kyon ziaan kaar banun, sood framosh rahoon
fikr-e-farda na karum, mahw-e-ghum-e-dosh rahoon,?
Why should I abet the loss, why forget the gain,
Why forfiet the future, bemoan the past in vain?
naale bulbul ke sunoon, aurhama tan gosh rahoon,
hamnawa main bhi koi gul hoon ke khamosh rahoon?
Hear the wail of nightingale, and remain unstirred,
Am I a flower insensate that will not say a word?
jurrat aamoz miri taab-e-sakhun hai mujhko,
shikwa allah se khakam badahan hai mujhko.
The power of speech emboldens me to speak out my heart,
I’ll sure be damned, I know, if fault my God.
ai khuda shikwa-e-arbab-e-wafa bhi sun le,
khu gar-e-hamd se thora sa gila bhi sun le.
Hear, O Lord, from the faithful ones this sad lament,
From those used to hymn a praise, a word of discontent.
thi to maujood azal se hi teri zaat-e-qadim,
phool tha zeb-e-chaman, par na pareshan thi shamim;
Enternally were you present, Lord, eternally omniscent,
The flower hung upon the tree, but without incense.
shart insaaf hai, ai, sahib-e-altaf-e-amim,
boo-e-gul phailti kis tarah jo hoti na nasim?
Be Thou fair, tell us true, O fountsinhead of grace,
How could the scent spread withoutthe breeze apace?
hum se pahle tha ajab tere jahan ka manzir,
kahin masjood the pather, kahin maabood shajar,
The world presented a queer sight ere we took the stage,
Stones and plants in your stead were worshipped in that age.
khugar-e-paikar-e-mahsoos thi insaan ki nazar,
maanta phir koi un-dekhe khuda ko kyonkar?
Man, being inured to senses, couldn’t accept a thing unseen,
How could a formless God impress his senses keen?
tujhko maalum hai leta tha koi naam tira?
quwwat-e-baazoo-e-muslim ne kiya kaam tira!
Tell me, Lord, if anyone ever invoked Thy name,
The strength of Muslim arm alone restored Thy fame.
bas rahe the yahin salijuq bhi, toorani bhi,
ahl-e-chin cheen mein, iran mein sasaani bhi,
There was no dearth of peoples on this earth before,
Turkish tribes and Persian clans lived in days of yore;
isi maamoore mein aabad the yunaani bhi,
isi duniya mein yahudi bhi the, nusraani bhi,
The Greeks and the Chinese both bred and throve,
Christians as well as the Jews on this planet roved.
par tire naam pe talwar uthai kis ne,
baat jo bigri huri thi who banaai kis ne?
But who in Thy holy name raised his valiant sword,
Who set the things right, resolved the rigmarole?
the hameen ek tire maarka aaraaon mein!
khushkion mein kabhi larte, kabhi dariyaon mein,
We were the warrior bands battling for Thy cause,
Now on land, now on water, we the crusades fought.
di azaanen kabhi europe ke kaleesaaon mein,
kabhi africa ke tapte hue sahraaon mein.
Now in Europe’s synods did we loudly pray,
Now in African deserts made a bold foray.
thi na kuchh teg zani apni hakumat ke liye,
sar ba-kaf phirte the kya dahar mein daulat ke liye?
Not for territorial greed did we wield the sword,
Not for pelf and power did we suffer the blows.
qaum apni jo zar-o-maal-e-jahan par marti,
but faroshi ke iwaz but shikni kyon karti?
Had we been temped by the greed of glittering gold,
Instead of breaking idols, would have idols sold.
naqsh tauheed ka har dil pe bithaya hum ne,
zer-e-khanjar bhi yeh paigham sunaya hum ne.
We impressed on every heart the oneness of our mighty Lord,
Even under the threat of sword, bold and clever was our call.
tu hi kah de ke ukhara dar-e-khyber kis ne,
shaher qaiser ka jo tha us ko kiya sar kis ne?
Who conquered, tell us Thou, the fearful Khyber pass?
Who vanquished the Imperial Rome, who made it fall?
tore makhluq khudawandon ke paikar kis ne?
kaat kar rakh diye kaffaar ke lashkar kis ne?
Who broke the idols of the primitive folks?
