hum aap hi ko apna

Here is one of Meer's poems that i absolutely adore. Unfortunately where there is so much about Ghalib on the net there is not that much about meer. I mean I am grateful to Dr. Pritchett from Columbia for doing such a great job with Ghalib's poetry, just hoping he gets around to taking care of Meer too some day. Maybe my horrible translation below will get him irritated and force to act.

हम आप ही को अपना मक़सूद जानते हैं I consider myself my goal
अपने सिवाय किसको मौजूद जानते हैं for who beside me, do i count as present

इज्ज़-ओ-नियाज़ अपना, अपनी तरफ है सारा All my charm and civility is directed towards me
इस मुश्त-ऐ-ख़ाक को हम मस्जूद जानते हैं This handful of dirt, I consider worth bowing down to

अपनी ही सैर करने को हम जलवागर हुए हैं To tour ourselves we have materialized here
इस रम्ज़ को वलेकिन मादूद जानते हैं This secret is known to but a few

मर कर भी हाथ आवे तो मीर मुफ्त है वो If I were to find him only in death, it would still be free
जी के जियान को भी हम सूद जानते हैं Even the loss of life, would be mere interest. argh! i don't know, its hard to translate, which begs the question why i am doing it, but...