farsh-e-naumidi-e-didar
dekhne kī to kise taab hai lekin ab tak
jab bhī us raah se guzro to kisī dukh kī kasak
Toktī hai ki vo darvāza khulā hai ab bhī
aur us sehn meñ harsū yūñhī pahle kī tarah
farsh-e-naumīdī-e-dīdār bichhā hai ab bhī
aur kahīñ yaad kisī dil-zada bachche kī tarah
haath phailā.e hue baiThī hai fariyād-kunāñ
Elegy
I don't have the courage to look;
even now when I pass that way
a pain in my heart slows my steps:
it says the gate is still open,
desire without hope is still sleeping in the courtyard
and in some corner, half-hidden, there is memory,
a heart-broken child with outstretched arms.
dil ye kahtā hai kahīñ aur chale jaa.eñ jahāñ
koī darvāza abas vā ho, na be-kār koī
yaad fariyād kā kashkol liye baiThī ho
mahram-e-hasrat-e-dīdār ho dīvār koī
na koī sāya-e-gul hijrat-e-gul se vīrāñ
My heart implores:
“Let's go someplace far away
where no gate opens on futility,
no memory crouches, holding its beggar bowl,
where none of the walls knows the ecstasy
of longing for the beloved face,
and no shadows grieve for flowers that once were here.
ye bhī kar dekhā hai sau baar ki jab rāhoñ meñ
des pardes kī be-mahr guzargāhoñ meñ
qāfile qāmat o ruḳhsār o lab o gesū ke
parda-e-chashm pe yuuñ utre haiñ be-sūrat-o-rañg
jis tarah band darīchoñ pe gire bārish-e-sañg
I have done this many times,
dragged the burden of my body, estranged from me,
along roads of my own and foreign countries
where caravans of featureless faces, colorless lips,
figures with blurred contours,
are thrown on the screen of the retina,
a hail of stones on a shuttered window.
aur dil kahtā hai har baar chalo lauT chalo
is se pahle ki vahāñ jaa.eñ to ye dukh bhī na ho
ye nishānī ki vo darvāza khulā hai ab bhī
aur us sehn meñ harsū yūñhī pahle kī tarah
farsh-e-naumīdī-e-dīdār bichhā hai ab bhī
Each time this happens my heart warns me:
“Let's go back quickly
before this pain abandons us, before even this last sign
fails to tell us the gate is still open,
the courtyard lies waiting, spread out
with the hopelessness of desire.
dekhne ki to kise tab hai lekin ab tak
jab bhi us rah se guzro to kisi dukh ki kasak
Tokti hai ki wo darwaza khula hai ab bhi
aur us sehn mein harsu yunhi pahle ki tarah
farsh-e-naumidi-e-didar bichha hai ab bhi
aur kahin yaad kisi dil-zada bachche ki tarah
hath phailae hue baiThi hai fariyaad-kunan
Elegy
I don't have the courage to look;
even now when I pass that way
a pain in my heart slows my steps:
it says the gate is still open,
desire without hope is still sleeping in the courtyard
and in some corner, half-hidden, there is memory,
a heart-broken child with outstretched arms.
dil ye kahta hai kahin aur chale jaen jahan
koi darwaza abas wa ho, na be-kar koi
yaad fariyaad ka kashkol liye baiThi ho
mahram-e-hasrat-e-didar ho diwar koi
na koi saya-e-gul hijrat-e-gul se viran
My heart implores:
“Let's go someplace far away
where no gate opens on futility,
no memory crouches, holding its beggar bowl,
where none of the walls knows the ecstasy
of longing for the beloved face,
and no shadows grieve for flowers that once were here.
ye bhi kar dekha hai sau bar ki jab rahon mein
des pardes ki be-mahr guzargahon mein
qafile qamat o ruKHsar o lab o gesu ke
parda-e-chashm pe yun utre hain be-surat-o-rang
jis tarah band darichon pe gire barish-e-sang
I have done this many times,
dragged the burden of my body, estranged from me,
along roads of my own and foreign countries
where caravans of featureless faces, colorless lips,
figures with blurred contours,
are thrown on the screen of the retina,
a hail of stones on a shuttered window.
aur dil kahta hai har bar chalo lauT chalo
is se pahle ki wahan jaen to ye dukh bhi na ho
ye nishani ki wo darwaza khula hai ab bhi
aur us sehn mein harsu yunhi pahle ki tarah
farsh-e-naumidi-e-didar bichha hai ab bhi
Each time this happens my heart warns me:
“Let's go back quickly
before this pain abandons us, before even this last sign
fails to tell us the gate is still open,
the courtyard lies waiting, spread out
with the hopelessness of desire.
- Book : Nuskha Hai Wafa (Pg. 450)
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