huywe ankhOn ka taSaWer, chiraag bhunjahThai hain
When the stars in the sky, illuminate the dark sky
Thoughts of your sparkling eyes became my torch
HaWahAay jab ghulabon ke punKahRai ko kolDehThai hain
Aapke nurm honton ke aks, saaNsoo ko rOkh DehThai hain
When the wind blows open the petals of the rose
The image of your tender lips takes my breath away
Jab aftab, andherOn ke neend mai koJahTha hain
Aapke yaadOn ka chiraag, tanHahHi mai jalahTha hain
When the sun becomes lost in the darkness of the night
In my loneliness I am burned by the torch of your memory
Suraj ke roshni, baadulOn or dundh mein, ghum hoJahThi hain
Aapke adHa ke aab, parDai ke peechai bhi, mahSoos hoSukThi hain
When the sun's beams become lost in behind the clouds and fog
Your , can be recognized behind a viel
Jab badr, lehro sai saager ko hilahTha hain
Ishq ka sailaab, aapke chaHat mai dooBahTha hain
When the moon's cycles cause the waves to shake the ocean
My love's flood, I am drowned by my desire for you
Qudrat ke wadiYan har pal budHal thi rehThi hain
Aapke ulfat, dil ke dharken ko chulahThi hain
The beauty of nature is always changing
Your love, is all that keeps my heart beating
Upsoos hain ke qudrat ke haSeen waadiYaan sai, kal bhi samNa hoga
Upsoos hain ke aapke husn sai samNa, ab siRuff khwabOn meh hoga
I regret that I will be able to face the beauty's of nature tommorow
I regret that, now I will see your beauty only in my dreams
GHAZEL 5
Aaj umeedo ka jhanaza humaarRai nazerOn ke samne ayia hain
Apne khwabOn ka jhanaZa, apne he haathOn sai dufNia hain
The funeral of my hopes has now passed before my eyes
With my own hands, I have buried the corpse of my dreams
FaasLOn ke pahBundiAah ko, duniya nai haaTaDia hain
Aap or Tum ka faasLa nai, muraadOn ko haarRahDia hain
The world has removed the limitations caused by distances
The distance between: formality and informality in our relation, has
defeated my desires
Zuban nai dil ke izhaar ko, awaaz dehNai sai, inkaar karDia hain
Jis naam dil nai apNia thaa, zuban ke liye, purRia rehGia hain
My toungue has refused to lend it's voice to my heart's declarations
The name that the heart has embraced, has remained a stranger to my
toungue
Hum jhante hain kai humaari haaSiYuth, aapke bharRaber tho nahin hain
Par dil nai apne dharken ko, aapke qadmOn kai bharRaber he chulLia hain
I know that my status is not equal to yours
But my heart has run it's beat at the pace of your steps
Aaj humNai apne nazerRai, aynNai sai milLahHee hain
Na jaane kisKi nazer sai, aynNai nai humko milLahHia hain
I introduced my gaze to the mirror today
I know not who's gaze the mirror has introduced me to
Yahan nigahAin or nishaNai, budulThai rehThai hain
Humaari nigaHon nai, humai he nishaNa bunaHia hain
In this place where glances and their targets continue to change
I have become the target of my own glances
Yahan dilLaGi ke samjohThai ko, pyar ke naam sai pukar thai hain
Ulfat ke Asir nai tho, pyar ko siRuff dil ke awaaz sai bhulLia hain
In this place the flirtatious relations, call one another in love's name
This captive of love, has only called love with the voice of it's heart
-Khurram S. Sheikh
January 24, 1999
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GHAZEL 3
Kabhi Heer samne thi, par Ranjha ke marzi nahin
Ab Ranjha ke marzi huwye, par Heer raazi nahin
There was a time when Heer was willing, but Ranjha was not willing
Now when Ranjha is willing, Heer is unwilling
Kabhi yaari azeez thi, or dushmano ke hazaari nahin
Ab dushman zaheer hain, or dosti mein hum-raazi nahin
There was a time when friendships were precious, and enmities did not
exist
