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Dagh Dehlvi

1831 - 1905 | Delhi, India

Last of the classical poets who celebrated life and love. Famous for his playfulness with words (idioms/phrases).

Last of the classical poets who celebrated life and love. Famous for his playfulness with words (idioms/phrases).

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tumhārā dil mire dil ke barābar ho nahīñ saktā

vo shīsha ho nahīñ saktā ye patthar ho nahīñ saktā

Interpretation: Rekhta AI

Dagh Dehlvi contrasts two hearts by calling one “glass” (fragile, sensitive) and the other “stone” (hard, unfeeling). The speaker says emotional parity is impossible because their inner temperaments are fundamentally unlike. Beneath the comparison is hurt pride and a complaint of coldness from the beloved. The metaphor sharpens the sense of mismatch in love.

tumhaara dil mere dil ke barabar ho nahin sakta

wo shisha ho nahin sakta ye patthar ho nahin sakta

Interpretation: Rekhta AI

Dagh Dehlvi contrasts two hearts by calling one “glass” (fragile, sensitive) and the other “stone” (hard, unfeeling). The speaker says emotional parity is impossible because their inner temperaments are fundamentally unlike. Beneath the comparison is hurt pride and a complaint of coldness from the beloved. The metaphor sharpens the sense of mismatch in love.

hazāroñ kaam mohabbat meñ haiñ maze ke 'dāġh'

jo log kuchh nahīñ karte kamāl karte haiñ

Interpretation: Rekhta AI

The couplet plays with a witty paradox: love seems full of enjoyable “tasks,” yet the greatest mastery is to do nothing—just to remain absorbed, patient, and present. “Doing nothing” hints at letting love act on its own, without forcing outcomes. The emotional core is playful admiration for quiet devotion and effortless surrender.

hazaron kaam mohabbat mein hain maze ke 'dagh'

jo log kuchh nahin karte kamal karte hain

Interpretation: Rekhta AI

The couplet plays with a witty paradox: love seems full of enjoyable “tasks,” yet the greatest mastery is to do nothing—just to remain absorbed, patient, and present. “Doing nothing” hints at letting love act on its own, without forcing outcomes. The emotional core is playful admiration for quiet devotion and effortless surrender.

vafā kareñge nibāheñge baat māneñge

tumheñ bhī yaad hai kuchh ye kalām kis thā

Interpretation: Rekhta AI

The couplet recalls a lover’s old assurances—faithfulness, constancy, and obedience—and then turns them into a pointed question. By asking “whose words were these,” the speaker highlights the gap between promises and present behavior. The tone carries reproach mixed with sorrow, using memory as evidence against forgetfulness and betrayal.

wafa karenge nibahenge baat manenge

tumhein bhi yaad hai kuchh ye kalam kis ka tha

Interpretation: Rekhta AI

The couplet recalls a lover’s old assurances—faithfulness, constancy, and obedience—and then turns them into a pointed question. By asking “whose words were these,” the speaker highlights the gap between promises and present behavior. The tone carries reproach mixed with sorrow, using memory as evidence against forgetfulness and betrayal.

milāte ho usī ko ḳhaak meñ jo dil se miltā hai

mirī jaañ chāhne vaalā baḌī mushkil se miltā hai

those who meet you lovingly then into dust you grind

those who bear affection, dear, are very hard to find

Interpretation: Rekhta AI

The speaker complains about cruel ingratitude: the sincere friend/lover who comes from the heart is the one being humiliated and destroyed. “Dust” suggests disgrace, ruin, or being cast down. The second line stresses how rare such genuine love is, so harming it is an even greater folly. The emotional core is grief mixed with protest at not valuing devotion.

milate ho usi ko KHak mein jo dil se milta hai

meri jaan chahne wala baDi mushkil se milta hai

those who meet you lovingly then into dust you grind

those who bear affection, dear, are very hard to find

Interpretation: Rekhta AI

The speaker complains about cruel ingratitude: the sincere friend/lover who comes from the heart is the one being humiliated and destroyed. “Dust” suggests disgrace, ruin, or being cast down. The second line stresses how rare such genuine love is, so harming it is an even greater folly. The emotional core is grief mixed with protest at not valuing devotion.

nahīñ khel ai 'dāġh' yāroñ se kah do

ki aatī hai urdu zabāñ aate aate

Interpretation: Rekhta AI

Dagh Dehlvi stresses that writing or speaking refined Urdu is a serious art, not something to be taken lightly. The phrase “aati hai… aate aate” suggests slow, hard-won attainment through practice and lived experience. Beneath the boast is a warning and a humble truth: real eloquence takes patience, discipline, and maturity.

nahin khel ai 'dagh' yaron se kah do

ki aati hai urdu zaban aate aate

Interpretation: Rekhta AI

Dagh Dehlvi stresses that writing or speaking refined Urdu is a serious art, not something to be taken lightly. The phrase “aati hai… aate aate” suggests slow, hard-won attainment through practice and lived experience. Beneath the boast is a warning and a humble truth: real eloquence takes patience, discipline, and maturity.

urdu hai jis naam hamīñ jānte haiñ 'dāġh'

hindostāñ meñ dhuum hamārī zabāñ hai

Interpretation: Rekhta AI

The couplet is an assertion of linguistic pride and ownership: the poet presents himself (and his circle) as true connoisseurs of Urdu. “Dhoom” signals public resonance—Urdu’s sweetness and expressive power have created a stir throughout the land. The emotional core is self-assured celebration of a language as a marker of identity and cultural presence.

urdu hai jis ka nam hamin jaante hain 'dagh'

hindostan mein dhum hamari zaban ki hai

Interpretation: Rekhta AI

The couplet is an assertion of linguistic pride and ownership: the poet presents himself (and his circle) as true connoisseurs of Urdu. “Dhoom” signals public resonance—Urdu’s sweetness and expressive power have created a stir throughout the land. The emotional core is self-assured celebration of a language as a marker of identity and cultural presence.