Who fought the kafirs, massacred their hordes?
aa gaya ain laraai mein agar waqt-e-namaz,
qibla roo ho ke zamin bos hui qaum-e-hejaz,
If the prayer time arrived right amid the war,
With their faces turned to Kaaba, knelt down the brave Hejaz.
ek hi saf mein khare ho gaye mahmud-o-ayaz,
no koi banda raha aur no koi banda nawaz.
Mahmud and Ayaz stood together in the same flank,
The ruler and the ruled forget the difference in their rank.
banda-o-sahib-o-muhtaaj-o-ghani ek hue,
teri sarkar mein pahunche tau sabhi ek hue.
The rich and poor, Lord and slave, all were levelled down,
All became brethern in love, with Thy grace crowned.
mehfil-e-kaun-o-makaan mein shar-o-shaam phire,
mai-e-tauheed ko lekar sift-e-jam phire.
We roamed the world through, visited every place,
Did our rounds like the cup, serving sacred ale.
dasht tau dasht hain, darya bhi na chhore hum ne,
bahr-e-zulmaat mein daura diye ghore hum ne.
Forget about the forests, we spared not the seas,
Into the dark, unfathomed ocean, we pushed our steeds.
safah-e-dahar se baatil ko mitaya hum ne,
nau-e-insaan ko ghulami se chhuraya hum ne,
We removed falsehood from the earth’s face,
We broke the shackles of the human race.
tere kaabe ko jabeenon se basaya hum ne,
tere quraan ko seenon se lagaya hum ne.
We reclaimed your Kaaba with our kneeling brows,
We pressed the sacred Quran to our heart and soul.
phir bhi hum se yeh gila hai, ke wafadar nahin,
hum wafadar nahin, tu bhi tau dildar nahin!
Even then you grumble, we are false, untrue,
If you call us faithless, tell us what are you?
rahmaten hain tiri aghiyar ke kashaanon par,
barq girti hai to bechare musalmaanon par!
You reserve your favors for men of other shades,
While you hurl your bolts on the Muslim race.
yeh shikait nahin, hain un ke khazane maamur,
nehin mehfil mein jinhen baat bhi karne ka shaoor,
This is not our complaint that such alone are blessed,
Who do not know the etiquette, nor even can converse.
qahar tau yeh hai ke kafir ko milen hoor-o-qasoor,
aur bechaare musalmaan ko faqt waada-e-hoor!
The tragedy is while kafirs are with houries actually blest,
On vague hopes of houries in heaven the Muslim race is made to rest!
taan-e-aghiyaar hai, ruswai hai, nadaari hai,
kya tere nam pe marne ka iwaz khwari hai?
Poverty, taunts, ignominy stare us in the face,
Is humiliation the sole reward of our suffering race?
hum tau jeete hain ke duniya mein tira naam rahe,
kahin mumkin hai saqi na rahe, jaam rahe?
To perpetuate Thy name is our sole concern,
Deprived of the saqi’s aid can the cup revolve and turn?
teri mehfil bhi gai, chahne wale bhi gaye,
shab ki aahen bhi gaien, subah ke nale bhi gaye,
Gone is your assemblage, off your lovers have sailed,
The midnight sights are no more heard, nor the morning wails;
dil tujhe debhi gaye, apna sila le bhi gaye,
aa ke baithe bhi na the, ke nikaale bhi gaye.
They pledged their hearts to you, what is their return?
Hardly had they stepped inside, when they were externed.
aae ushaaq, gaye waada-e-farda lekar,
ab unhen dhoond chirag-e-rukh-e-zeba lekar!
Thy lovers came and went away, fed on hopes of future grace,
Search them now with the lamp of your glowing face.
dard-e-laila bhi wohi, qais ka pahlu bhi wohi,
nejd ke dasht-o-jabal mein ram-e-aahoo bhi wohi,
Unassuaged is Laila’s ache, unquenched is Qais’s thirst,
In the wilderness of Nejd, the wild deer are still berserk.
ishq ka dil bhi wohi, husn ka jaadoo bhi wohi,
ummat-e-ahmed-e-mursil bhi wohi, tu bhi wohi,
The same passion thrills the hearts, enchanting still is beauty’s gaze,
You are the same as before, same too is the Prophet’s race.
phir yeh aazurdagi-e-ghair-sabab kya maani,
apne shaidaaon pe yeh chashm-e-ghazab kya maani?
Why then this indifference, without a cause or fault?
