I ask myself how come
my companion on the road of
love, became a stranger to me.
Why all the flowers withered?
Why the moonlight turned into
darkness? I ask myself.
She was in my arms yesterday.
She was the apple of my eyes.
Where did the warmth get lost?
I do not understand,
Nor do I hear a thing.
Where did the tenderness go?
I ask myself this.
You aren’t unfaithful,
nor am I.
Why then the feelings did die?
You love me and I love you.
How come we came to this end?
I ask myself. Tell me my being.
- translated by Ravi Kopra
The original poem:
Yeh bataa deh mujhe zindagi
pyaar kee raah kay humasafar
kis tarah bun gaye ajanabi
yeh bataa deh mujhe zindagi
phool kyuun saare murjhaa gaye
kis liye bujh gaee chaandani
yeh bataa deh mujhe zindagi
kal jo baahon mein thee
aur nigaahon mein thi
ab woh garmi kahaan kho gaee
na woh andaaz hai
na woh avaaz hai
aab woh narmi kahaan kho gaee
yeh bataa deh mujhe zindagi
bewafaa tum nahin
bewafaa hum nahin
phir woh jazbaat kyon soh gaye
pyaar tum ko bhi hai
pyaar hum ko bhi hai
faasale phir ye kyaa ho gaye
yeh bataa deh mujhe zindagi
- ehsan
Note: I thank ehsan and rashidali for giving me the
meanings of certain Urdu words in the original poem.