sab log jidhar vo haiñ udhar dekh rahe haiñ

ham dekhne vāloñ nazar dekh rahe haiñ

Interpretation: Rekhta AI

The couplet contrasts common attention with the speaker’s sharper, second-level observation. While the crowd stares at the beloved, the lover reads the crowd’s gaze—measuring desire, envy, and fascination. It hints at possessiveness and a quiet rivalry: the beloved is one, but the eyes upon them are many. The emotional core is alert, slightly jealous, and intensely self-aware.

sab log jidhar wo hain udhar dekh rahe hain

hum dekhne walon ki nazar dekh rahe hain

Interpretation: Rekhta AI

The couplet contrasts common attention with the speaker’s sharper, second-level observation. While the crowd stares at the beloved, the lover reads the crowd’s gaze—measuring desire, envy, and fascination. It hints at possessiveness and a quiet rivalry: the beloved is one, but the eyes upon them are many. The emotional core is alert, slightly jealous, and intensely self-aware.

hameñ hai shauq ki be-parda tum ko dekheñge

tumheñ hai sharm to āñkhoñ pe haath dhar lenā

Interpretation: Rekhta AI

The couplet is flirtatious and teasing: the lover insists on the joy of seeing the beloved unveiled, turning modesty into a playful excuse rather than a barrier. By suggesting the beloved cover her eyes, he implies the shame lies in the act of looking, not in being seen. The emotional core is bold desire wrapped in wit, where intimacy is negotiated through banter.

hamein hai shauq ki be-parda tum ko dekhenge

tumhein hai sharm to aankhon pe hath dhar lena

Interpretation: Rekhta AI

The couplet is flirtatious and teasing: the lover insists on the joy of seeing the beloved unveiled, turning modesty into a playful excuse rather than a barrier. By suggesting the beloved cover her eyes, he implies the shame lies in the act of looking, not in being seen. The emotional core is bold desire wrapped in wit, where intimacy is negotiated through banter.

dil de to is mizāj parvardigār de

jo ranj ghaḌī bhī ḳhushī se guzār de

a heart O lord if you bestow, one such it should be

that smilingly I may spend my time of misery

Interpretation: Rekhta AI

Dagh Dehlvi turns the request to God into a prayer for inner disposition rather than outward comfort. The “heart” stands for one’s emotional nature, and “temperament” for the ability to interpret hardship. The core feeling is a longing for resilience—such a steady, grateful spirit that even pain can be endured with cheer. It suggests true happiness is an inner state, not a change of circumstances.

dil de to is mizaj ka parwardigar de

jo ranj ki ghaDi bhi KHushi se guzar de

a heart O lord if you bestow, one such it should be

that smilingly I may spend my time of misery

Interpretation: Rekhta AI

Dagh Dehlvi turns the request to God into a prayer for inner disposition rather than outward comfort. The “heart” stands for one’s emotional nature, and “temperament” for the ability to interpret hardship. The core feeling is a longing for resilience—such a steady, grateful spirit that even pain can be endured with cheer. It suggests true happiness is an inner state, not a change of circumstances.

aa.ina dekh ke kahte haiñ sañvarne vaale

aaj be-maut mareñge mire marne vaale

on seeing her own reflection she is moved to say

ere their time, my paramours shall perish this day

Interpretation: Rekhta AI

The speaker hears admirers/beautifiers praising themselves in the mirror, and turns that scene into a sharp boast. He implies his charm and presence are so overpowering that even his rivals’ ill-wishing rebounds on them. “Dying without death” is a metaphor for being consumed by envy and frustration. The couplet’s emotional core is proud, taunting irony.

aaina dekh ke kahte hain sanwarne wale

aaj be-maut marenge mere marne wale

on seeing her own reflection she is moved to say

ere their time, my paramours shall perish this day

Interpretation: Rekhta AI

The speaker hears admirers/beautifiers praising themselves in the mirror, and turns that scene into a sharp boast. He implies his charm and presence are so overpowering that even his rivals’ ill-wishing rebounds on them. “Dying without death” is a metaphor for being consumed by envy and frustration. The couplet’s emotional core is proud, taunting irony.

ḳhuub parda hai ki chilman se lage baiThe haiñ

saaf chhupte bhī nahīñ sāmne aate bhī nahīñ

what coyness this is, to abide,a screen beside her face

which neither does she clearly hide nor openly display

Interpretation: Rekhta AI

Dagh Dehlvi paints the beloved’s teasing modesty: the curtain becomes a metaphor for a carefully maintained distance. By sitting at the curtain, the beloved stays tantalizingly near—visible enough to stir desire, yet not present enough to satisfy it. The lover is kept suspended between hope and denial, and that in-between state is the very ‘art’ of the veil.

KHub parda hai ki chilman se lage baiThe hain

saf chhupte bhi nahin samne aate bhi nahin

what coyness this is, to abide,a screen beside her face

which neither does she clearly hide nor openly display

Interpretation: Rekhta AI

Dagh Dehlvi paints the beloved’s teasing modesty: the curtain becomes a metaphor for a carefully maintained distance. By sitting at the curtain, the beloved stays tantalizingly near—visible enough to stir desire, yet not present enough to satisfy it. The lover is kept suspended between hope and denial, and that in-between state is the very ‘art’ of the veil.

shab-e-visāl hai gul kar do in charāġhoñ ko

ḳhushī bazm meñ kyā kaam jalne vāloñ

EXPLANATION #1

It is the night of meeting—extinguish these lamps.

In a gathering of happiness, those who keep burning have no place.

The speaker asks for the lamps to be put out because the night of union needs no artificial light—intimacy prefers darkness. “Burning ones” are the lovers who suffer in longing; their inner fire clashes with the mood of celebration. The couplet carries a sharp irony: joy makes the grief-stricken feel unnecessary and pushed aside.

Shafaq Sopori

shab-e-visal hai gul kar do in charaghon ko

KHushi ki bazm mein kya kaam jalne walon ka

EXPLANATION #1

It is the night of meeting—extinguish these lamps.

In a gathering of happiness, those who keep burning have no place.