Why with your threatening looks dost thou break our heart?
ishq ki khair, who pehli si ada bhi na sahi,
jaada paimaai taslim-o-raza bhi na sahi,
Accepted that the flame of love burneth low and dim,
We do not, as in your, dance attendance on your whims;
kabhi hum se, kabhi ghairon se shanasaai hai,
baat kahne ki nahin, tu bhi tau harjaai hai.
But you too, pardon us, possess a coquettish heart,
Now on us, now on others, alight your amorous darts.
ahd-e-gul khatam hua, tut gaya saaz-e-chaman,
ur gaye dalion se zamzama pardaaz-e-chaman.
The spring has now taken leave, broken lies the lyre string,
The birds that chirped among the leaves have also taken wing;
ek bulbul hai ke hai mahw-e-tarannum ab tak,
us ke seene mein hai naghmon ka talatam ab tak.
A single nightingale is left singing on the tree,
A flood of song in her breast is longing for release.
qumrian shaakh-e-sanober se gurezaan bhi huin,
pattian phool ki jhar jhar ke pareshan bhi huin;
From atop the firs and pines the doves have flown away,
The floral petals lie scattered all along the way.
who purani ravishen bagh ki weeran bhi huin,
daalian parahan-e-barg se uriaan bhi huin.
Desolate lie the garden paths, once dressed and neat,
Leafless hang the branches on the naked trees.
qaid-e-mausim se tabiat rahi aazad uski,
kaash gulshan mein samjhta koi faryaad uski.
The nightingale is unconcerned with the season’s range,
Would that someone in the grove appreciates her wail.
chaak is bulbul-e-tanha ki nawa se dil hon,
jaagne wale isi baang-e-dara se dil hon.
May the nightingale’s wail pierce the listeners’ hearts,
May the clinking caravan awaken slumbering thoughts!
yaani phir zinda naye ahd-e-wafa se dil hon,
phir isi bada-e-deereena ke pyaase dil hon.
Let the hearts pledge anew their faith to you, O Lord,
Let’s re-charge our cups from the taverns of the past.
ajmy khum hai tau kya, mai tau hejaazi hai miri,
naghma hindi hai tau tya, lai tau hejaazi hai miri.
Through I hold a Persian cup, the wine is pureHejaz,
Thought I sing an Indian song, the turn is of the Arabian cast.
fikr-e-farda na karum, mahw-e-ghum-e-dosh rahoon,?
Why should I abet the loss, why forget the gain,
Why forfiet the future, bemoan the past in vain?
naale bulbul ke sunoon, aurhama tan gosh rahoon,
hamnawa main bhi koi gul hoon ke khamosh rahoon?
Hear the wail of nightingale, and remain unstirred,
Am I a flower insensate that will not say a word?
jurrat aamoz miri taab-e-sakhun hai mujhko,
shikwa allah se khakam badahan hai mujhko.
The power of speech emboldens me to speak out my heart,
I’ll sure be damned, I know, if fault my God.
ai khuda shikwa-e-arbab-e-wafa bhi sun le,
khu gar-e-hamd se thora sa gila bhi sun le.
Hear, O Lord, from the faithful ones this sad lament,
From those used to hymn a praise, a word of discontent.
thi to maujood azal se hi teri zaat-e-qadim,
phool tha zeb-e-chaman, par na pareshan thi shamim;
Enternally were you present, Lord, eternally omniscent,
The flower hung upon the tree, but without incense.
shart insaaf hai, ai, sahib-e-altaf-e-amim,
boo-e-gul phailti kis tarah jo hoti na nasim?
Be Thou fair, tell us true, O fountsinhead of grace,
How could the scent spread withoutthe breeze apace?
hum se pahle tha ajab tere jahan ka manzir,
kahin masjood the pather, kahin maabood shajar,
The world presented a queer sight ere we took the stage,
Stones and plants in your stead were worshipped in that age.
khugar-e-paikar-e-mahsoos thi insaan ki nazar,
maanta phir koi un-dekhe khuda ko kyonkar?
Man, being inured to senses, couldn’t accept a thing unseen,
How could a formless God impress his senses keen?
tujhko maalum hai leta tha koi naam tira?
quwwat-e-baazoo-e-muslim ne kiya kaam tira!
