Most beautiful recitation I found of this eternal poem is by equally timeless Madam Zohra Sehgal (The Granny – As known by in Bollywood). It’s a sheer pleasure to see her energy and passion along wisdom and patience, and way she weaves them all together to recite this poem. If you haven’t seen this before, I am sure this will be a best thing you will see today.
Translation:
My beloved, ask me not for the love, that once we shared before…
I aspired, should you be along, life would be nothing but serene…
Thinking of you, who would even care, what rest are contemplating?
Countenance of yours holds the bar for the springs in entire universe…
What in world would ever come close to way your eyes do immerse…
Should you be right beside me, heavens and stars would realign to my course…
But, tis happened not, a mere wish it was, no more than a pre-thought.
Endless are there, the pathos in a world,
other than love’s resonance.
Countless are, the comforts in a world,
except a union’s preeminence.
Dark-sorcerous affliction scribbling an uncounted time trail.
Wrapped softly in silk, satin, brocade and velvet…
Wherever leads a sight, alleys-markets having flesh for sale.
Bodies soaked in the dust and sunk in the blood like a pellet…
Bodies emerging from the pits of disease and plague furnace…
And pus flowing out of rotted ulcers and incurable ailments.
My eyes catch such glimpses too my dear, what can I do?
Though still your beauty allures too, but what can I do?
Endless are there, the pathos in a world,
other than love’s resonance.
Countless are, the comforts in a world,
except a union’s preeminence.
My beloved, ask me not for the love, that once we shared before…
– Dedicated to the beloved urging the lover, to shower the love like before…
Mujh se pehli si muhabbat mere mehboob na maang
Maine samjhaa tha ke tu hai to darakhshaan hai hayaat
Tera gham hai to gham-e-dehar ka jhagdaa kyaa hai
Teri surat se hai aalam mein bahaaron ko sabaat
Teri aankhon ke siwaa duniyaa mein rakhkhaa kya haiTu jo mil jaaye to taqdir nigoon ho jaaye
Yoon na thaa maine faqat chaahaa thaa yoon ho jaaye
Aur bhi dukh hai zamaane mein muhabbat ke siwaa
Raahatein aur bhi hain vasl ki raahat ke siwaaAnginat sadiyon ki taareeq bahemaanaa tilism
Resham-o-atlas-o-kamkhwaab mein bunvaaye hue
Ja-ba-ja bikte hue koochaa-o-baazaar mein jism
Khaak mein lithade hue, khoon mein nehlaaye hue
Jism nikle hue amraaz ke tannooron se
Peep behti hui galte hue naasooron seLaut jaati hai udhar ko bhi nazar, kya keeje?
Ab bhi dilkash hai tera husn, magar kya keeje?
Aur bhi dukh hai zamaane mein muhabbat ke siwaa
Raahatein aur bhi hain vasl ki raahat ke siwaaMujh se pehli si muhabbat mere mehboob na maang
– Original verses written by none other than one of the world’s greatest Urdu poets, Faiz Ahmad Faiz saheb. So delicately he puts the words here and so wonderfully structured the poem is, that one can’t help but stay amazed. Requesting the beloved to stop being so nostalgic, he’s here narrating a character arc, building the fantasy in the starting couplets and then in verses that follows it, he slowly sheds it down with the pieces of reality, of what happens to be the world around. Beautifully portraying his helplessness in dividing an attention, between eternal love of his life, and injustice and corruption rampant.
Urdu version:
مجھ سے پہلی سی محبت مری محبوب نہ مانگ
میں نے سمجھا تھا کہ تو ہے تو درخشاں ہے حیات
تیرا غم ہے تو غمِ دہر کا جھگڑا کیا ہے
تیری صورت سے ہے عالم میں بہاروں کو ثبات
تیری آنکھوں کے سوا دنیا میں رکھا کیا ہے؟
تو جو مل جائے تو تقدیر نگوں ہو جائے
یوں نہ تھا، میں نے فقط چاہا تھا یوں ہو جائےاور بھی دکھ ہیں زمانے میں محبت کے سوا
راحتیں اور بھی ہیں وصل کی راحت کے سواان گنت صدیوں کے تاریک بہیمانہ طلسم
ریشم و اطلس و کمخاب میں بُنوائے ہوئے
جابجا بکتے ہوئے کوچہ و بازار میں جسم
خاک میں لتھڑے ہوئے خون میں نہلائے ہوئےجسم نکلے ہوئے امراض کے تنوروں سے
پیپ بہتی ہوئی گلتے ہوئے ناسوروں سے
لوٹ جاتی ہے ادھر کو بھی نظر کیا کیجے
اب بھی دلکش ہے ترا حسن مگر کیا کیجےاور بھی دکھ ہیں زمانے میں میں محبت کے سوا
راحتیں او ربھی ہیں وصل کی راحت کے سوامجھ سے پہلی سی محبت مری محبوب نہ مانگ
– فیض احمد فیض
Other than the narrations, this poem has been adapted as a song and has been lend a voice of another legendary woman Madam Noor Jehan.
On a very same tune, Farhan Zameer has provided a male version, nothing short of pure brilliance…
Anther good recital of the poem:
Reference:
Translation of Mustansir Dalvi – Mujh se pehli si mohabbat mere mehboob na mang
Serenades of a dreamer... 
Please never stop writing!
This is the most sublime and intensely meaningful explication of Faiz’s one of most emphatic and aesthetic works. I have run into countless explanations of this poem before coming across your masterpiece!
Thank you, Roopam. The real maestro is of course the poet of the original poem: Faiz Ahmed Faiz, I wish if I can even write a sentence of such originality and depth. Would love to hear your comments on other translations as well.
I would undoubtedly say that this is the best translation I have come across.
Thank you, Dr. Jawed. Please feel free to checkout other poems and translations too. Would love to have your feedback.