Qadeem Shayari: 30 Classic Urdu Poems & Trans

Here are 30 short Punjabi poems (sher/dohay), written in Urdu script, with Roman Punjabi and English translations:
Rab Rab karde budhe ho gaye, mulla pandit saare,
Rab da khoj khura na labha, sajde kar kar haare.
Chanting ‘God, God,’ all mullahs and pandits grew old,
They couldn’t find a trace of God, tired of prostrating. (Bulleh Shah – modified)

Uth Farida sutteya, jhaadu de maseet,
Tu sutta Rabb jaagda, teri daahdi naal preet.
Wake up, sleeping Farid, and sweep the mosque,
You sleep but God is awake, your love for Him is intense. (Baba Farid – modified)

Maahi aavega te phullan naal dharti sajaavaan gi,
Akhiyaan vich neendran radak paiyaan, kadon deed karaan gi.
When my beloved comes, I’ll adorn the earth with flowers,
Sleep pricks my eyes, when will I get a glimpse?

Tere baajhon sajna, dil lagda nahin kite,
Jee karda udd jaavaan, jithe wasda ein tuseen.
Without you, beloved, my heart finds no peace anywhere,
I wish I could fly to where you reside.

Chitti chaan’ni te mithi mithi waa,
Yaar je hove kol te keeh gall ae bhala.
Bright moonlight and a sweet, gentle breeze,
If the beloved is near, what else could be better?

Akhiyaan de boohe main khol rakhe nein,
Takdi payi aan raahwaan, tere aawan diyaan.
I have kept the doors of my eyes open,
I am watching the paths for your arrival.

Kadi saadi vi gali aa sajna,
Tainu dil da haal sunaaiye.
Come to my lane sometime, beloved,
So I can tell you the state of my heart.

Paani bhar bhar jaan muklaaiyaan,
Ajay na aaye dhol sipaahi.
The water carriers have gone back and forth filling water,
Still, my beloved soldier has not come. (Folk)

Lakh chithiyaan tainu paaiyaan,
Ik vi na jawaab aaya tera.
I sent you a hundred thousand letters,
Not a single reply came from you.

Sohne yaar baajhon, duniya ae veeraan,
Jee karda chhad devaan, eh saara jahaan.
Without my beautiful beloved, the world is desolate,
My heart wishes to leave this entire world.

Uchi uchi baangan mulla denda ae,
Rabb koi kannaan ton bola naahin.
The mullah calls out loudly for prayer,
God is not deaf in His ears. (Sufi thought)

Vich daryawaan de rehan waale,
Kadi paani ton darde naahin.
Those who live amidst rivers,
Are never afraid of water.

Pyaar tere da asar hoya,
Dil mera beqaraar hoya.
The effect of your love has occurred,
My heart has become restless.

Teri deed noon akhiyaan tarsadiyaan,
Aa jaa maahiya, meenh waangon wasdiyaan.
My eyes yearn for your sight,
Come, my beloved, they (eyes) are raining like the monsoon.

Maape hunde nein darakhtaan di chhaan warge,
Jehre ik waari gaye, mur nahin aunde.
Parents are like the shade of trees,
Once they are gone, they don’t return.

Sajnaan de vichhore, jindri rol chhadi,
Hun te aa jaa maahi, jaan labaan te aayi.
Separation from the beloved has ruined my life,
Now please come, my love, my life is on my lips (about to die).

Jadon yaad teri aave, dil kamla ho jaave,
Tainu takne layi maahi, har paase bhaj jaave.
When your memory comes, the heart goes crazy,
To see you, my love, it runs in every direction.

Ishq tere ne keeta mainu shaidai,
Loki kehnde jhalla, main tera saudai.
Your love has made me mad,
People call me crazy, I am devoted to you.

Jag jag jeevan maawaan, thandiyaan chhaawaan,
Jinhaan de sir te, Rabb diyaan duaawaan.
May mothers live long, they are cool shades,
Upon whose heads are God’s blessings.

Dil da jaani jadon da russ gaya,
Akhiyaan chon paani wasda ee was gaya.
Since the beloved of my heart got upset,
Water just keeps flowing from my eyes.

Tere ishq nachaaya kar ke thaiya thaiya,
Chhup ve tabeeba, nahin te main mar gaiya.
Your love made me dance with wild abandon,
Hide, O physician, or else I have died. (Bulleh Shah – modified)

Sohni soorat te dil be-imaan,
Aise yaar kolon, Allah di amaan.
Beautiful face but a disloyal heart,
May God protect from such a friend.

Yaari laani te pher tod nibhaani,
Vichon chhad jaan waale, karde be-imaani.
If you make a friendship, then fulfill it till the end,
Those who leave midway, commit dishonesty.

Door wasainde sajnaan, ik suneha ghall,
Tere baajhon jeena, hoya bada aukha.
O beloved living far away, send a message,
Living without you has become very difficult.

Je yaar hove naal te pher gham kaahda,
Ohdi ik nigaah, har dard di dawaa.
If the beloved is with you, then what sorrow is there?
One glance from him/her is the cure for every pain.

Kache ghade te tar ke yaar noon milan challi,
Ishq di agg vich, saari duniya bhul gayi.
Floating on an unbaked pot, she went to meet her beloved,
In the fire of love, she forgot the whole world. (Reference to Sohni Mahiwal)

Rabba mere haal da mehram toon,
Andar toon hain baahar toon hain, room room vich toon.
O Lord, You are the confidant of my condition,
You are within, You are without, You are in every pore of my being. (Shah Hussain – modified)

Teri meri preet, juggaan juggaan di,
Vichhore di ghadi, kyun aa gayi aj di.
Our love is for ages and ages,
Why has this moment of separation come today?

Raataan kaaliyaan te lamme painde,
Yaar de bina, kaun dilaasa dende.
Dark nights and long journeys,
Without the beloved, who offers solace?

Akhaan chon hanju keran, dil karda ae zaari,
Maahi kadon aavein ga, mukdi nahin udeek saari.
Tears fall from the eyes, the heart laments,
When will you come, beloved? This entire wait doesn’t end.