The speaker asks for the lamps to be put out because the night of union needs no artificial light—intimacy prefers darkness. “Burning ones” are the lovers who suffer in longing; their inner fire clashes with the mood of celebration. The couplet carries a sharp irony: joy makes the grief-stricken feel unnecessary and pushed aside.

Shafaq Sopori

is nahīñ koī ilaaj nahīñ

roz kahte haiñ aap aaj nahīñ

ah! this denial, nothing can allay

every day you say no, not today

Interpretation: Rekhta AI

Dagh Dehlvi captures the lover’s helplessness before a beloved who keeps refusing by postponing. The repeated “no” becomes like an incurable disease: nothing can change it. “Not today” sounds gentle, yet in practice it is a daily denial. The emotional core is longing that is kept alive through endless delay.

is nahin ka koi ilaj nahin

roz kahte hain aap aaj nahin

ah! this denial, nothing can allay

every day you say no, not today

Interpretation: Rekhta AI

Dagh Dehlvi captures the lover’s helplessness before a beloved who keeps refusing by postponing. The repeated “no” becomes like an incurable disease: nothing can change it. “Not today” sounds gentle, yet in practice it is a daily denial. The emotional core is longing that is kept alive through endless delay.

āshiqī se milegā ai zāhid

bandagī se ḳhudā nahīñ miltā

in romance, does God abound

O priest in piety not found

Interpretation: Rekhta AI

Dagh Dehlvi contrasts two paths: dry, rule-bound piety and the burning sincerity of عشق (love). Addressing the “zahid” (self-righteous ascetic), the poet suggests that real nearness to the Divine comes from an inward, passionate devotion rather than outward rituals alone. The emotional core is a gentle but sharp irony: the one who boasts of عبادت may still miss God, while the lover reaches Him through the heart.

aashiqi se milega ai zahid

bandagi se KHuda nahin milta

in romance, does God abound

O priest in piety not found

Interpretation: Rekhta AI

Dagh Dehlvi contrasts two paths: dry, rule-bound piety and the burning sincerity of عشق (love). Addressing the “zahid” (self-righteous ascetic), the poet suggests that real nearness to the Divine comes from an inward, passionate devotion rather than outward rituals alone. The emotional core is a gentle but sharp irony: the one who boasts of عبادت may still miss God, while the lover reaches Him through the heart.

ġhazab kiyā tire va.ade pe e'tibār kiyā

tamām raat qayāmat intizār kiyā

Interpretation: Rekhta AI

The speaker rebukes himself for believing the beloved’s word, treating that trust as a shocking mistake. The “night-long wait” becomes so intense and crushing that it feels like waiting for the end of the world. “Qayamat” is a metaphor for unbearable anxiety and emotional devastation, showing how a broken promise turns time into torment.

ghazab kiya tere wade pe e'tibar kiya

tamam raat qayamat ka intizar kiya

Interpretation: Rekhta AI

The speaker rebukes himself for believing the beloved’s word, treating that trust as a shocking mistake. The “night-long wait” becomes so intense and crushing that it feels like waiting for the end of the world. “Qayamat” is a metaphor for unbearable anxiety and emotional devastation, showing how a broken promise turns time into torment.

ḳhabar sun kar mire marne vo bole raqīboñ se

ḳhudā baḳhshe bahut ḳhūbiyāñ thiiñ marne vaale meñ

upon my death she stated to my rivals, if you please

may God spare the parted soul had many qualities

Interpretation: Rekhta AI

The couplet turns grief into sharp irony: the beloved, who didn’t value the lover in life, offers praise only after his death—and that too before his rivals. Her words sound like a formal condolence, yet they sting because the appreciation comes too late. The emotional core is the lover’s bitter sense that recognition is easiest when it costs nothing.

KHabar sun kar mere marne ki wo bole raqibon se

KHuda baKHshe bahut si KHubiyan thin marne wale mein

upon my death she stated to my rivals, if you please

may God spare the parted soul had many qualities

Interpretation: Rekhta AI

The couplet turns grief into sharp irony: the beloved, who didn’t value the lover in life, offers praise only after his death—and that too before his rivals. Her words sound like a formal condolence, yet they sting because the appreciation comes too late. The emotional core is the lover’s bitter sense that recognition is easiest when it costs nothing.

lipaT jaate haiñ vo bijlī ke Dar se

ilāhī ye ghaTā do din to barse

by lightning scared, she clings to me

may two days,Lord, this weather be

Interpretation: Rekhta AI

The speaker uses the storm as an excuse for closeness: the beloved hugs him to feel safe from lightning. He then turns to a playful prayer, asking the clouds to keep raining so the pretext for embrace lasts longer. The cloud and lightning become metaphors for fear and opportunity, while the real emotion is longing for union.

lipaT jate hain wo bijli ke Dar se

ilahi ye ghaTa do din to barse

by lightning scared, she clings to me

may two days,Lord, this weather be

Interpretation: Rekhta AI

The speaker uses the storm as an excuse for closeness: the beloved hugs him to feel safe from lightning. He then turns to a playful prayer, asking the clouds to keep raining so the pretext for embrace lasts longer. The cloud and lightning become metaphors for fear and opportunity, while the real emotion is longing for union.

na jaanā ki duniyā se jaatā hai koī

bahut der mehrbāñ aate aate

Interpretation: Rekhta AI

The couplet is a lament spoken at the edge of separation: life is fragile, and departure can happen without warning. The “kind one” (beloved or dear person) arrives after the crucial moment has passed, turning affection into pain. The emotional core is regret—both for not foreseeing mortality and for the delayed care that cannot undo loss.

na jaana ki duniya se jata hai koi

bahut der ki mehrban aate aate

Interpretation: Rekhta AI

The couplet is a lament spoken at the edge of separation: life is fragile, and departure can happen without warning. The “kind one” (beloved or dear person) arrives after the crucial moment has passed, turning affection into pain. The emotional core is regret—both for not foreseeing mortality and for the delayed care that cannot undo loss.