Tell me, Lord, if anyone ever invoked Thy name,
The strength of Muslim arm alone restored Thy fame.
bas rahe the yahin salijuq bhi, toorani bhi,
ahl-e-chin cheen mein, iran mein sasaani bhi,
There was no dearth of peoples on this earth before,
Turkish tribes and Persian clans lived in days of yore;
isi maamoore mein aabad the yunaani bhi,
isi duniya mein yahudi bhi the, nusraani bhi,
The Greeks and the Chinese both bred and throve,
Christians as well as the Jews on this planet roved.
par tire naam pe talwar uthai kis ne,
baat jo bigri huri thi who banaai kis ne?
But who in Thy holy name raised his valiant sword,
Who set the things right, resolved the rigmarole?
the hameen ek tire maarka aaraaon mein!
khushkion mein kabhi larte, kabhi dariyaon mein,
We were the warrior bands battling for Thy cause,
Now on land, now on water, we the crusades fought.
di azaanen kabhi europe ke kaleesaaon mein,
kabhi africa ke tapte hue sahraaon mein.
Now in Europe’s synods did we loudly pray,
Now in African deserts made a bold foray.
thi na kuchh teg zani apni hakumat ke liye,
sar ba-kaf phirte the kya dahar mein daulat ke liye?
Not for territorial greed did we wield the sword,
Not for pelf and power did we suffer the blows.
qaum apni jo zar-o-maal-e-jahan par marti,
but faroshi ke iwaz but shikni kyon karti?
Had we been temped by the greed of glittering gold,
Instead of breaking idols, would have idols sold.
naqsh tauheed ka har dil pe bithaya hum ne,
zer-e-khanjar bhi yeh paigham sunaya hum ne.
We impressed on every heart the oneness of our mighty Lord,
Even under the threat of sword, bold and clever was our call.
tu hi kah de ke ukhara dar-e-khyber kis ne,
shaher qaiser ka jo tha us ko kiya sar kis ne?
Who conquered, tell us Thou, the fearful Khyber pass?
Who vanquished the Imperial Rome, who made it fall?
tore makhluq khudawandon ke paikar kis ne?
kaat kar rakh diye kaffaar ke lashkar kis ne?
Who broke the idols of the primitive folks?
Who fought the kafirs, massacred their hordes?
aa gaya ain laraai mein agar waqt-e-namaz,
qibla roo ho ke zamin bos hui qaum-e-hejaz,
If the prayer time arrived right amid the war,
With their faces turned to Kaaba, knelt down the brave Hejaz.
ek hi saf mein khare ho gaye mahmud-o-ayaz,
no koi banda raha aur no koi banda nawaz.
Mahmud and Ayaz stood together in the same flank,
The ruler and the ruled forget the difference in their rank.
banda-o-sahib-o-muhtaaj-o-ghani ek hue,
teri sarkar mein pahunche tau sabhi ek hue.
The rich and poor, Lord and slave, all were levelled down,
All became brethern in love, with Thy grace crowned.
mehfil-e-kaun-o-makaan mein shar-o-shaam phire,
mai-e-tauheed ko lekar sift-e-jam phire.
We roamed the world through, visited every place,
Did our rounds like the cup, serving sacred ale.
dasht tau dasht hain, darya bhi na chhore hum ne,
bahr-e-zulmaat mein daura diye ghore hum ne.
Forget about the forests, we spared not the seas,
Into the dark, unfathomed ocean, we pushed our steeds.
safah-e-dahar se baatil ko mitaya hum ne,
nau-e-insaan ko ghulami se chhuraya hum ne,
We removed falsehood from the earth’s face,
We broke the shackles of the human race.
tere kaabe ko jabeenon se basaya hum ne,
tere quraan ko seenon se lagaya hum ne.
We reclaimed your Kaaba with our kneeling brows,
We pressed the sacred Quran to our heart and soul.
phir bhi hum se yeh gila hai, ke wafadar nahin,
hum wafadar nahin, tu bhi tau dildar nahin!
Even then you grumble, we are false, untrue,
If you call us faithless, tell us what are you?
rahmaten hain tiri aghiyar ke kashaanon par,
barq girti hai to bechare musalmaanon par!
You reserve your favors for men of other shades,
While you hurl your bolts on the Muslim race.
yeh shikait nahin, hain un ke khazane maamur,
nehin mehfil mein jinhen baat bhi karne ka shaoor,
This is not our complaint that such alone are blessed,
Who do not know the etiquette, nor even can converse.
qahar tau yeh hai ke kafir ko milen hoor-o-qasoor,
aur bechaare musalmaan ko faqt waada-e-hoor!
