Afreen Afreen

husn-e-jaanaaN kii taariif mumkin nahiiN

It is not possible to praise the beauty of beloved.

aafriin aafriin

O the most beautiful one!

tuu bhii dekhe agar to kahe ham-nashiiN

Even if you see my beloved, you would also say

aafriin aafriin

O the most beautiful one!

aisaa dekhaa nahiiN Khuubsuurat ko’ii

jism jaise Ajanta kii muurat ko’ii

jism jaise nigaahoN pe jaaduu ko’ii

jism naGhmaa ko’ai jism Khushbuu ko’ii

jism jaise machaltii hu’ii raaginii

jism jaise mehakti hu’ii chaaNdnii

jism jaise ke khilta hu’aa ek chaman

jaise jaise suuraj kii pahlii kiran

jism tarsha hu’aa dilkash-o-dil-nashiiN

sandalii sandalii

marmarii marmarii

I never saw anyone so beautiful

[her] body is like the images of Ajanta*

[her] body is like a spell on eyes

[her] body is like a song [and] perfumed

[her] body is like ecstatic music

[her] body is like sweet-smelling moon-light

[her] body is like a blooming garden

[her] body is like the first ray of the Sun

[her] body is like carved statue, eye-catching and arresting

like sandalwood

like marble.

Note: Caves in India containing beautiful murals.

chehraa ek phuul kii tarah shaadaab hai

chehraa uskaa hai yaa ko’ii mahtaab hai

chehraa jaise Ghazal, chehraa jaan-e-Ghazal

chehraa jaise kalii, chehraa jaise kaNval

chehraa jaise tasavvur kii tasviir bhii

chehraa ek Khvaab bhii chehraa tabiir bhii

[Her] face is like a fresh flower.

Is it her face or moon?

[her] face is like a Ghazal, [her] face is like heart of Ghazal

[her] face is like a bud, [her] face is like lotus

[her] face is like manifestation of imagination

[her] face is like a dream, and its interpretation too.

chehraa ko’ii alif lailavii daastaaN

chehraa ek pal yaqiiN, chehraa ek pal gumaaN

chehraa jaise ke chehraa ko’ii bhii nahiiN

maah-ruuh maah-ruuh

maah-jabiiN maah-jabiiN

[Her] face is like the tales of Alif Laila*.

One moment real, another moment imagination

[her] face is like no other face

[her] forehead is moonlike

so is her body.

Note: Arabian Nights.

aaNkheN dekhii to maiN dekhtaa rah gayaa

jaam do aur donon hii do aatishah

aankheN yaa maikade ke ye do baab haiN

aankheN inko kahuuN yaa kahuuN Khvaab haiN

aankheN niichii hu’iiN to hayaa ban gayiiN

aankheN uuNchii hu’iiN to du’aa ban gayiiN

aankheN jhuk kar uThiiN to adaa ban gayiiN

aankheN jin meN haiN qaid aasmaan-o-zamiiN

nargisii nargisii

surmayii surmayii

I could not keep off my eyes after seeing her eyes

they are like two cups of wine and that too, burning

are these eyes or two doors of wine-house

her downward glance is abashness

her upward glance is prayer

when eyes look up after downward glance, is like a style

eyes, in which arrested are the sky and the earth

like Narcissus

[and] greyish

zulf-e-jaanaN kii bhii lambii hai daastaaN

zulf ke mere dil par hai parchaiiyaaN

zulf jaise ke ummRii hu’ii ho ghaTaa

zulf jaise ke ho ko’ii kaalii balaa

zulf uljhe to duniyaa pareshaan ho

zulf suljhe to ye giit aasaan ho

zulf bikhre siyaah raat chhaane lage

zulf lahraaye to raat gaane lage

zulf zanjiir hai phir bhii kitnii hasiiN

reshmii reshmii

ambariiN ambariin

The story of the tresses of beloved is also long

tresses are like shadows on my heart

tresses are like over-cast clouds

tresses like some black spectre

when tresses are entangled, so also is the world

when tresses are straight, then writing this song becomes easy

when tresses spread apart then black night downs

when tresses sway then the night sings

tresses are chains, but so beautiful

silken