jis meñ lākhoñ baras hūreñ hoñ

aisī jannat ko kyā kare koī

where virgins aged a million years reside

hopes for such a heaven why abide

Interpretation: Rekhta AI

The poet (Dagh Dehlvi) dismisses the usual picture of paradise—eternal pleasures and houris—as meaningless. The question is rhetorical: if the beloved (or true fulfillment) is absent, even heaven has no value. The couplet turns religious reward into a metaphor for shallow desire, asserting that love’s craving outweighs promised bliss.

jis mein lakhon baras ki huren hon

aisi jannat ko kya kare koi

where virgins aged a million years reside

hopes for such a heaven why abide

Interpretation: Rekhta AI

The poet (Dagh Dehlvi) dismisses the usual picture of paradise—eternal pleasures and houris—as meaningless. The question is rhetorical: if the beloved (or true fulfillment) is absent, even heaven has no value. The couplet turns religious reward into a metaphor for shallow desire, asserting that love’s craving outweighs promised bliss.

kal tak to āshnā the magar aaj ġhair ho

do din meñ ye mizāj hai aage ḳhair ho

Interpretation: Rekhta AI

Dagh Dehlvi voices the hurt of a relationship that flips suddenly from intimacy to cold distance. The beloved’s swift change of attitude becomes a metaphor for unreliable affection and unstable human moods. The final phrase “what will happen ahead” carries both sarcasm and real anxiety about a future that now feels unsafe. The emotional core is shock, wounded pride, and apprehension.

kal tak to aashna the magar aaj ghair ho

do din mein ye mizaj hai aage ki KHair ho

Interpretation: Rekhta AI

Dagh Dehlvi voices the hurt of a relationship that flips suddenly from intimacy to cold distance. The beloved’s swift change of attitude becomes a metaphor for unreliable affection and unstable human moods. The final phrase “what will happen ahead” carries both sarcasm and real anxiety about a future that now feels unsafe. The emotional core is shock, wounded pride, and apprehension.

aap e'tibār kaun kare

roz intizār kaun kare

who can depend on what you say?

who will wait each every day?

Interpretation: Rekhta AI

The speaker questions the beloved’s credibility because promises have repeatedly failed. “Trust” and “daily waiting” become symbols of a relationship worn down by inconsistency. The tone is weary and slightly accusing: affection remains, but faith has been exhausted. The couplet captures how repeated delays turn hope into doubt.

aap ka e'tibar kaun kare

roz ka intizar kaun kare

who can depend on what you say?

who will wait each every day?

Interpretation: Rekhta AI

The speaker questions the beloved’s credibility because promises have repeatedly failed. “Trust” and “daily waiting” become symbols of a relationship worn down by inconsistency. The tone is weary and slightly accusing: affection remains, but faith has been exhausted. The couplet captures how repeated delays turn hope into doubt.

ruḳh-e-raushan ke aage sham.a rakh kar vo ye kahte haiñ

udhar jaatā hai dekheñ idhar parvāna aatā hai

Interpretation: Rekhta AI

The beloved stages a playful test: the lamp is a rival light set beside the radiance of the face. The moth stands for the lover, drawn helplessly toward beauty and flame-like danger. Beneath the flirtation is possessiveness—wanting proof that the lover’s pull is toward the beloved, not any other attraction. The couplet captures teasing, temptation, and the lover’s fated surrender.

ruKH-e-raushan ke aage shama rakh kar wo ye kahte hain

udhar jata hai dekhen ya idhar parwana aata hai

Interpretation: Rekhta AI

The beloved stages a playful test: the lamp is a rival light set beside the radiance of the face. The moth stands for the lover, drawn helplessly toward beauty and flame-like danger. Beneath the flirtation is possessiveness—wanting proof that the lover’s pull is toward the beloved, not any other attraction. The couplet captures teasing, temptation, and the lover’s fated surrender.

haath rakh kar jo vo pūchhe dil-e-betāb haal

ho bhī ārām to kah duuñ mujhe ārām nahīñ

Interpretation: Rekhta AI

The beloved’s touch and concern can momentarily soothe the speaker, yet love’s habit is to remain unsatisfied. The poet suggests that the lover clings to restlessness as proof of depth of feeling, refusing to admit comfort. “No peace” becomes both a complaint and a way to keep the intensity of love alive.

hath rakh kar jo wo puchhe dil-e-betab ka haal

ho bhi aaram to kah dun mujhe aaram nahin

Interpretation: Rekhta AI

The beloved’s touch and concern can momentarily soothe the speaker, yet love’s habit is to remain unsatisfied. The poet suggests that the lover clings to restlessness as proof of depth of feeling, refusing to admit comfort. “No peace” becomes both a complaint and a way to keep the intensity of love alive.

baḌā maza ho jo mahshar meñ ham kareñ shikva

vo minnatoñ se kaheñ chup raho ḳhudā ke liye

Interpretation: Rekhta AI

Dagh Dehlvi imagines the ultimate courtroom—Judgment Day—as a stage for lovers’ grievances. The thrill lies in the irony that even there, where truth should be spoken, the beloved tries to hush the lover with humble entreaties. “For God’s sake” carries both social politeness and a sacred weight, turning suppression into a tender, teasing intimacy. The couplet blends complaint with playful affection and moral pressure.

baDa maza ho jo mahshar mein hum karen shikwa

wo minnaton se kahen chup raho KHuda ke liye

Interpretation: Rekhta AI

Dagh Dehlvi imagines the ultimate courtroom—Judgment Day—as a stage for lovers’ grievances. The thrill lies in the irony that even there, where truth should be spoken, the beloved tries to hush the lover with humble entreaties. “For God’s sake” carries both social politeness and a sacred weight, turning suppression into a tender, teasing intimacy. The couplet blends complaint with playful affection and moral pressure.

shab-e-vasl mo.azzin ne azaañ pichhlī raat

haa.e kam-baḳht ko kis vaqt ḳhudā yaad aayā

Interpretation: Rekhta AI

Dagh Dehlvi turns a sacred act into a worldly interruption through sharp irony. The lover’s long-awaited intimate meeting is broken by the adhan, and he curses the caller’s “piety” because it arrives at the worst possible time for him. The emotional core is jealousy and frustration: devotion feels like misfortune when it disrupts desire. The couplet highlights the clash between passion and religious routine.

