ना करदा गुनाहों की भी हसरत की मिले दाद

ना करदा गुनाहों की भी हसरत की मिले दाद

यारब अगर इन करदा गुनाहों की सज़ा है

ग़ालिब

naa-kardah gunaaho.n kii bhii Hasrat kii mile daad

yaa rab agar in kardah gunaaho.n kii sazaa hai 

Ghalib

One of Ghalib's gems on crime and punishment. 'naa-kardah' means 'not done'. 'daad' means justice or redressal. Ghalib is asking Chitragupta to include in his balance sheets of sins and virtuous deeds, the crimes that he contemplated but could not do - either due to pusillanimity or due to paucity of time. 

A lot of couples feel that even when a partner thinks about infidelity - that is infidelity. Others say the clause is not triggered unless you actually do something. 

Another way of looking at it from a corporate point of view, is that we make so many plans and strategies, but when the time for appraisal comes - the time for earning bonuses and incentives - we are rewarded only for the achievements and not for efforts. But the appraisal discussion always goes like this -

'I tried my best, I can't help it if.... happened'

So when it comes to appraisals we want 'daad' for 'naakardaah gunaah' :)

Whatever way you look at this, I love this couplet. Wonder why I did not feature if earlier!