Rone se aur ishq mein be_baak ho gaye - Lata Sings Ghalib (with translation)

rone se aur ishq mein be_baak ho gaye

dhoye gaye hum aise ki bas paak ho gaye

Line 1/2 - The poet says from crying becuase of passion, we have become more bold. We have been washed like such that, enough! - we are clean. We used to be modest and taciturn in love, not revealing much. But this pain of passion that is making me weep, is making me bold and outgoing in my pursuit of my lover. I am now willing to risk it all. Our own tears have washed us so much that we have become clean again. Earlier it was cry of pain, now of repentance.. We have repented just enough to be pure. An alternative reading of "bas" (as in "bas! bahut hua") would convey a continuing fearless streak. We have been washed by tears. Enough now! we are pure now. No more crying.. no more repentance!

sarf-e-bahaa-e-mai hue aalaat-e-maikashii

thae yeh hii do hisaab so yunn paak ho gaye

Line 3/4 - Our utensil/cup of drinking wine has become the expenditure for the cost of wine. There were our only two calculations/estimates, so those have also all cleared. The poet says we had only two concerns that needed to be worked out. One where will we get the money to drink wine and other was where will we keep the utensils of wine drinking safe. Now that we have sold the utensils too to pay for wine, we have become free of all those concerns. Now we are clear of everything. This way ("yunn".. as if to show to the world of how he has cleared his finances) I have become clear of the world of sums and calculations and estimates.

rusavaa-e-dahar go hue aavaargii se tum

baare tabiiyaton ke to chaalaak ho gaye

 

Line 5/6 - Though you have become disgraced from the world from wandering. At last, you have become clever in your disposition. The poet probably reminiscing about the days of his youth says, that those days of wandering and being lost in the world made him disgraced and infamous in the whole world. But all is not lost, at least it has made me smart and clever in my temperament.

kehtaa hai kaun naalaa-e-bulbul ko be_asar

parde mein gul ke laakh jigar chaak ho gaye

Line 7/8- Who calls that the lamentations of the nightingale is ineffective. In the veil'ed rose's, a hundred thousand livers just burst apart (or become torn). Purely fantastical indeed!. The poet says who says that weeping of the nightingale is of no effect. Surely they can go and see the effect it has on the budding rose. The rose does not open up its petals and bloom. Instead, those lamentations made it torn its countless livers and that show up as bright red petals.

 

pochhe hai kyaa wajuud-o-adam ahl-e-shauq kaa

aap apanii aag ke khas-o-khaashaak ho gaye

Line 9/10 - Ask of what of existence and non-existence of people of passion. You yourselves have become the straw and woodchips of your own fire. The poet says what does people of passion and ardour care about of existence and non-existence. It's same for them for their are oblivious to everything. What to ask of them! They are the fuel of their own fire. They burn like dry straw and wood litter.

karane gaye the us se tagaaful kaa ham gilaa

kii ek hii nigaah ki bas khaak ho gaye

Line 11/12 - We had gone to her to complain about her indifference. That one only glance from her, that enough! - we have become dust. This is fairly straightforward. The poet says we were not okay when she did not shower me with her glances and airs (showing indifference) and we are still not okay when she did afforded me a look for we were turned to dust now! Either way, there is no respite for me!

is rang se uthaaii kal us ne ‘asad’ kii laash

dushman bhii jis ko dekh ke gam_naak ho gaye

 

Line 13/14 - In such a manner, she lifted yesterday the corpse of Asad. Seeing that, even the enemy was filled with grief. The poet says that in such style she lifted the body of Asad. The exact style or manner is not hinted. It could be with utter contempt or with utmost respect. And seeing this the hearts of the enemy were filled with grief (this also can be either ways, one the stone-hearted enemy seeing the beloved's respect are melted or seeing the contempt of beloved, their hearts are filled with grief as to Asad treatment.) Both are equally enjoyable!

Meaning of difficult words

be_baak = outspoken, bold

paak = pure, clean

sarf = expenditure

baha = value, price

mai = bar

aalaat = instruments, apparatus

maikashee = boozing

rusavaa = disgraced

dahar = world

baare = at last

chaak = slit, torn

naalaa = lamentation, weeping

adam = non-existence, nothing

ahl = people

khas-o-khaashaak = straw and wood chips, wooden litter

tagaaful = indifference

gam_naak = filled with grief