di shab-e-wasl moazzin ne azan pichhli raat

hae kam-baKHt ko kis waqt KHuda yaad aaya

Interpretation: Rekhta AI

Dagh Dehlvi turns a sacred act into a worldly interruption through sharp irony. The lover’s long-awaited intimate meeting is broken by the adhan, and he curses the caller’s “piety” because it arrives at the worst possible time for him. The emotional core is jealousy and frustration: devotion feels like misfortune when it disrupts desire. The couplet highlights the clash between passion and religious routine.

le chalā jaan mirī ruuTh ke jaanā terā

aise aane se to behtar thā na aanā terā

Interpretation: Rekhta AI

The speaker says the beloved’s sulking departure feels like a mortal blow, as if it has carried away his very life. The pain is not just separation, but the manner of it—coldness and resentment turning a meeting into a wound. The couplet contrasts presence-with-hurt against absence, claiming that a bitter visit leaves deeper damage than no visit. Emotionally, it is a complaint of love injured by pride and harsh farewell.

le chala jaan meri ruTh ke jaana tera

aise aane se to behtar tha na aana tera

Interpretation: Rekhta AI

The speaker says the beloved’s sulking departure feels like a mortal blow, as if it has carried away his very life. The pain is not just separation, but the manner of it—coldness and resentment turning a meeting into a wound. The couplet contrasts presence-with-hurt against absence, claiming that a bitter visit leaves deeper damage than no visit. Emotionally, it is a complaint of love injured by pride and harsh farewell.

baat tak karnī na aatī thī tumheñ

ye hamāre sāmne baat hai

Interpretation: Rekhta AI

Dagh Dehlvi’s couplet is a cutting taunt: the speaker reminds the other person of their past inability to even hold a conversation. Now that the person appears confident or argumentative, the speaker counters with an undeniable “I have seen it myself” claim. The emotional core is reproach mixed with irony—exposing false pride by pointing to obvious, witnessed reality.

baat tak karni na aati thi tumhein

ye hamare samne ki baat hai

Interpretation: Rekhta AI

Dagh Dehlvi’s couplet is a cutting taunt: the speaker reminds the other person of their past inability to even hold a conversation. Now that the person appears confident or argumentative, the speaker counters with an undeniable “I have seen it myself” claim. The emotional core is reproach mixed with irony—exposing false pride by pointing to obvious, witnessed reality.

dil le ke muft kahte haiñ kuchh kaam nahīñ

ulTī shikāyateñ huiiñ ehsān to gayā

she takes my heart for free and yet holds it in disdain

far from showing gratitude, she ventures to complain

Interpretation: Rekhta AI

The speaker laments a lover’s ingratitude: the beloved accepts the greatest gift—his heart—without paying any price, yet dismisses it as worthless. The “reverse complaint” highlights irony, where the giver is made to feel at fault. The emotional core is hurt pride and betrayal, as kindness turns into a reason for accusation.

dil le ke muft kahte hain kuchh kaam ka nahin

ulTi shikayaten huin ehsan to gaya

she takes my heart for free and yet holds it in disdain

far from showing gratitude, she ventures to complain

Interpretation: Rekhta AI

The speaker laments a lover’s ingratitude: the beloved accepts the greatest gift—his heart—without paying any price, yet dismisses it as worthless. The “reverse complaint” highlights irony, where the giver is made to feel at fault. The emotional core is hurt pride and betrayal, as kindness turns into a reason for accusation.

lutf-e-mai tujh se kyā kahūñ zāhid

haa.e kam-baḳht ne nahīñ

you've never drunk O hapless priest

The joys of wine how will you see

Interpretation: Rekhta AI

The speaker addresses a moralizing “zaahid” who condemns wine, and says its delight cannot be explained to someone who has never tried it. Wine becomes a metaphor for lived joy, ecstasy, and inner freedom. The couplet carries gentle mockery: judgment without experience is portrayed as misfortune. Emotionally, it blends pity with witty defiance of dry piety.

lutf-e-mai tujh se kya kahun zahid

hae kam-baKHt tu ne pi hi nahin

you've never drunk O hapless priest

The joys of wine how will you see

Interpretation: Rekhta AI

The speaker addresses a moralizing “zaahid” who condemns wine, and says its delight cannot be explained to someone who has never tried it. Wine becomes a metaphor for lived joy, ecstasy, and inner freedom. The couplet carries gentle mockery: judgment without experience is portrayed as misfortune. Emotionally, it blends pity with witty defiance of dry piety.

hazrat-e-dāġh jahāñ baiTh ga.e baiTh ga.e

aur hoñge tirī mahfil se ubharne vaale

Interpretation: Rekhta AI

The poet asserts his own stature: when Dagh takes a seat, it is as if the place is claimed and the matter is decided. Yet he also concedes that the beloved’s assembly is so fertile and dazzling that new celebrated figures can still emerge from it. The emotional core blends confident self-regard with a wry acknowledgement of the rival-filled, fame-making world of the mehfil.

hazrat-e-dagh jahan baiTh gae baiTh gae

aur honge teri mahfil se ubharne wale

Interpretation: Rekhta AI

The poet asserts his own stature: when Dagh takes a seat, it is as if the place is claimed and the matter is decided. Yet he also concedes that the beloved’s assembly is so fertile and dazzling that new celebrated figures can still emerge from it. The emotional core blends confident self-regard with a wry acknowledgement of the rival-filled, fame-making world of the mehfil.

hazār baar jo māñgā karo to kyā hāsil

duā vahī hai jo dil se kabhī nikaltī hai

Interpretation: Rekhta AI

The couplet says that repetition alone does not make a request effective. Prayer is portrayed as something living and spontaneous: it must come from genuine feeling, not mere habit or display. The emotional core is a gentle criticism of mechanical worship and a call for inner sincerity. What matters is the heart’s truth, not the count of words.

