Translations from the Urdu of Pakistani poet Faiz Ahmed Faiz - II

August '52

Translated from the Urdu of Pakistani poet Faiz Ahmed Faiz by Poorvi L. Vora

Also appeared in To Topos Poetry International, PACIFICA: PEACE & the SEA, Vol. 5, pg. 48, 2003.

Translator's note: This was written to mark the fifth anniversary of the independence of Pakistan from British rule.

The light of spring seems possible
as a few buds tear their collars

Though dark autumn is still the ruler,
nature's orchestras sound in garden corners.

Night's inky darkness is unmoving,
yet, in it, dawn's colors lie scattered,

Our life's blood might burn in them,
yet a few lamps have lit this gathering.

Hold your heads high for having lost all,
we are now indifferent to the passing of time

The caged people will wake at this dawn;
a hint of a breeze is now become many promises.

Though this desert remains barren, Faiz,
the blood from your feet has flooded a few cactii.

The translator would like to thank Aruna Thakkar, S. Charusheela and Colin Danby for their suggestions

Copyright © 2003 Poorvi Vora

अगस्त 1952
फ़ैज़ अहमद फ़ैज़

रौशन कहीं बहार के इमकाँ हुए तो हैं
गुलशन में चाक चंद गरेबाँ हुए तो हैं

अब भी खिज़ाँ का राज है लेकिन कहीं-कहीं
गोशे चमन-चमन में ग़ज़लख़्वाँ हुए तो हैं

ठहरी हुई है शब की सियाही वहीं मगर
कुछ-कुछ सहर के रंग पर अफ़्शाँ हुए तो हैं

उनमें लहू जला हो हमारा केः जानो-दिल
महफ़िल में कुछ चराग़ फ़रोज़ाँ हुए तो हैं

हाँ कज करो कुलाह केः सब-कुछ लुटाके हम
अब बेनियाज़े-गर्दिशे-दौराँ हुए तो हैं

अहले-क़फ़स की सुब्हे-चमन में खुलेगी आँख
बादे-सबा से वा दः-ओ-पैमाँ हुए तो हैं

है दश्त अब भी दश्तमगर ख़ूने-पा से फ़ैज़
सैराब चन्द ख़ारे-मुग़ीलाँ हुए तो हैं

agast 52
faiz ahmed faiz

raushan kahI.n bahAr ke imkA.N hue to hai.n
gulashan me.n chAk chand garebA.N hue to hai.n

ab bhI KhizA.N kA rAz hai lekin kahI.n-kahI.n
goshe chaman-chaman me.n GazalaKwA.N hue to hai.n

TheharI huI hai shab kI siyAhI wahI.n magar
kuchh-kuchh sahar ke ra.ng par afshA.N hue to hai.n

unme.n lahU jalA ho hamArA keaH jAno-dil
mahafil me.n kuchh chirAG frozA.N hue to hai.n

hA.N kaj karo kulAh keaH saba-kuchh lutAke ham
ab beniyAze-gardishe-daurA.N hue to hai.n

ahale-Kafas kI subhe-chaman me.n khulegI A.Nkh
bAde-sabA se wA'daH-o-paimA.N hue to hai.n

hai dasht ab bhI dasht magar KhUne-pA se "faiz"
sairAb chand KhAre-muGIlA.N hue to hai.n