ye na thī hamārī qismat ki visāl-e-yār hotā
agar aur jiite rahte yahī intizār hotā
tire va.ade par jiye ham to ye jaan jhuuT jaanā
ki ḳhushī se mar na jaate agar e'tibār hotā
Ghalib says he was never destined to meet with his beloved & his fate would had been to wait had he not died. It can be interpreted as defeatist (it was never destined) or hopeful (he would have continued to wait if not dead). He continues that it is wrong to say that i lived by your promise to meet. He would have died of happiness had he believed in it (on his beloved's promise). Ghalib's swagger, died of waiting for beloved and still a show of defiance!
Happy Birthday Mirza Ghalib!
Jagjit Singh’s rendition of ghazal ‘Ye na thi hamari qismet’