Raqeeb Se

Faiz Ahmad Faiz

This is a monologue as a man addresses another who, long ago, was vying for the attentions of the same woman.

Aa keh waabasta hain us husn ki yaaden tujh se

Come, for memories of that beauty are attached to you

Jis ne is dil ko paree khaana banaa rakkhaa thaa

She who had made this heart a fantasy land

Jis kee ulfat men bhula rakkhee thi dunya hum ne

In whose love I had forgotten the rest of the world

Dehar ko dehar ka afsaana banaa rakkhaa thaa

Had made a story of the world and time

Aashnaa hain tire qadmon se who raahen jin par

Those pathways are familiar with your feet, upon which

Us kee madhosh jawanee ne inaayat kee hai

She had bestowed with her intoxicated youth

Karwaan guzre hain jin se usee ra'naaee ke

From where caravans of that same beauty have passed

Jis kee in aankhon ne be sood ibaadat kee hai

That these eyes worshipped without heed to all else

Tujh se khelee hain who mehboob hawaaen jin men

Those loving breezes have played with you, where

Us ke malboos kee afsurdah mehak baaqee hai

The gentle and sad perfume of her attire lingers

Tujh pe bhi barsaa hai us baam se mehtaab kaa noor

The light from her has also rained upon you from that terrace

Jis men beetee huee raaton kee kasak baaqee hai

In which lingers the sweet ache of nights past

Tu ne dekhee hai woh peshaanee, woh rukhsaar, woh hont

You have witnessed that forehead, that aspect, those lips

Zindagee jin ke tasawwur men lutaa dee hum ne

In whose imagination I wasted away my life

Tujh pe utthee hain woh khoee huee saahir aankhen

Those lost magical eyes have been raised to meet yours

Tujh ko ma'loom hai kyoon umr ganwaa dee hum ne

You know why I wasted my youth pining

Hum pe mushtarikah hain ehsaan gham-e-ulfat ke

The gifts of the agony of love have been given to us equally

Itne ehsaan keh ginwaaoon to ginwaa na sakoon

So many gifts that I couldn't count them if I tried

Hum ne is ishq men kyaa khoyaa ai kyaa paayaa hai

What we have lost and gained through this love

Juz tere aur ko sumjhaaoon to sumjhaa naa sakoon

I couldn't explain to any other even if I tried