Maraahil

Aik lamhay ko kabhi vaqt ki gardish na thami
Hasb-e-dastoor maah-o-saal badaltay he rahay
Aik lau, aik lagan, aik lehek dil mein liye
Hum mohabbat ki kathin raah pe chaltay he rahay
hasb-e-dastoor = as per tradition
lau = flame
lagan = passionate desire
lehek = unflinching devotion

(Time never stopped. I kept walking on the intricate path of love)

Kitnay pur-paich maraahil ko kiya tay hum ne
Vaadiyaan kitni mileen raah mein dushvaar guzaar
Sainkron sang-e-giraa.n raah mein haail thay magar
Aik lamhay ko bhi tooti na junoo.n ki raftaar
pur-paich = intricate
maraahil = stages
dushvaar guzaar = impassible
sainkron = hundreds
sang-e-giraa.n = massive path-blocking stone
haail = in the way
raftaar = speed

(I went through so many obstacles, without letting the hindrances lessen the intensity of my passion [love])

Aaj chaaye hain vo ghanghor andheray lekin
Jin mein dhoonday se bhi miltay nahin raahon ke suraagh
Vo andheray keh nikaltay huay darti hai nigaah
Saamnay ho to nazar aaye na manzil ka chiraagh
ghanghor = utter; complete
suraagh = sign

(Today an utter darkness covers all. We can't find signs of roads - no guidance. Not even glances dare leave the eyes; and destination's lamps, though closeby, are blotted out)

Mujh se badzan na ho ai dost keh meri nazrain
Kiya hua paich-o-kham-e-raah mein uljhi hain agar
Rood-o-kohsaar ki her lamha bhatakti maujain
Apni manzil ki taraf he to raheen garm-e-safar
badzan = misunderstand
paich-o-kham-e-raah = labyrinth
rood = streams
kohsaar = mountains
maujain = tides
garm-e-safar = in journey

(Don't be upset with me, my dear, if I seem to be lost or distracted. [I'll find my way back to you, just like] the mountain streams ever losing their way still flows onward to their destination)

Mujh se bargashta na ho tu keh mera dil hai vahi
Kiya hua fikr ke chaaye hain jo gehray baadal
Chashm-e-zaahir se jo chup jaaye to chup jaanay de
Abr mein bujh nahin jaati hai qamar ki mish'al
bargashta = angry
chashm-e-zaahir = sight
abr = rain
qamar = moon
mish'al = [guiding] light

(Don't be angry with me [because I seem to be mentally absent]. So what worry's dark clouds have gathered? Clouds can't turn off moon's guiding light [just like the love in my heart for you, our guiding light, can't be erased by any amount of worry])

Mujh se bezaar na ho tu keh meray zehen mein aaj
Kiya hua sirf jo bedaar hai manzil ka kheyaal
Moj-e-subh ki khaatir he to bunta hai falak
Zulmat-e-shab mein yeh taaron ka chamakta hua jaal
bezaar = dejected
bedaar = awake
moj-e-subh = morning light
bunta = weave
falak = sky
zulmat-e-shab = hopeless dark of the night
jaal = net

(Don't be frustrated with me because I'm only thinking about the destination [the end of the bothersome road that we're on in search of love - for all this struggle is ultimately for us to reach our end]. For the sky in the darkness of the night weaves a glittering net of stars to create morning light)

Meray chehray pe jo hai vaqt ka shabgoo.n partu
Hai usi aks se dhundla tira aaina-e-dil
Aa keh yeh lamha-e-haazir nahin haasil apna
Hai paray aaj ki zulmaat se apni manzil
shabgoo.n = nocturnal
partu = reflection
aks = mirror image
dhundla = blurred
aaina-e-dil = mirror of the heart
paray = away from

(What my face presents is simply the residue of sleepless nights spent in thoughts and worries - this is not me. This present moment is not the one you should be concerned with, for our future lies away from the harsh realities of today)

In dhuaa.nDhaar andheron se guzarnay ke liye
Khoon-e-dil se koi mish'al to jalaani ho gee
Ishq ke rafta-o-sargashta junoo.n ko ai dost
Zindagaani ki ada aaj sikhaani ho gee
dhuaa.nDhaar = blinding
rafta-o-sargashta = mad wandering

(But to pass through these obstacles, we must turn a light on - light from within - and teach love the shaping of life)

Overall Summary: Main mushkil raaston se ho ke aayeen hoon, musaafat buri tarah thaka chuki hai per safar abhi khatam nahin hua. Saathi ki talaash hai, aur tum meray saath raho. Meray chehray ko mat dekho, meri zaahiri beegangi pe mat jaao. Meray dil mein tumhaaray liye mohabbat aur wafa ke dheron diye jal rahay hain. Waqt se pehlay unhain na tumhain de sakti hoon na dikha sakti hoon, per yeh sari mohabbat tumhaari hai. Tum meray zaahir ke ilavah kuch aur dekhnay ki koshish to karo.

~Jan Nisar Ahkter