barse baghair hi jo ghata ghhir ke khul gayi ik bewafaa ka ahd-e-wafaa yaad aa gaya

--Khumar Barabankvi (1919-1999)

Here's a rough and ready translation of this couplet:

(When a rain-filled cloud dissipated without pouring/I was reminded of the vow of fidelity of an unfaithful beloved)

One of the most popular poets of recent times, Khumar Barabankvi('Khumar' was the assumed name or takhallus of Mohammed Haidar Khan), was hailed as a fine exponent of the classical Urdu Ghazal by none other than the great Jigar Moradabadi. Khumar's style is marked by a deceptively simple approach to even profound, philosophical subjects. He was a favourite of audiences at Mushairas all over India and elsewhere in the world.

Khumar toys with words teasing meaning out of them in his exquisite style in his Ghazals which are thematically speaking, predominantly romantic.

The analogy in this couplet is simple. 'Khumar' compares the betrayal (in love) by his beloved in the second line to the dissipation of a rain-laden cloud in the first.

The couplet is from one of his most celebrated Ghazals, which was also sung by many performers.

Here's Another famous couplet from this Ghazal:

kehne ko zindagi thhi bahut mukhtasar magar kuch yun basar hui ke Khuda yaad aa gaya

Loosely translated it would mean: "Life, really speaking, was quite brief/But the way I spent it made me think of God.

The figurative expression 'Khuda yaad aa gaya' takes the couplet to a completely different level of poetic narration. Both these couplets exemplify Khumar's facile style and the depth of meaning he lent to simple expressions.

Also Read: Urdu Couplet Of The Day - 4