The tragedy is while kafirs are with houries actually blest,
On vague hopes of houries in heaven the Muslim race is made to rest!
taan-e-aghiyaar hai, ruswai hai, nadaari hai,
kya tere nam pe marne ka iwaz khwari hai?
Poverty, taunts, ignominy stare us in the face,
Is humiliation the sole reward of our suffering race?
hum tau jeete hain ke duniya mein tira naam rahe,
kahin mumkin hai saqi na rahe, jaam rahe?
To perpetuate Thy name is our sole concern,
Deprived of the saqi’s aid can the cup revolve and turn?
teri mehfil bhi gai, chahne wale bhi gaye,
shab ki aahen bhi gaien, subah ke nale bhi gaye,
Gone is your assemblage, off your lovers have sailed,
The midnight sights are no more heard, nor the morning wails;
dil tujhe debhi gaye, apna sila le bhi gaye,
aa ke baithe bhi na the, ke nikaale bhi gaye.
They pledged their hearts to you, what is their return?
Hardly had they stepped inside, when they were externed.
aae ushaaq, gaye waada-e-farda lekar,
ab unhen dhoond chirag-e-rukh-e-zeba lekar!
Thy lovers came and went away, fed on hopes of future grace,
Search them now with the lamp of your glowing face.
dard-e-laila bhi wohi, qais ka pahlu bhi wohi,
nejd ke dasht-o-jabal mein ram-e-aahoo bhi wohi,
Unassuaged is Laila’s ache, unquenched is Qais’s thirst,
In the wilderness of Nejd, the wild deer are still berserk.
ishq ka dil bhi wohi, husn ka jaadoo bhi wohi,
ummat-e-ahmed-e-mursil bhi wohi, tu bhi wohi,
The same passion thrills the hearts, enchanting still is beauty’s gaze,
You are the same as before, same too is the Prophet’s race.
phir yeh aazurdagi-e-ghair-sabab kya maani,
apne shaidaaon pe yeh chashm-e-ghazab kya maani?
Why then this indifference, without a cause or fault?
Why with your threatening looks dost thou break our heart?
ishq ki khair, who pehli si ada bhi na sahi,
jaada paimaai taslim-o-raza bhi na sahi,
Accepted that the flame of love burneth low and dim,
We do not, as in your, dance attendance on your whims;
kabhi hum se, kabhi ghairon se shanasaai hai,
baat kahne ki nahin, tu bhi tau harjaai hai.
But you too, pardon us, possess a coquettish heart,
Now on us, now on others, alight your amorous darts.
ahd-e-gul khatam hua, tut gaya saaz-e-chaman,
ur gaye dalion se zamzama pardaaz-e-chaman.
The spring has now taken leave, broken lies the lyre string,
The birds that chirped among the leaves have also taken wing;
ek bulbul hai ke hai mahw-e-tarannum ab tak,
us ke seene mein hai naghmon ka talatam ab tak.
A single nightingale is left singing on the tree,
A flood of song in her breast is longing for release.
qumrian shaakh-e-sanober se gurezaan bhi huin,
pattian phool ki jhar jhar ke pareshan bhi huin;
From atop the firs and pines the doves have flown away,
The floral petals lie scattered all along the way.
who purani ravishen bagh ki weeran bhi huin,
daalian parahan-e-barg se uriaan bhi huin.
Desolate lie the garden paths, once dressed and neat,
Leafless hang the branches on the naked trees.
qaid-e-mausim se tabiat rahi aazad uski,
kaash gulshan mein samjhta koi faryaad uski.
The nightingale is unconcerned with the season’s range,
Would that someone in the grove appreciates her wail.
chaak is bulbul-e-tanha ki nawa se dil hon,
jaagne wale isi baang-e-dara se dil hon.
May the nightingale’s wail pierce the listeners’ hearts,
May the clinking caravan awaken slumbering thoughts!
yaani phir zinda naye ahd-e-wafa se dil hon,
phir isi bada-e-deereena ke pyaase dil hon.
Let the hearts pledge anew their faith to you, O Lord,
Let’s re-charge our cups from the taverns of the past.
ajmy khum hai tau kya, mai tau hejaazi hai miri,
naghma hindi hai tau tya, lai tau hejaazi hai miri.
Through I hold a Persian cup, the wine is pureHejaz,
Thought I sing an Indian song, the turn is of the Arabian cast.
