ESL Blogs

Where would I go wearing a new dress and set my hair for whom?

He left the city, Would I go out, for whom?

Gone the sun that cooled my heart

Would I wander in deserted streets, for whom?

I use to meet all the people because of him,

He is gone, would I meet aimless people, for whom?

There is no one like him in the city to be center of my poetry,

Would I decorate the vase in the house of poetry, for whom?

No one has visited in this house since long,

Would I light the candles in the empty rooms, for whom?

It is an instinct that when we fall in love, we make the beloved our center for all aspects and activities.  We wear the new dresses and set our hair to make ourselves attractive to enchant the beloved. But when the beloved is gone leaving us behind, would we wear new dresses and set our hair, but for whom?

We feel comfort in the company of our beloved.  We wander hither and thither. The heat of the day and the sun does not bother us, on the contrary, there is a feeling of coolness, coolness of the love in our heart.  Our beloved is like a sun for us giving us light, but it cools our heart.  When this sun (beloved) is gone, would we wander in the deserted streets, but for whom?

The company of all the people whom we meet does not bother us because we are in the company of our beloved. When the beloved is gone, would we meet these aimless people, but for whom?

Our beloved is the center of our all aspects and activities.  We even say poetry in praising his/her handsomeness/beauties.  Poetry becomes like decoration, garlanding, blossoming flowers.   When the beloved is gone, would I decorate the vases in the house of poetry, but for whom?

When the beloved is gone, the heart (house) become deserted. We use to light the house when we know our beloved is there to see. When the beloved is gone, would I light the candles in the empty rooms of the house, but for whom?

The inspiration for the translation is from Urdu poetry.  In explanation, I have tried to make it easier for the readers to understand the in-depth meaning of the Ghazal.

My translation is not good because I could not be successful in maintaining the beauty of the poem which only can be felt when reading in its original language.