Mir Taqi Mir Quotes

Once through this ruined city did I pass I espied a lonely bird on a bough and asked ‘What knowest thou of this wilderness?’ It replied: 'I can sum it up in two words: ‘Alas, Alas!

An Urdu couplet by one of his favorite poets, Mir Taqi Mir: Jis sar ko ghurur aaj hai yaan taj-vari ka Kal uss pe yahin shor hai phir nauhagari ka The head which today proudly flaunts a crown Will tomorrow, right here, in lamentation drown.

Vajah beganagi nahin malum Tum jahan ke ho vahan ke ham bhi hain

I am back in my beloved city. The scene of desolation fills my eyes with tears. At every step my distress and agitation increases. I cannot recognize houses or landmarks I once knew well. Of the former inhabitants, there is no trace. Everywhere there is a terrible emptiness. All at once I find myself in the quarter where I once resided. I recall the life I used to live: meeting friends in the evening, reciting poetry, making love, spending sleepless nights pining for beautiful women and writing verses on their long tresses which held me captive. That was life! What is there left of it? Nothing.

Dil-o-Dilli donon agar hain kharaab Pa kuchh lutf is ujde ghar mein bhi hain

Rah-e-talab mein girey hote munh ke bal hum bhi Shikasta-paayi ne apni hamein sambhaal liya

Während in Afghanistan immer mehr Menschen bei Bombenanschlägen ums Leben kamen, ging ich immer häufiger auf Reisen, lernte deutsche Städte und die deutsche Sprache besser kennen. Auch wenn ich mit dem Tod dieser Menschen nichts zu tun hatte, hatte sich in mir ohne mein Zutun der Gedanke festgesetzt, zwischen den Selbstmordattentaten dort und meinen Luxusabenteuern hier besteht ein kausaler Zusammenhang. Meine Zeit in Deutschland schien mit Menschenleben in Afghanistan erkauft.

He Who made humanity, also created life in its entirety: this universe is now restless, longing for original Unity.   On

Being all desire from head to foot Has made a slave and servant of me; Or else, had I been heart all free Of desire, God I would have been

Of whose love is the sea Desirous? Each wave That rises has its arms Spread out for an embrace.

Ba kuja sar niham keh chun zanjir Har dare halqa-e dare digar-ast (Hide—but where? Each door I close opens another.) —Anonymous (found in a ghazal by Mir Taqi Mir)

mir kya sade hain bimar hue jis ke sabab usi attar ke ladke se dawa lete hain