Classical Urdu poet Dard Dehlvi's famous ghazal: Jag mein koi na Tuk hansaa hogaa...

Dil bhi aye 'Dard', qatra-e-khoo.n thaa
aa.nsuo.n mein kahiiN giraa hoga

This famous couplet is often quoted by poetry lovers. It is part of this ghazal that will give you a taste of the language of poetry in eighteenth century.

Khwaja Mir Dard [1721-1785] is, of course, one of the masters of classical Urdu poetry. Commonly recalled as Dard Dehlvi, he was among the three most prominent Urdu poets of eighteenth century, along with Mir Taqi Mir and Mirza Sauda--much before Ghalib. Read the ghazal:

जग में कोई न टुक हँसा होगा
कि न हंसने में रो दिया होगा

उसने क़सदन* भी मेरे नाले** को
न सुना होगा, गर सुना होगा

देखिये, गम से अब के जी मेरा
न बचेगा, बचेगा, क्या होगा!

दिल, ज़माने के हाथ से सालिम
कोई होगा, कि रह गया होगा

क़त्ल से मेरे जो वह बाज़ रहा
किसी बद-ख्वाह ने कहा होगा

दिल भी ऐ दर्द, क़तरा-ए-खूं था
आंसुओं में कहीं गिरा होगा

दर्द देहलवी 

Now read the same ghazal in Roman English script

Jag mein koi na Tuk hansaa hogaa
Ki na hansne mein ro diya hogaa

usne qasdan bhi mere naale ko
na suna hoga, gar sunaa hogaa

dekhiye, gham se ab ke jee mera
na bachega, bachega, kyaa hoga?

dil zamaane ke haath se saalim
koi hogaa, ki rah gayaa hogaa

qatl se mere jo voh baaz raha
kisi bad-khwaah ne kahaa hogaa

dil bhi aye Dard, qatra-e-khoo.n thaa
aa.nsuo.n mein kahiiN giraa hoga

Dard Dehlvi

Mini Urdu-English dictionary
*Qasdan=deliberately, purposely, intentionally
**Naala=cry, lamentation, moan
*bad-khwah=opponent, one who wishes, expects bad for you