Another translation that I attempted a few days ago was especially interesting because the original is a ghazal, and I tried to preserve the ghazal metre (beher) and rhyme scheme (which goes AA, BA, CA… and so on) in my translation. Would be interesting to know what you think of the result
Ghazal By Ishrat Aafreen
(From We Sinful Women)
Bhook ki karvahat se sard kasile honth
Khoon ugalte sookhe chatkhe pile honth
Tooti choori, thandi larki, baghi umr
Sabz badan pathrai ankhen nile honth
Soona angan tanha aurat lambi umr
Khali ankhen bhiga anchal gile honth
Kachche lafzon ka ye nila zehr
Chhoo jae to moorakh too bhi chhile honth
Zehr hi mangen amrat ras ko munh na lagaen
Baghi ziddi vehshi aur hatile honth
Aisi banjar baten aise karve bol
Aise sundar komal surkh rasile honth
Itna bologi to kya samjhenge log
Rasm yahan ki ye hai larki si le honth
My Translation
made cold by bitterness of hunger, taut lips
chapped, dry, spewing blood, yellow lips
Broken bangles, cold girl, rebellious age
raw bodies, stone eyes, blue lips
forlorn courtyard, lonely woman, stretched life
empty eyes, drenched bosom, wet lips
blue vitriol of unformed, accusing words
if they only touch, you fool, they abrase lips
they demand venom, never even tasting the elixir
rebellious, stubborn, obsessive, adamant lips
such parched exchanges, such bitter words
from such pretty, supple, red, juicy lips
what will people think if you talk so much
tradition here is that girls stitch their lips
The Ghazal in Devnagri script…
भूख की कड़वाहट से सर्द कसीले होंठ
खून उगलते, सूखे, चटखे, पीले होंठ
टूटी चूड़ी, ठंडी लड़की, बागी उम्र
सब्ज़ बदन, पथराई आँखें, नीले होंठ
सूना आँगन, तनहा औरत, लंबी उम्र
ख़ाली आँखें, भीगा आँचल, गीले होंठ
कच्चे लफ़्ज़ों का ये नीला ज़हर
छू जाए तो मूरख तो भी छीले होंठ
ज़हर ही मांगें अमृत रस को मुंह न लगाएं
बागी, जिद्दी, वेहशी और हठीले होंठ
ऐसी बंजर बातें ऐसे कड़वे बोल
ऐसे सुन्दर, कोमल, सुर्ख, रसीले होंठ
इतना बोलोगी तो क्या समझेंगे लोग
रसम यहाँ की ये है लड़की सी ले होंठ