qaid-e-tanhai
duur āfāq pe lahrā.ī koī nuur kī lahr
ḳhvāb hī ḳhvāb meñ bedār huā dard kā shahr
ḳhvāb hī ḳhvāb meñ betāb nazar hone lagī
adam-ābād-e-judā.ī meñ sahar hone lagī
kāsa-e-dil meñ bharī apnī subūhī maiñ ne
ghol kar talḳhī-e-dīroz meñ imroz kā zahr
duur āfāq pe lahrā.ī koī nuur kī lahr
aañkh se duur kisī sub.h kī tamhīd liye
koī naġhma, koī ḳhushbū, koī kāfir sūrat
be-ḳhabar guzrī, preshānī-e-ummīd liye
ghol kar talḳhī-e-dīroz meñ imroz kā zahr
hasrat-e-roz-e-mulāqāt raqam kī maiñ ne
des pardes ke yārān-e-qadah-ḳhvār ke naam
husn-e-āfāq, jamāl-e-lab-o-ruḳhsār ke naam
Solitary Confinement
On the distant horizon a wave of light
begins to play; in my sleep I live
in the city of loss. My eyelids
flutter in their restless dream
as morning moves forward
over the loneliness, the country without borders.
A wave of light is dancing
over that distant horizon.
The merest refrain, the ghost of perfume,
the beloved face glimpsed for a moment,
torment me with hope, the final disturbance.
They arrive and leave,
travelers who have no time to stay.
I fill the cup of my heart
with my morning's drink, today's gall
mixed with yesterday's bitterness.
I make a toast to my friends everywhere,
here in my homeland and across the world:
“Let us drink, my dear ones, to human beauty,
to the loveliness of earth.”
dur aafaq pe lahrai koi nur ki lahr
KHwab hi KHwab mein bedar hua dard ka shahr
KHwab hi KHwab mein betab nazar hone lagi
adam-abaad-e-judai mein sahar hone lagi
kasa-e-dil mein bhari apni subuhi main ne
ghol kar talKHi-e-diroz mein imroz ka zahr
dur aafaq pe lahrai koi nur ki lahr
aankh se dur kisi subh ki tamhid liye
koi naghma, koi KHushbu, koi kafir surat
be-KHabar guzri, preshani-e-ummid liye
ghol kar talKHi-e-diroz mein imroz ka zahr
hasrat-e-roz-e-mulaqat raqam ki main ne
des pardes ke yaran-e-qadah-KHwar ke nam
husn-e-afaq, jamal-e-lab-o-ruKHsar ke nam
Solitary Confinement
On the distant horizon a wave of light
begins to play; in my sleep I live
in the city of loss. My eyelids
flutter in their restless dream
as morning moves forward
over the loneliness, the country without borders.
A wave of light is dancing
over that distant horizon.
The merest refrain, the ghost of perfume,
the beloved face glimpsed for a moment,
torment me with hope, the final disturbance.
They arrive and leave,
travelers who have no time to stay.
I fill the cup of my heart
with my morning's drink, today's gall
mixed with yesterday's bitterness.
I make a toast to my friends everywhere,
here in my homeland and across the world:
“Let us drink, my dear ones, to human beauty,
to the loveliness of earth.”
- Book : Nuskha Hai Wafa (Pg. 341)
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