hazar bar jo manga karo to kya hasil

dua wahi hai jo dil se kabhi nikalti hai

Interpretation: Rekhta AI

The couplet says that repetition alone does not make a request effective. Prayer is portrayed as something living and spontaneous: it must come from genuine feeling, not mere habit or display. The emotional core is a gentle criticism of mechanical worship and a call for inner sincerity. What matters is the heart’s truth, not the count of words.

chup-chāp suntī rahtī hai pahroñ shab-e-firāq

tasvīr-e-yār ko hai mirī guftugū pasand

Interpretation: Rekhta AI

The speaker is alone in the night of separation, talking to a mere image as if it were alive. The “night” becomes a patient listener, and the portrait becomes a substitute beloved that receives his words. The couplet captures loneliness and longing, where memory turns an inanimate picture into a companion. It also hints at self-deception: only the image “responds” by seeming to approve.

chup-chap sunti rahti hai pahron shab-e-firaq

taswir-e-yar ko hai meri guftugu pasand

Interpretation: Rekhta AI

The speaker is alone in the night of separation, talking to a mere image as if it were alive. The “night” becomes a patient listener, and the portrait becomes a substitute beloved that receives his words. The couplet captures loneliness and longing, where memory turns an inanimate picture into a companion. It also hints at self-deception: only the image “responds” by seeming to approve.

jin ko apnī ḳhabar nahīñ ab tak

vo mire dil raaz kyā jāneñ

Interpretation: Rekhta AI

The speaker questions others’ ability to understand him: if someone lacks self-awareness, they cannot read another person’s inner truth. The “secret of the heart” stands for deep feelings and hidden pain. The couplet carries a tone of quiet hurt and distance, suggesting that true understanding requires knowing oneself first.

jin ko apni KHabar nahin ab tak

wo mere dil ka raaz kya jaanen

Interpretation: Rekhta AI

The speaker questions others’ ability to understand him: if someone lacks self-awareness, they cannot read another person’s inner truth. The “secret of the heart” stands for deep feelings and hidden pain. The couplet carries a tone of quiet hurt and distance, suggesting that true understanding requires knowing oneself first.

ye to nahīñ ki tum jahāñ meñ hasīñ nahīñ

is dil ko kyā karūñ ye bahaltā kahīñ nahīñ

Interpretation: Rekhta AI

The speaker admits beauty exists elsewhere, yet insists the heart’s satisfaction is tied to one beloved. The contrast between “many beauties” and “one heart’s ease” shows exclusive attachment. The core emotion is restless longing: without the beloved, nothing truly consoles. Beauty is general, but solace is singular.

ye to nahin ki tum sa jahan mein hasin nahin

is dil ko kya karun ye bahalta kahin nahin

Interpretation: Rekhta AI

The speaker admits beauty exists elsewhere, yet insists the heart’s satisfaction is tied to one beloved. The contrast between “many beauties” and “one heart’s ease” shows exclusive attachment. The core emotion is restless longing: without the beloved, nothing truly consoles. Beauty is general, but solace is singular.

rahā na dil meñ vo bedard aur dard rahā

muqīm kaun huā hai maqām kis thā

Interpretation: Rekhta AI

Dagh Dehlvi contrasts the beloved’s departure with the persistence of sorrow: the person is gone, but the wound stays. The second line widens the grief into a universal truth—nothing and no one is a permanent resident in any “place,” whether heart or world. “Maqaam” becomes a metaphor for life’s temporary lodgings, making the ache feel inevitable and enduring.

raha na dil mein wo bedard aur dard raha

muqim kaun hua hai maqam kis ka tha

Interpretation: Rekhta AI

Dagh Dehlvi contrasts the beloved’s departure with the persistence of sorrow: the person is gone, but the wound stays. The second line widens the grief into a universal truth—nothing and no one is a permanent resident in any “place,” whether heart or world. “Maqaam” becomes a metaphor for life’s temporary lodgings, making the ache feel inevitable and enduring.

ye to kahiye is ḳhatā kyā sazā

maiñ jo kah duuñ aap par martā huuñ maiñ

tell me pray for this crime what punishment is due

if I were to thus declare- I'm dying in love for you

Interpretation: Rekhta AI

The speaker treats a love-confession as a ‘crime’ and asks its penalty with teasing anxiety. Calling it a “khata” (fault) shows fear of rejection and social shame, yet the tone stays flirtatious. The couplet’s emotional core is the trembling courage to admit devotion, while pretending it is merely an offense that deserves a sentence.

ye to kahiye is KHata ki kya saza

main jo kah dun aap par marta hun main

tell me pray for this crime what punishment is due

if I were to thus declare- I'm dying in love for you

Interpretation: Rekhta AI

The speaker treats a love-confession as a ‘crime’ and asks its penalty with teasing anxiety. Calling it a “khata” (fault) shows fear of rejection and social shame, yet the tone stays flirtatious. The couplet’s emotional core is the trembling courage to admit devotion, while pretending it is merely an offense that deserves a sentence.

zid har ik baat par nahīñ achchhī

dost dost maan lete haiñ

Interpretation: Rekhta AI

The couplet advises against turning every disagreement into a battle of ego. True friendship shows maturity: instead of insisting on winning each point, one chooses to understand, overlook, and keep the bond intact. The emotional core is gentleness—valuing the relationship more than being right.

zid har ek baat par nahin achchhi

dost ki dost man lete hain

Interpretation: Rekhta AI

The couplet advises against turning every disagreement into a battle of ego. True friendship shows maturity: instead of insisting on winning each point, one chooses to understand, overlook, and keep the bond intact. The emotional core is gentleness—valuing the relationship more than being right.

sāqiyā tishnagī taab nahīñ

zahr de de agar sharāb nahīñ

Interpretation: Rekhta AI

The speaker’s “thirst” is a metaphor for overwhelming desire and inner ache that has become unbearable. Wine stands for relief, love, or ecstasy that could soothe this burning need. In desperation, he says even poison is preferable to continuing without any remedy. The couplet captures emotional extremity: relief at any cost versus the torment of waiting.

