Baat Karni mujhe mushkil kabhi aisii tou na thee.

This timeless Ghazal, one of my favorite non Ghalib verse, was written by Bahadur Shah 'Zafar' , the last Mughal King। The mood truly captures the despondency and helplessness. It goes like this

Baat Karni Mujhe Mushkil Kabhi Aisi Tou Na Thee,
Jaisii Ab Hai Teri Mehfil Kabhi Aisii tou Na thee

Le gaya Chhiin Ke aaj kaun tera sabr-o-qarar,
Beqarai tujhe ai dil kabhi aisii tou na thee

Un kii aankhon ne khuda jaane kia kya jaadu,
Ke tabiyat meri maa_il Kabhi aisi tou na thee

chashm-e-qaatil merii dushman thii hameshaa lekin,
jaise ab ho ga_ii qaatil kabhii aisii to na thii

aks-e-rukh-e-yaar ne kis se hai tujh ko chamakayaa,
taab mein maah-e-kaamil kabhi aisis tou na thee

Kya sabab hai tu jo bigata hai zafar se har baar,
Khuu teri huur-e-shamaail kabhi aisi tou na thee


I Know that a lot of the feelings and emotions will be lost in translation but still I am making a vague attempt to translate it in the hope that people who don’t understand the above will at least come a bit closer to ‘Zafar’- the poet. For those who understood it can read the original again.


It was never so difficult for me to converse as it is now
Your party never was like this as it is now

Who has usurped you patience and peace
You never were as restless as you are now

Her eyes, my lord, cast what a spell on me
I never was as intoxicated as I am now

Those killer eyes were always my enemy,
but never were as fatal as it is now

What has made the face of beloved bright?
Shine in you, O Moon, never was as it is now

What is the reason that you are annoyed with ‘Zafar’,
Your habit, O blazing fairy, never was like as it is now