Now enemies have become allies, and there is no friend that is a
confidant
Kabhi ghar ke hefazat thi, par zindagi ke beh-rozgaari thi
Ab roozi hasil huwye, par aashiyaan ke maeHfoozi nahin
There was a time when the refuge of home existed, but my life was
without any sustenance
Now that sustenence has been acquired, the safety of home no longer
exists
Kabhi raHen samne thi, par apne manzil ghaHib thi
Ab manzil samne hai, par koi rah ke aaGHaazi nahin
There was a time when many paths were in front of me, but goals were
absent
Now my goal is in front of me, but there is no start to any path
Kabhi Khurram ke taqdeer, likhi huwye thi humaari
Ab Asir ke kismat mein, kushi or dil-nawaazi nahin
There was a time when Happiness (Khurram), was the destiny written for
me
Now there is no happiness or peace of mind in this Captive's (Asir) fate
GHAZEL 4
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Josh ke khom mein bhaRa madHosh zamaaNa hain
Josh ke khom ko phir sai hoshiyaar bhuNaaNa hain
Yahan aZad lashOn kai zaMeer, marGai hain
In lashOn ka zaMeer, phir sai jaGaaNa hain
Poorab ke roshni aaj paachim mein sooGhi hain
Is roshni nai ek din, Poorab mein he jaaGNa hain
Yahan, aaKaaSH ko dhaMakOn sai hilLaHThai hain
Jab Kudrat peh humLa, JiHaad mein bhi gHuNa hain
Yahan dilLaGi ke sumJhooThai ko, pyar kehLahThai hain
Asir nai tho, pyar ko, dilLo ka sumJhooTha maNa hain
-Khurram S. Sheikh
January 9, 1999
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This nation of passionate people, is living in an intoxicated period
This nation of passionate people's senses need be re-awakened
In this place bodies are free, but their conscience is dead
The conscience in these bodies needs to be awakened
Today, the light from the east, has gone to sleep in the west
One day this light will once again re-awaken in the east
In this place they shake the sky with explosions
When any attack on nature is prohibited even in a Jihad (holy war)
In this place, a flirtatious union is being called love
Asir believes love to be the union of hearts
GHAZEL 1
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Aap baharon mein reHNai wali, apne hasti pai itmeNaan hain
Hum khezan mein bharNai wale, chun dino ke mehMan hain
Apne abRu ke aab sai, haseen mausam ko aur bhi rangeen banhaThi ho
Yahan ujRai huWye ranGo ka jhoota gHaRoor, sard aashiYaan hain
Apne nurm honTon ke bheegi huWye laali, ghulabOn meh suJaathi ho
Yahan surRay huWye paaTho ke marRee HuyWe laali bhi, giraan hain
Apne mahekti huWye amber sai, baSanTi phooLon ko khusBudar banathi ho
Yahaan mUrJahHuwye ghulDaston ke hasTi ka sugandh, pasheMaan hain
Apne har umeed ko, mausam ke ujalai mein roshen hoTai dekhSakti ho
Yahan taBah tamunNon keh biKarRai huyWe badal, weeraan hain
Aap pyar ke miTaas, baHar ke tayaar or haryaal palon mein chunSakti ho
Yahan barBaad bhaGon ke surRay huWye palon ka soona bayaabaan hain
Apne sereyLi taranam sai, afTab ke chupai huye taBasam ko reha karSakti
ho
Yahan anDheroon mein butakTha huya, beh zuban Asir ke fughaan, nehaan
hain
-Khurram S. Sheikh
Dec24/98
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sard - dull/cold/dead, aashiyaan - house/nest, giraan -
precious, sugandh -scent/odour/fragrant/perfume, pashemaan -
repentent/ashamed, bayaabaan - desert/wilderness, soona -
empy/void/desolate/lonely, fughaan - lamenting/cries of distress,
nehaan - hidden,
Takhallus - Asir
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You who are living in the spring are satisfied at your existence
I, who began life in the fall, am here for only a few days
The splendor of your honor makes the beauty in the season even more
colorful
