Ghazal 278x, Verse 2

Asi:

The branch of flowers is constantly swaying, like a cradle, and this is only because the mischievous child of the bud is extremely wild-tempered; thus in order to put it to sleep, there is this equipment.

== Asi, pp. 104-105

Zamin:

He says that since the child of the bud is innately wild, it doesn't remain still. In order to distract and quiet it, the rose-branch keeps swinging it.

== Zamin, p. 150

Gyan Chand:

Very mischievous children must be put in a cradle and continually rocked, so that they won't bring down the roof with their crying. The flower-bud too is like a very wild-tempered child; thus the flower-branch, as if continually taking care of it, keeps swaying.

== Gyan Chand, p. 183

FWP:

SETS == BASKIH

For more on Ghalib's unpublished verses, see the discussion in {4,8x}. See also the overview index.

If you find nafas confusing, see {15,6}.

Here's an elegant use of the two possibilities of baskih , which can mean either 'although' or 'to such an extent'; on this see {1,5}. Choosing either of these two possibilities markedly reframes the relationship between the two lines. On the one hand, we could take it that 'although' the bud-child is innately wild, nevertheless every effort (including constant cradle-rocking) is continually being made too soothe the restive child. Or on the other hand, we could take it that the bud-child is wild-tempered 'to such an extent' that it continually thrashes around, making the branch sway back and forth in almost a cradle-rocking way.

The verse could also be taken as showing 'elegance in assigning a cause'. People had thought that the reason the branches of rose-bushes swayed was because of the breeze; but actually it was due (in one way or another) to the 'wild-tempered' behavior of that wild child, the mischievous rosebud.