saqiya tishnagi ki tab nahin

zahr de de agar sharab nahin

Interpretation: Rekhta AI

The speaker’s “thirst” is a metaphor for overwhelming desire and inner ache that has become unbearable. Wine stands for relief, love, or ecstasy that could soothe this burning need. In desperation, he says even poison is preferable to continuing without any remedy. The couplet captures emotional extremity: relief at any cost versus the torment of waiting.

yuuñ bhī hazāroñ lākhoñ meñ tum intiḳhāb ho

puurā karo savāl to phir lā-javāb ho

Interpretation: Rekhta AI

Dagh Dehlvi praises the beloved’s rare value: they already stand out in a crowd as the chosen one. Yet the speaker playfully sets a condition—grant my wish—and your excellence will become “unanswerable,” i.e., unmatched. The couplet blends admiration with gentle teasing, turning love into a sweet challenge. Its emotional core is longing framed as compliment and persuasion.

yun bhi hazaron lakhon mein tum intiKHab ho

pura karo sawal to phir la-jawab ho

Interpretation: Rekhta AI

Dagh Dehlvi praises the beloved’s rare value: they already stand out in a crowd as the chosen one. Yet the speaker playfully sets a condition—grant my wish—and your excellence will become “unanswerable,” i.e., unmatched. The couplet blends admiration with gentle teasing, turning love into a sweet challenge. Its emotional core is longing framed as compliment and persuasion.

arz-e-ahvāl ko gilā samjhe

kyā kahā maiñ ne aap kyā samjhe

the mention of my condition was a complaint thought to be

what was it I said to you, you did not follow me

Interpretation: Rekhta AI

The speaker only wants to share their inner state, but the listener hears it as reproach. The couplet turns on a gap between intention and reception: honest expression becomes “gila” in the other’s mind. Its emotional core is the pain of being misunderstood, where even plain words fail to reach the heart.

arz-e-ahwal ko gila samjhe

kya kaha main ne aap kya samjhe

the mention of my condition was a complaint thought to be

what was it I said to you, you did not follow me

Interpretation: Rekhta AI

The speaker only wants to share their inner state, but the listener hears it as reproach. The couplet turns on a gap between intention and reception: honest expression becomes “gila” in the other’s mind. Its emotional core is the pain of being misunderstood, where even plain words fail to reach the heart.

kahne detī nahīñ kuchh muñh se mohabbat merī

lab pe rah jaatī hai aa aa ke shikāyat merī

from voicing my emotions, love makes me refrain

grievances come to my lips but silent there remain

Interpretation: Rekhta AI

The couplet shows a lover trapped between feeling and speech: love itself becomes a force that silences. The “complaint” rises again and again, yet remains unspoken, suggesting fear of hurting the beloved or losing dignity. The repeated reaching of words to the lips conveys persistent longing and inner pressure. The emotional core is restrained pain—too intense to hide, yet too delicate to declare.

kahne deti nahin kuchh munh se mohabbat meri

lab pe rah jati hai aa aa ke shikayat meri

from voicing my emotions, love makes me refrain

grievances come to my lips but silent there remain

Interpretation: Rekhta AI

The couplet shows a lover trapped between feeling and speech: love itself becomes a force that silences. The “complaint” rises again and again, yet remains unspoken, suggesting fear of hurting the beloved or losing dignity. The repeated reaching of words to the lips conveys persistent longing and inner pressure. The emotional core is restrained pain—too intense to hide, yet too delicate to declare.

muazzin ne shab-e-vasl azaañ pichhle pahr

haa.e kambaḳht ko kis vaqt ḳhudā yaad aayā

as I was meeting my beloved there was a call to prayer

that cursed priesthad to think of God just then and there?

Interpretation: Rekhta AI

The couplet captures a lover’s frustration when sacred routine intrudes on an intimate moment. The muezzin’s azan becomes a metaphor for an unwanted interruption that breaks the spell of closeness. Dagh Dehlvi uses irony and exaggerated complaint: devotion is respected in principle, yet cursed in the very instant it ruins the beloved meeting. The emotional core is helpless anger at timing and fate.

di muazzin ne shab-e-wasl azan pichhle pahr

hae kambaKHt ko kis waqt KHuda yaad aaya

as I was meeting my beloved there was a call to prayer

that cursed priesthad to think of God just then and there?

Interpretation: Rekhta AI

The couplet captures a lover’s frustration when sacred routine intrudes on an intimate moment. The muezzin’s azan becomes a metaphor for an unwanted interruption that breaks the spell of closeness. Dagh Dehlvi uses irony and exaggerated complaint: devotion is respected in principle, yet cursed in the very instant it ruins the beloved meeting. The emotional core is helpless anger at timing and fate.

aao mil jaao ki ye vaqt na pāoge kabhī

maiñ bhī ham-rāh zamāne ke badal jā.ūñgā

Interpretation: Rekhta AI

Dagh Dehlvi urges the beloved to seize the present, warning that time does not return. The second line deepens the urgency: the speaker himself is not fixed, but will be reshaped by the passing world. The couplet turns time into a quiet threat—delay will transform people and feelings. Its emotional core is a plea against missed chances and future regret.

aao mil jao ki ye waqt na paoge kabhi

main bhi ham-rah zamane ke badal jaunga

Interpretation: Rekhta AI

Dagh Dehlvi urges the beloved to seize the present, warning that time does not return. The second line deepens the urgency: the speaker himself is not fixed, but will be reshaped by the passing world. The couplet turns time into a quiet threat—delay will transform people and feelings. Its emotional core is a plea against missed chances and future regret.

abhī kam-sin ho rahne do kahīñ kho doge dil merā

tumhāre liye rakkhā hai le lenā javāñ ho kar

Interpretation: Rekhta AI

The speaker lovingly restrains the beloved, saying youth is too unsteady to bear the responsibility of someone’s heart. “Losing the heart” works both as carelessness in love and as a literal trust that could be squandered. The couplet mixes tenderness with gentle warning: true claiming of love should come with maturity. It frames love as something preserved, to be rightfully taken at the right time.