Over here, is a dull nest filled with the false pride of ruined colors
The moist redness of your tender lips is adorned in roses
Over here, even the dead reds of the burnt out leaves become precious
Your fragrant aroma, is what makes the spring flowers fragrant
Over here, the odor from the dying flowers is ashamed at itself
Your every hope and desire, becomes illuminated by the brightness of the
season
Over here, the scattered clouds of unfilled desires are desolate
You can select the sweetness of love from the many fresh and willing
fruits of spring
Over here, is a lonely wilderness of ruined gardens and their rotten
fruit
With your melodious singing, the sun's hidden smile is released
Over here, stumbling, voiceless captive's cries of distress are hidden
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GHAZEL 2
Khamooshi he meri ishq ke iqraari hain
Khamooshi he unki akeyli inkaari hain
Khwabon mein he, humaari prem kahani hain
Prem kahani ke khaali kitab, kitni bhaari hain
Mela ke har khushi sai, rozadaari hain
Sehra ke khushi sai bhi, unki yaari hain
Unki yaad, ulfat ke bumaari bharaati hain
Unki yaad, ab dil ke akhiri dil daari hain
Sab pukarTai hai, unki de huye takhallus sai
Nahin jhantai kiski ulfat, Asir ke israari hain
-Khurram S. Sheikh
December 30/1998
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dil daari - consolation, israari - persistence/obstinacy
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My declaration of love, is my silence
Her only rejection, is her silence
The story of my love remains in my dreams
The empty book of this love story, is very heavy
I fast (to abstain) from the happiness of every festival
She is able to befriend any happiness that exists in a desert
Her memory, increases the painful afflictions of my love
Her memory is now the only consolation for my heart
The world calls me by the alias, she has given me
Unknown to them, is who's love "Captive/prisoner" is persistent in
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GHAZEL 3
Kabhi Heer samne thi, par Ranjha ke marzi nahin
Ab Ranjha ke marzi huwye, par Heer raazi nahin
Kabhi har yaari azeez thi, or dushmani ke ghaar-majoodi thi
Ab dushman zaheer hain, or koi dost sai hum-raazi nahin
Kabhi ghar ke hefazat thi, par zindagi beh-rozgaari thi
Ab roozi hasil huwye, par aashiyaan ke mahfoozi nahin
Kabhi ky rahen samne thi, par har manzil ghaHib thi
Ab manzil samne hai, par koi rah ke aaGHaazi nahin
Kabhi Khurram Saba ke taqdeer likhi huwye thi
Ab Asir ke naseeb mein kushi or dil-nawaazi nahin
-Khurram S. Sheikh
December 31, 1998
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hum- raazi - confidant, zaheer - ally, beh-rozgaari - without
sustenance, aashiyaan - house/nest,
mafoozi - kept safe/secure, aaGHaazi - start/beginning/inception,
Saba - Gentle Breeze/morning breeze
dil-nawaazi - soothing (the mind)
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There was a time when Heer present, but Ranjha was unwilling
Now when Ranjha is willing, Heer is not willing
There was a time when friendships were precious, and enmities did not
exist
Now enemies have become allies, and there is no friend that is a
confidant
There was a time when home was a refuge, but there life was without
sustenance
Now that sustenence has been acquired, the safety of home no longer
exists
There was a time when many paths were in front of me, but goals were
absent
Now my goal is in front of me, but there is not start to any path
There was a time when a breeze (Saba) of Happiness (Khurram), was the
destiny written for me
Now there is no happiness or peace of mind in this Captive's (Asir) fate