S. R. Faruqi:

(1) I came like a fakir, made a beggar's call, departed.
Dear child, I offer a blessing: may you always be happy. I depart.

[The text is sada kar chale, "called and went away," but sada karna has also a special meaning: "for the beggar to use the special intonation and words used for begging."]

(2) Do you remember? I declared I won't live without you.
So I now redeem that vow. I depart.

(3) Well, actually it wasn't fated that I survive.
So, having received all the treatment I could, I depart.

(4) Such causes befell in the end
that, having no choice, and with my soul burnt to ashes, I depart.

(5) God! What is that thing for which
I detach my heart from all other things, and depart?

(6) I would at least cast a despairing eye on you
but you even veiled your face from me, and now you depart.

(7) Oh, how much I longed to set foot in your street!
So now bathed in my own blood I depart.

(8) Catching sight of you just once, a mere glimpse, caused my senses to reel.
You took me away from myself, and then you depart.

(9) My forehead worn down by continual prostration--
having fulfilled my duty as a servant, I depart.

(10) Stony idol of beauty, I adored you to the utmost,
established you as the true God in everyone's regard, and now I depart.

(11) It was the way the flowers die and fall from the branch where they were born.
I came into this garden called the world, and now I depart.

(12) Thank God, I didn't have to face the sorrow of my friend's deaths.
It was I who etched my grief upon them, and now I depart.

(13) Bound with the chains of the worry-filled practice of making ghazals , my life passed.
And now, having raised that art to such greatness, I depart.

(14) What should I say in reply, Oh Mir, were someone to ask me,
what did you do here in this world now that you depart?

 

FWP:

(inspired by SRF's translation)

(1) I came like a faqir: I gave the call, and went.
'Be happy, my child' was my blessing-- and I left.

(2) When I used to say that I wouldn't live without you?
Just now, keeping this vow-- I left.

(3) Good health just wasn't my fate.
I tried every cure I could-- and then, I left.

(4) Ultimately such things transpired--
helpless, heart burnt to ashes, I left.

(5) What is that thing, ah! for the sake of which
I withdrew my heart from everything, and left?

(6) I would have given you a hopeless gaze--
So you hid even your face from me, and left.

(7) How I longed for your street!
So, having bathed in blood, I went from here-- and left.

(8) You showed yourself-- and entranced me.
You took me out of even myself-- and left.

(9) My forehead kept constantly touching the ground.
Having done my duty as a servant-- I left.

(10) I so worshiped you, oh idol, that in everybody's eyes,
I made you into the Lord-- and left.

(11) The way flowers wither and fall from the bush,
I came to the garden of the world-- and left.

(12) I'm grateful not to be grieving over my friends!
Instead, I scarred their hearts with grief-- and left.

(13) My lifetime was in bondage to thinking about the ghazal.
I lifted this art to such a level-- and left.

(14) What shall I say if anyone asks me, Mir,
'What did you do in the world, before you left?'

 

Zahra Sabri:

Zahra Sabri is a special guest translator for this site.

(1) I arrived like a dervish, and gave a cry and left
“May you remain prosperous, my dear”, I prayed as I left

(2) The promise that I made that I would not live without you
So, now I have fulfilled that, as I left

(3) It was not in my destiny to become healed
Else, I had tried every possible remedy before I finally left

(4) Things ultimately transpired in such a way
That, becoming helpless, I despondently left

(5) Oh, what is that thing for which
I gave up thought of everything, and left

(6) I would have at least sent you a despairing glance
But you even hid your face from me, as you left

(7) I had a tremendous longing for your lane
So I passed through here, drenched in blood, as I left

(8) You appeared before me in such a way that you made me lose all sense of anything
You went and separated me from my own self

(9) My forehead kept on touching the ground in prostration
I fulfilled my duties of servitude

(10) I worshipped you to such a degree, oh beautiful idol, that I
Made everyone see you as the true God

(11) As the flower withers and falls from the rose-bush, that’s how
I came into this world’s garden, and left

(12) Thankfully, I didn’t get to witness the grief of the loss of my friends
It was only I who made others experience grief, as I left

(13) My life passed in bondage to building up the ghazal
Hence, I made this art thus great, before I left

(14) What do I say when someone asks me, ‘Oh Mir,
You came into this world – what did you achieve before you left?’