Even so, my love, let us meet someplace else (Sahir Ludhianvi's Taj Mahal translated by Mustansir Dalvi)

 

The translation by Mustansir Dalvi:

For you, my love, the Taj may well be the quintessence of ardor

while full well may you adore this exquisite vale 

Even so, dear one, let us meet someplace else

What worth, these lowly ones, loitering in the halls of the lords,

where on every path lie etched remains of pomp and glory?

What worth then, the passing of lovelorn souls?

My love, behind the veils of love’s proud proclamations,

did you see the signs of imperious grandeur?

You, who revel in mausoleums of dead kings,

did you not heed the dark hovels that fostered us?

Beyond count are those, in this world who have lived and loved.

Could anyone deny the truth of their passions?

But they, like us, stay destitute, without the means

to erect monuments to their love.

These edifices, these tombs, these battlements, these forts,

haughty relics of the conceit of emperors

are left behind like resilient creepers on the face of the world,

seeped in the blood of our forefathers.

My love, those artful hands who created this beauty

would have lived and loved too; 

but their lovers are long gone, nameless, without a trace.

To this day, no one has lit a candle in their memory.

The lush gardens and palaces, the Yamuna’s edge;

the exquisitely carved portals, the arches and niches,

the handiwork of the one emperor who, buttress’d by infinite wealth

has mocked our very love, our impoverish'd, destitute love.

Even so, my love, let us meet someplace else.

..and the original by Sahir Ludhianvi

taaj tere liye ik mazhar-e-ulfat hi sahii

tujh ko is vaadii-e-rangeeN se aqeedat hii sahii

merii mehboob kahiiN aur milaa kar mujh se!

 

bazm-e-shaahii meiN GhariiboN kaa guzar kyaa ma’anii

sabt jis raah pe hoN satwat-e-shaahii ke nishaaN

us pe ulfat bharii ruuhoN kaa safar kyaa ma’anii

 

merii mehboob pas-e-pardaa-e-tash_heer-e-vafaa

tu ne satwat ke nishaanoN ko to dekhaa hotaa

murdaa shaahoN ke maqaabir se behalne vaalii

apne taareek makaanoN ko to dekhaa hotaa

 

anginat logoN ne duniyaa meiN muhabbat kii hai

kaun kahtaa hai ki saadiq na the jazbe un ke

lekin un ke liye tash_heer kaa saamaan nahiiN

kyuuN ke vo log bhii apnii hii tarah muflis the

 

ye imaaraat-o-maqaabir ye faseeleN, ye hisaar

mutla-qulhukm shahanshaahoN kii azmat ke sutuuN

daaman-e-dahar pe us rang kii gulkaarii hai

jis meN shaamil hai tire aur mire ajdaad kaa KhuuN

 

merii mehboob! uNheiN bhii to muhabbat hogii

jinakii sannaa_ii ne baKhshii hai ise shakl-e-jameel

un ke pyaaroN ke maqaabir rahe benaam-o-namuud

aaj tak un pe jalaa_ii na kisii ne qaNdeel

 

ye chamanzaar ye jamunaa kaa kinaaraa ye mahal

ye munaqqash dar-o-deevaar, ye mehraab ye taaq

ik shahanshaah ne daulat ka sahaaraa le kar

ham GhariiboN kii muhabbat kaa uRaayaa hai mazaaq

meri mehboob kahiiN aur milaa kar mujh se!