laaii hayaat aaye, qazaa le chalii chale
apnii khushii na aaye na apnii khushii chale
[hayaat=life, qazaa=death]
Sheikh Ibrahim Zauq (1789-1854) is among the classical masters of Urdu poetry whose couplets are oft-quoted in conversation and in writing, more than 150 years after his death.
Zauq is known for his absolute command on the language. Yet his poetry is simple and straight. For almost half-a-century, he remained associated with the Qila-e-Mualla (Royal Fort). Bahadur Shah Zafar was his disciple in poetry. In his life, Zauq was considered the greatest poet of the era, the Khaqaani of India.
Zauq was a contemporary of poets of the calibre of Ghalib and Momin in the golden age of Urdu poetry. But not even a single collection of his poetry could be published during his liftetime. He passed away in 1854. In a way, he was fortunate that he didn't see his beloved Delhi getting ravaged by the British after the struggle of 1857.
Selected couplets of Zauq:
ab to ghabraa ke ye kahte haiN ki mar jaayenge
mar ke bhii chain na paaya to kidhar jaayenge
aye Zauq! kisii hamdam-e-deriina ka milnaa
behtar hai mulaaqaat-e-Masiiha-o-Khizr se
[hamdam-e-deriina: old friend]
naaz hai gul ko nazaakat pe chaman meN aye dost
usne dekhe hii nahiiN naaz-o-nazaakat waale
agar ye jaante chun chun ke hamko toDenge
to gul kabhii na tamanna-e-rang-o-buu karte
moazzin marhabaa bar-vaqt bolaa
terii aavaaz Makke aur Madiine
sitam ko ham karam samjhe, jafaa ko ham vafaa samjhe
jo us par bhii na vo samjhe to us but se Khudaa samjhe
kahte haiN aaj Zauq jahaaN se guzar gayaa
kyaa khuub aadmii thaa Khudaa maGfirat kare
ham haiN aur saaya tere kuuche kii diivaaroN kaa
kaam jannat meN hai kyaa ham-se gunahgaaroN kaa
khil ke gul kuchh to bahaar apnii, sabaa, dikhlaa gaye
hasrat un GunchoN pe hai jo bin khile murjhaa gaye
Zauq's poetry is still as fresh and simple to us in 21st century as it was in the early part of 19th century. Read Zauq's ghazals in Hindi, Urdu and Roman scripts at Best Ghazals and Nazms.