Is Ummid Pe Roz Charagh Jalate Hain By Zehra Nigaah In English Translation Poem by Ravi Kopra

I light the lamp every night hoping he would return
Those who want to return, after years, they do return

On the way where I bade him good bye
Flowers still bloom there every day

During the day light rays play peekaboo
At night they go to see the fireflies

Those who live in this house, in time,
Separate themselves in their own ways

On seeing it seems like all deja vu
But you cannot recall a single thing

How nice it is that your name is 'Zehra'
The children tell their children this thing

An added couplet-

Your name is fine, no doubt, 'Zehara'
But 'Ravi' finds your gazal not so fine

- - -


is ummid pe roz charagh jalate hain
ZEHRA NIGAAH

is ummīd pe roz charāġh jalāte haiñ
aane vaale barsoñ ba.ad bhī aate haiñ

ham ne jis raste par us ko chhoḌā hai
phuul abhī tak us par khilte jaate haiñ

din meñ kirneñ āñkh-micholī kheltī haiñ
raat ga.e kuchh jugnū milne jaate haiñ

dekhte dekhte ik ghar ke rahne vaale
apne apne ḳhānoñ meñ baT jaate haiñ

dekho to lagtā hai jaise dekhā thā
socho to phir naam nahīñ yaad aate haiñ

kaisī achchhī baat hai 'zehra' terā naam
bachche apne bachchoñ ko batlāte haiñ