abhi kam-sin ho rahne do kahin kho doge dil mera

tumhaare hi liye rakkha hai le lena jawan ho kar

Interpretation: Rekhta AI

The speaker lovingly restrains the beloved, saying youth is too unsteady to bear the responsibility of someone’s heart. “Losing the heart” works both as carelessness in love and as a literal trust that could be squandered. The couplet mixes tenderness with gentle warning: true claiming of love should come with maturity. It frames love as something preserved, to be rightfully taken at the right time.

tum ko chāhā to ḳhatā kyā hai batā do mujh ko

dūsrā koī to apnā dikhā do mujh ko

Interpretation: Rekhta AI

The speaker defends their love against blame: they ask what crime lies in simply choosing the beloved. In the second line, “apna sa” implies irreplaceable intimacy—someone who feels like one’s own. The couplet turns accusation into a challenge: if the beloved can be substituted, produce an equal. Emotionally, it is a mix of hurt, insistence, and helpless longing.

tum ko chaha to KHata kya hai bata do mujh ko

dusra koi to apna sa dikha do mujh ko

Interpretation: Rekhta AI

The speaker defends their love against blame: they ask what crime lies in simply choosing the beloved. In the second line, “apna sa” implies irreplaceable intimacy—someone who feels like one’s own. The couplet turns accusation into a challenge: if the beloved can be substituted, produce an equal. Emotionally, it is a mix of hurt, insistence, and helpless longing.

falak detā hai jin ko 'aish un ko ġham bhī hote haiñ

jahāñ bajte haiñ naqqāre vahāñ mātam bhī hote hai

Interpretation: Rekhta AI

Dagh Dehlvi points to life’s inescapable balance: joy and sorrow arrive together under fate’s order. “Falak” (the sky) stands for destiny, and “drums” versus “mourning” becomes a vivid image of how celebration can sit beside loss. The couplet’s emotional core is sober acceptance—happiness is never pure, and grief is never far away. It urges humility in prosperity and patience in hardship.

falak deta hai jin ko 'aish un ko gham bhi hote hain

jahan bajte hain naqqare wahan matam bhi hote hai

Interpretation: Rekhta AI

Dagh Dehlvi points to life’s inescapable balance: joy and sorrow arrive together under fate’s order. “Falak” (the sky) stands for destiny, and “drums” versus “mourning” becomes a vivid image of how celebration can sit beside loss. The couplet’s emotional core is sober acceptance—happiness is never pure, and grief is never far away. It urges humility in prosperity and patience in hardship.

nā-umīdī baḌh ga.ī hai is qadar

aarzū aarzū hone lagī

Interpretation: Rekhta AI

The couplet captures a peak of despair where hope has eroded so much that even desire itself feels absent. “Longing for longing” is a paradox that shows emotional numbness and exhaustion: the speaker misses the very spark of wanting. The metaphor suggests a life drained of possibility, where the heart is reduced to wishing for its own feelings back.

na-umidi baDh gai hai is qadar

aarzu ki aarzu hone lagi

Interpretation: Rekhta AI

The couplet captures a peak of despair where hope has eroded so much that even desire itself feels absent. “Longing for longing” is a paradox that shows emotional numbness and exhaustion: the speaker misses the very spark of wanting. The metaphor suggests a life drained of possibility, where the heart is reduced to wishing for its own feelings back.

uḌ ga.ī yuuñ vafā zamāne se

kabhī goyā kisī meñ thī nahīñ

Interpretation: Rekhta AI

The couplet laments a time when “wafā” (loyalty) seems to have disappeared entirely from society. The image of it “flying away” turns an abstract virtue into a fragile thing that cannot be held. The speaker’s grief hardens into disillusionment: not only is loyalty missing now, it seems like it was always an illusion. The emotional core is a bitter, resigned complaint about widespread unfaithfulness.

uD gai yun wafa zamane se

kabhi goya kisi mein thi hi nahin

Interpretation: Rekhta AI

The couplet laments a time when “wafā” (loyalty) seems to have disappeared entirely from society. The image of it “flying away” turns an abstract virtue into a fragile thing that cannot be held. The speaker’s grief hardens into disillusionment: not only is loyalty missing now, it seems like it was always an illusion. The emotional core is a bitter, resigned complaint about widespread unfaithfulness.

koī nām-o-nishāñ pūchhe to ai qāsid batā denā

taḳhallus 'dāġh' hai vo āshiqoñ ke dil meñ rahte haiñ

Interpretation: Rekhta AI

The speaker instructs the messenger to give a special “address” if anyone inquires: not a physical location, but a place in feeling. By naming his takhallus as “Dagh” and claiming residence in lovers’ hearts, he turns identity into a metaphor for lasting emotional presence. The couplet blends pride and tenderness: true recognition comes through love, not through worldly markers.

koi nam-o-nishan puchhe to ai qasid bata dena

taKHallus 'dagh' hai wo aashiqon ke dil mein rahte hain

Interpretation: Rekhta AI

The speaker instructs the messenger to give a special “address” if anyone inquires: not a physical location, but a place in feeling. By naming his takhallus as “Dagh” and claiming residence in lovers’ hearts, he turns identity into a metaphor for lasting emotional presence. The couplet blends pride and tenderness: true recognition comes through love, not through worldly markers.

ye maza thā dil-lagī ki barābar aag lagtī

na tujhe qarār hotā na mujhe qarār hotā

Interpretation: Rekhta AI

Dagh Dehlvi paints love as a shared blaze: the charm of “dil-lagi” lies in how it keeps igniting both hearts equally. The metaphor of fire suggests intense desire and constant provocation. The emotional core is mutual restlessness—pleasure and pain intertwined, with no calm left for either lover.

ye maza tha dil-lagi ka ki barabar aag lagti

na tujhe qarar hota na mujhe qarar hota

Interpretation: Rekhta AI

Dagh Dehlvi paints love as a shared blaze: the charm of “dil-lagi” lies in how it keeps igniting both hearts equally. The metaphor of fire suggests intense desire and constant provocation. The emotional core is mutual restlessness—pleasure and pain intertwined, with no calm left for either lover.

Recitation

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