Faiz Ahmad'Faiz's poetry demands you to think it over and come to a conclusion, it's a reflection of reality, in fact it's reality, one of his most famous poems I am translating here:-
Mujh se pehli si mohabbat meray mehbub na maang.
(Don't ask me for the love I once gave you, o beloved!)
Mein ne samjha tha kay tu hai to darakhshaan hai hayaat.
(I thought if I had you, life would shine eternally on me)
Tera gham hai to gham-e-dahar ka jhagdra kya hai.
(If I had your sorrow, no other thing can sadden me, I am content being in this sorrow of you)
Teri surat se hai aalam mein bahaaron ko sabaat.
(Your face would bring freshness to every spring)
Teri aankhon ke sivaa duniya mein rakkha kya hai.
(What is there but your eyes to see in the world anyway)
Tu jo mil jaaye to taqdir niguun ho jaaye.
(If I found you, my fate would bow down to me)
Yun na tha mein ne faqat chahaa tha yun ho jaaye.
(This was not what I just wanted be for the sake of it)
Aur bhi dukh hain zamaane mein mohabbat ke sivaa.
(There are other struggles in the world other than those of love)
Raahaten aur bhi vasl ki raahat ke sivaa.
(There are other happinesses too other than the joy of union)
Anginat sadiyon ki taarik bahimanaa talism.
(The dreadful magic of uncountable dark centuries)
Resham-o-atalas-o-kamkhwab mein bunavaaye huye.
(Woven in silk, satin and brocade)
Jaa-ba-jaa bikate huye kuuchaa-o-baazaar mein jism.
(In every corner are bodies sold in the market - like man has become utterly materialistic and has lost regard for his own self esteem and self respect)
Khaak mein lithade huye khuun mein nahalaaye huye.
(Covered in dust, bathed in blood, means - the sanctity of life is lost amid various contradictions and controversies in the society)
Jism nikale huye amaraaz ke tannuron se.
(Bodies retrieved from the cauldrons of disease, sick minds and hearts)
Peep bahatii hui galte huye naasuron se.
(Discharge flowing from their rotten ulcers, means the mental sickness is speading far and wide)
Laut jaati hai udhar ko bhi nazar kyaa kije.
(Still returns my gaze in that direction, what can be done, means afterall the poet is also a part of society and witness to all this and here he's ashamed of still not able to leave all this)
Ab bhi dilkash hai tera husn magar kya kije.
(Even now your beauty is tantalizing, but what can be done, means - still the worldly delights entice even knowing that they are immoral)
Aur bhi dukh hain zamaane mein mohabbat ke sivaa.
(There are other struggles in the world other than those of love)
Raahaten aur bhi vasl ki raahat ke sivaa.
(There are other happinesses too other than the joy of union) Mujh se pehli si mohabbat meray mehbub na maang.
(Don't ask me for the love I once gave you, o beloved!) Here the poet has expressed the circumstances where one is bound even he dislikes and how to break free?
