ab jo ik hasrat-e-javaanii hai

ab jo ik hasrat-e-javaanii hai
umr-e-raftaa kii ye nishaanii hai

(This yearning for youth that I now have
is but a relic/sign of my past life/bygone time)

Khaak thii maujazan jahaa.N me.n, aur
ham ko dhokaa ye thaa ke paanii hai

(The world raised waves of dust/ashes
and I took it to be a ocean)

giriyaa har vaqt kaa nahii.n behech
dil me.n ko_ii Gam-e-nihaanii hai

(My weeping is not without reason
there must be some grief hidden in my heart)

ham qafas zaad qaidii hai.n varanaa
taa chaman parafashaanii hai

(We are prisoners who are fond of our cages
For the garden is but a wing's beat away)

yaa.N huye 'Meer' ham baraabar-e-Khaak
vaa.N vahii naaz-o-sargiraanii hai

(Here, Meer, we lower ourselves to the very dust
There, pride still reigns supreme)