[ghazals] [found in translation] [info]

01

Ranjish Hi Sahi

रंजिश ही सही

Poet
Ahmad Faraz 1931–2008
Form
Ghazal six couplets in the published text
First sung by
Iqbal Bano
Popularised by
Mehdi Hassan

“Ranjish Hi Sahi” is a deeply emotional Urdu ghazal written by Ahmad Faraz and made famous by Mehdi Hassan. The song captures the anguish of unrequited love and longing, where the singer pleads for their beloved to return, even if only to hurt them again. It reflects themes of pain, estrangement, and the paradox of love, where even suffering in love is preferable to complete abandonment.

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Poem and translation

  1. रंजिश ही सही दिल ही दुखाने के लिए आआ फिर से मुझे छोड़ के जाने के लिए आ

    Let it be anguish, even to torment my heart, come,Come once again, even if only to abandon me.

    रंजिशranjish
    resentment, estrangement

  2. कुछ तो मिरे पिंदार-ए-मोहब्बत का भरम रखतू भी तो कभी मुझ को मनाने के लिए आ

    Respect, if only a little, the pride of my love for you,Come, someday, to console me as well.

    पिंदार-ए-मोहब्बतpindār-e-mohabbat
    the pride, the self-regard, of love
    भरमbharam
    an appearance kept up; dignity

  3. पहले से मरासिम न सही फिर भी कभी तोरस्म-ओ-रह-ए-दुनिया ही निभाने के लिए आ

    If not for past affections, then at least for the sake of propriety,Come, if only to honor the customs of this world.

    मरासिमmarāsim
    ties, relations
    रस्म-ओ-रह-ए-दुनियाrasm-o-rah-e-duniyā
    the customs and ways of the world

  4. किस किस को बताएँगे जुदाई का सबब हमतू मुझ से ख़फ़ा है तो ज़माने के लिए आ

    How many people will I explain my sorrow to?If you are mad at me, then come, if only for the world’s sake.

    सबबsabab
    cause, reason
    ज़मानाzamāna
    the world, people at large

  5. इक उम्र से हूँ लज़्ज़त-ए-गिर्या से भी महरूमऐ राहत-ए-जाँ मुझ को रुलाने के लिए आ

    For ages, I have been deprived of the solace of tears,O peace of my soul, come back, if only to make me weep.

    लज़्ज़त-ए-गिर्याlazzat-e-giryā
    the pleasure of weeping
    महरूमmahrūm
    deprived
    राहत-ए-जाँrāhat-e-jāṅ
    comfort of my life: the beloved

  6. अब तक दिल-ए-ख़ुश-फ़ह्‌म को तुझ से हैं उमीदेंये आख़िरी शम'एँ भी बुझाने के लिए आ

    Till now, my naive heart still holds some hope in you,Come, and snuff out even these last flickering candles of expectation.

    दिल-ए-ख़ुश-फ़हमdil-e-ḳhush-faham
    a heart that believes what it hopes

Sung, not written

Mehdi Hassan sings two further couplets as part of this ghazal. They are not in Faraz’s text as published on Rekhta; one source attributes them to the poet Talib Baghpati. They are kept apart here rather than credited to Faraz.

  1. Sung by Mehdi Hassan. Not in the published text.

    Agreed, concealing love is the true essence of love,But one day, come secretly, to confess it in silence.

  2. Sung by Mehdi Hassan. Not in the published text.

    Just as you have excuses for never arriving,Someday, make an excuse to never leave.

Notes and sources

Text. Ahmad Faraz’s six couplets as published on Rekhta, which notes that the ghazal also circulates with verses outside the published text. Texts used here: Devanagari, transcription by Found in Translation.

Reading. The English translation sits beside the couplet it carries, matched by meaning rather than line by line. Glossary notes, shown when you select a couplet, explain single words; they are not translations.

Recordings.
References.