160. Translation of Sad Songs of Rafi: Mere Mehboob Tujhe....

From: MERE MEHBOOB (1963)
Music: Naushad Sahaab.
Lyrics: Shakeel Badayuni.


Rafi Sahaab, in the best song of 1963, reminds us in his charming voice the longing, and pathos about the pangs of pure, virgin romance that comes our way once in a lifetime: Mere Mehboob Tujhe....


Roman Transliteration/English Translation of the original lyrics:



Mere mehboob tujhe, meri mohabbat ki qasam,
O BELOVED OF MINE, UPON THE OATH OF MY LOVE.

Mere mehboob tujhe, meri mohabbat ki qasam,
O BELOVED OF MINE, UPON THE OATH OF MY LOVE,

Phir mujhe nargisi, ankho. n ka, sahaara de de
GIVE ME THE SUPPORT OF THE BEAUTIFUL EYES AGAIN,

Mera khoya hua, rangeen, nazaara de de ,
RESTORE THE MISSING ELEGANCE OF MY SIGHT,

Mere mehboob tujhe, meri mohabbat ki qasam.
O BELOVED OF MINE, UPON THE OATH OF MY LOVE.


Ay mere khwaab ki taabeer, meri jaan-e-ghazal,
O DEFINER OF MY DREAM, MY POEM’S LIFE-BLOOD,

Zindagi meri tujhe, yaad kiye jaati hai,
MY LIFE KEEPS ON REMEMBERING YOU,

Raat din mujhko sataata, hai tasavvur tera
YOUR VISION HAUNTS ME DAY AND NIGHT,

Dil ki dha.dkan, tujhe awaaz diye jaati hai,
THE HEARTBEAT KEEPS ON CALLING YOU,

Aa mujhe apni, sadaao. n ka, sahaara de de,
COME, GIVE ME THE SUPPORT OF YOUR ARTICULATIONS,

Mera khoya hua, rangeen, nazaara de de ,
RESTORE THE MISSING ELEGANCE OF MY SIGHT,

Mere mehboob tujhe, meri mohabbat ki qasam.
O BELOVED OF MINE, UPON THE OATH OF MY LOVE.


Bhool sakti nahi.n aankhe.n, voh suhaana manzar,
THE EYES CAN NEVER FORGET THAT PLEASANT VIEW,

Jab tera husn mere ishq se, takraaya thaa,
WHEN YOUR BEAUTY AND MY LOVE HAD A COLLISION COURSE,

Aur phir raah me.n , bikhre theh hazaaro.n naghme.n,
AND THEN THOUSANDS OF MELODIES LAY STREWN ON THE PATH,

Mai.n woh naghme.n, teri awaaz ko de aaya thah,
THOSE MELODIES I HAD LEFT BEHIND FOR YOUR VOICE,

Saz-e-dil ko, un hee geeton ka sahaara de de ,
GIVE SUPPORT OF THOSE MELODIES TO THE HEART’S CHORDS,

Mera khoya hua, rangeen, nazaara de de ,
RESTORE THE MISSING ELEGANCE OF MY SIGHT,

Mere mehboob tujhe, meri mohabbat ki qasam.
O BELOVED OF MINE UPON THE OATH OF MY LOVE.


Yaad hai mujhko meri, umr ki pehli voh gha.di,
I REMEMBER THAT INITIAL MOMENT OF MY YOUTH,

Teri aankho.n se koi, jaam piyaa thah maine,
I HAD IMBIBED SOME WINE FROM YOUR EYES,

Meri ragg ragg me.n koi, barq si lehraaee thi,
SOME LIGHTNING HAD FLASHED THROUGH MY VEINS

Jab tere marmari, haathon ko chhua thah maine,
WHEN I HAD TOUCHED YOUR MARBLE-WHITE HANDS,

Aa mujhe phir, unhi haathon ka, sahaara de de ,
COME, GIVE ME THE SUPPORT OF THOSE VERY HANDS AGAIN,

Mera khoya hua, rangeen, nazaara de de ,
RESTORE THE MISSING ELEGANCE OF MY SIGHT,

Mere mehboob tujhe, meri mohabbat ki qasam.
O BELOVED OF MINE, UPON THE OATH OF MY LOVE.


Maine ik baar teri, ek jhalak dekhi hai,
I’VE HAD YOUR GLIMPSE BUT ONCE,

Meri hasrat hai ke mai.n, phir tera deedar karoo. n,
‘TIS MY DESIRE TO SEE YOU AGAIN,

Tere saaye ko, samajh kar mai.n haseen Taj Mahal,
ASSUMING YOUR SHADOW TO BE THE BEAUTIFUL TAJ MAHAL

Chandni raat me.n, nazron se tujhe pyaar karoon,
TO CAST LOVING GLANCESS ON YOU IN THE MOONLIT NIGHT,

Apni mehki hui, zulfon ka, sahaara de de
GIVE ME THE SUPPORT OF YOUR FRAGRANT TRESSES,

Mera khoya hua, rangeen nazaara de de ,
RESTORE THE MISSING ELEGANCE OF MY SIGHT,

Mere mehboob tujhe, meri mohabbat ki qasam.
O BELOVED OF MINE, UPON THE OATH OF MY LOVE.


Dhoond tha hoon tujhe, har raah me.n har mehfil me.n
I LOOK FOR YOU ON EVERY PATH, IN EVERY GATHERING,

Thak gaye hai.n, meri majboor tamanna ke qadam,
TIRED ARE THE FEET OF MY CONSTRAINED DESIRE,

Aaj ka din meri, umeed ka hai aakhri din,
TODAY’S THE LAST DAY OF MY HOPE,

Kal na jaane, mai.n kahaan, aur kahaan tu ho sanam,
WHO KNOWS TOMORROW WHERE Y0U AND I’D BE SWEETHEART,

Do gha.di apni, nigaahon ka sahaara de de
FOR COUPLE OF MOMENTS GIVE ME THE SUPPORT OF YOUR GLANCES,

Mera khoya hua, rangeen nazaara de de ,
RESTORE THE MISSING ELEGANCE OF MY SIGHT,

Mere mehboob tujhe, meri mohabbat ki qasam.
O BELOVED OF MINE, UPON THE OATH OF MY LOVE.


Saamne aa ke zaraa parda, utha de rukh se,
FACING ME, UNVEIL YOUR FACE AWHILE,

Ik yahi mera ilaaj-e-, ghum-e-tanhaai hai,
‘TIS THE ONLY REMEDY FOR MY DEPRESSION

Teri furqat ne, pareshaan kiya hai mujhko,
YOUR ABSENCE HAS CAUSED ME DISTRESS,

Ab to milja ke meri jaan pe, ban aayi hai,
MEET ME FOR NOW SINCE MY LIFE’S AT STAKE,

Dil ko bhooli hui, yaadon ka, sahaara de de
GIVE TO THE HEART, THE SUPPORT OF FORGOTTEN MEMORIES,

Mera khoya hua, rangeen nazaara de de ,
RESTORE THE MISSING ELEGANCE OF MY SIGHT,

Mere mehboob tujhe, meri mohabbat ki qasam.
O BELOVED OF MINE, UPON THE OATH OF MY LOVE.

Mere mehboob tujhe....
O BELOVED OF MINE....

NASIR.

All days are nights to see till I see thee,
And nights bright days when dreams do show thee to me.
~William Shakespeare, "Sonnet XLIII"