Afreen Afreen

husn-e-jaanaaN kii taariif mumkin nahiiN

It is not possible to praise the beauty of beloved.

aafriin aafriin

O the most beautiful one!

tuu bhii dekhe agar to kahe ham-nashiiN

Even if you see my beloved, you would also say

aafriin aafriin

O the most beautiful one!

aisaa dekhaa nahiiN Khuubsuurat ko’ii
jism jaise Ajanta kii muurat ko’ii
jism jaise nigaahoN pe jaaduu ko’ii
jism naGhmaa ko’ai jism Khushbuu ko’ii
jism jaise machaltii hu’ii raaginii
jism jaise mehakti hu’ii chaaNdnii
jism jaise ke khilta hu’aa ek chaman
jism jaise suuraj kii pahlii kiran
jism tarsha hu’aa dilkash-o-dil-nashiiN
sandalii sandalii
marmarii marmarii

I never saw anyone so beautiful
[her] body is like the images of Ajanta*
[her] body is like a spell on eyes
[her] body is like a song [and] perfumed
[her] body is like ecstatic music
[her] body is like sweet-smelling moon-light
[her] body is like a blooming garden
[her] body is like the first ray of the Sun
[her] body is like carved statue, eye-catching and arresting
like sandalwood
like marble.

Note: Caves in India containing beautiful murals.

chehraa ek phuul kii tarah shaadaab hai
chehraa uskaa hai yaa ko’ii mahtaab hai
chehraa jaise Ghazal, chehraa jaan-e-Ghazal
chehraa jaise kalii, chehraa jaise kaNval
chehraa jaise tasavvur kii tasviir bhii
chehraa ek Khvaab bhii chehraa tabiir bhii

[Her] face is like a fresh flower.
Is it her face or moon?
[her] face is like a Ghazal, [her] face is like heart of Ghazal
[her] face is like a bud, [her] face is like lotus
[her] face is like manifestation of imagination
[her] face is like a dream, and its interpretation too.

chehraa ko’ii alif lailavii daastaaN
chehraa ek pal yaqiiN, chehraa ek pal gumaaN
chehraa jaise ke chehraa ko’ii bhii nahiiN
maah-ruuh maah-ruuh
maah-jabiiN maah-jabiiN

[Her] face is like the tales of Alif Laila*.
One moment real, another moment imagination
[her] face is like no other face
[her] forehead is moonlike
so is her body.

Note: Arabian Nights.

aaNkheN dekhii to maiN dekhtaa rah gayaa
jaam do aur donon hii do aatishah
aankheN yaa maikade ke ye do baab haiN
aankheN inko kahuuN yaa kahuuN Khvaab haiN
aankheN niichii hu’iiN to hayaa ban gayiiN
aankheN uuNchii hu’iiN to du’aa ban gayiiN
aankheN jhuk kar uThiiN to adaa ban gayiiN
aankheN jin meN haiN qaid aasmaan-o-zamiiN
nargisii nargisii
surmayii surmayii

I could not keep off my eyes after seeing her eyes
they are like two cups of wine and that too, burning
are these eyes or two doors of wine-house
her downward glance is abashness
her upward glance is prayer
when eyes look up after downward glance, is like a style
eyes, in which arrested are the sky and the earth
like Narcissus
[and] greyish

zulf-e-jaanaN kii bhii lambii hai daastaaN
zulf ke mere dil par hai parchaiiyaaN
zulf jaise ke ummRii hu’ii ho ghaTaa
zulf jaise ke ho ko’ii kaalii balaa
zulf uljhe to duniyaa pareshaan ho
zulf suljhe to ye giit aasaan ho
zulf bikhre siyaah raat chhaane lage
zulf lahraaye to raat gaane lage
zulf zanjiir hai phir bhii kitnii hasiiN
reshmii reshmii
ambariiN ambariin

The story of the tresses of beloved is also long
tresses are like shadows on my heart
tresses are like over-cast clouds
tresses like some black spectre
when tresses are entangled, so also is the world
when tresses are straight, then writing this song becomes easy
when tresses spread apart then black night downs
when tresses sway then the night sings
tresses are chains, but so beautiful
silken
[and] perfumed

Lyrics: Javed Akhtar