hazaaron khwahishen aisi ke har khwahish pe dam nikle
bohat niklay mere armaan, lekin phir bhi kam nikle
…thousands of desires, each worth dying for…
many of them I have realized…yet I yearn for more…
daray kyon mera qaatil? kya rahega us ki gardan par?
voh khoon, jo chashm-e-tar se umr bhar yoon dam-ba-dam nikle
Why should my killer (lover) be afraid? No one will hold her responsible
for the blood which will continuously flow through my eyes all my life
nikalna khuld se aadam ka soonte aaye hain lekin
bahot be-aabru hokar tere kooche se hum nikle
We have heard about the dismissal of Adam from Heaven (the biggest disgrace)
With a more humiliation, I am leaving the street on which you live…
bharam khul jaaye zaalim! teri qaamat ki daraazi ka
agar is tarahe par pech-o-kham ka pech-o-kham nikle
Oh tyrant, your true (bad) personality will become known to all
if the curls of my hair slip through my turban!
(Basically Ghalib says that your secret will be known to all the way curls of hair (representing complexities) slip through the turban (representing a respected man) )
magar likhvaaye koi usko khat, to hum se likhvaaye
hui subaha, aur ghar se kaan par rakh kar qalam nikle
But if someone wants to write her a letter, they can ask me,
every morning I leave my house with my pen on my ear. (I still love her!)
hui is daur mein mansoob mujh se baada aashaami
phir aaya voh zamaana, jo jahaan mein jaam-e-jaam nikle
In that age, I turned to drinking (alcohol)
and then the time came when my entire world was occupied by alcohol
hui jin se tavaqqa khastagi ki daad paane ki
voh ham se bhi zyaada khasta e tegh e sitam nikle
from whom I expected justice/praise for my weakness
turned out to be more injured with the same cruel sword
mohabbat mein nahin hai farq jeenay aur marnay ka
usi ko dekh kar jeetay hain, jis kaafir pe dam nikle
When in love, there is little difference between life and death
we live by looking at the infidel for whom we are willing to die
zara kar jor seene par ki teer-e-pursitam nikle
jo wo nikle to dil nikle, jo dil nikle to dam nikle
Put some pressure on your heart to remove that cruel arrow
for if the arrow comes out, so will your heart…and your life
Khuda ke waaste parda na kaabe se uthaa zaalim
kaheen aisa na ho yaan bhi wahi kaafir sanam nikle
For god’s sake, don’t lift the cover off any secrets you tyrant
the infidel might turn out to be my lover!
kahaan maikhane ka darwaaza Ghalib aur kahaan vaaiz
par itna jaantay hain kal voh jaata tha ke ham nikle
The preacher and the bar’s entrance are way apart
yet I saw him entering the bar as I was leaving!
hazaaron khwahishen aisi ke har khwahish pe dam nikle
bohat niklay mere armaan, lekin phir bhi kam nikle
…thousands of desires, each worth dying for…
many of them I have realized…yet I yearn for more…
lines & transtations picked from here …