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

On My Return from Dacca (1974)

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. 50, 2003.

Translator's note: This poem was written after the Pakistan-Bangladesh war of 1971 which ended in the partition of Pakistan into Pakistan and Bangladesh.

So much politeness, yet we remain strangers;
how many meetings till we are again lovers?

How long before we see a spring of unsullied green?
How many rains before the blood stains wash away?

Heartless were the moments ending the pain of our love,
Lightless were the mornings following life-giving nights.

I longed to beg forgiveness, even complain as lovers do,
but my heart's crushing defeat gave me no respite.

What I had gone to say, Faiz offers his life -
remained unsaid when all else was done.

The translator would like to thank Ajit Sanzgiri for his contributions.

Copyright © 2003 Poorvi Vora

ढाका से वापसी पर
फ़ैज़ अहमद फ़ैज़

हम केः ठहरे अजनबी इतनी मदारातों के बाद
फिर बनेंगे आशना कितनी मुलाक़ातों के बाद

कब नज़र में आयेगी बे-दाग़ सब्ज़ें की बहार
ख़ून के धब्बे धुलेंगे कितनी बरसातों के बाद

थे बहुत बे-दर्द लम्हें ख़त्में-दर्दे-इश्क़ के
थी बहुत बे-मह्र सुब्हें मह्रबाँ रातों के बाद

दिल तो चाहा पर शिकस्ते-दिल ने मोहलत ही न दी
कुछ गिले-शिकवे भी कर लेते, मुनाजातों के बाद

उनसे जो कहने गए थे फ़ैज़ जाँ सदका किये
अनकही ही रह गई वो बात सब बातों के बाद

1974

.Daka se wApasI par
faiz ahmed faiz

ham keaH Thehre ajanabI itanI madArAto.n ke bAd
phir bane.nge AshanA kitanI mulAkAto.n ke bAd

kab nazar me.n AyegI bedAG sabze.n kI bahAr
KhUn ke dhabbe dhule.nge kitanI barasAto.n ke bAd

the bahut be-dard lamhe Khatme-darde-ishq ke
thi.n bahut bemahar subhe.n maharbA.N rAto.n ke bAd

dil to chAhA par shikaste-dil ne mohlat hI na dI
kuchh gile-shikawe bhI kar lete, munAjAto.n ke bAd

unse jo kahne gaye the, "faiz" jA.N sadaKA kIye
anakahI hI rah gaI wo bAt sab bAto.n ke bAd

madArAt = hospitality, courtesy
AshanA = friend, one who is familiar, opposite of
ajanabI (=stranger)
sabz = colour (green?), green vegetables are sabzI
mahar = old Persian word for sun
maharbA.N = merciful, I chose warmth-giving to stay with "sun" for meher
shikaste-dil = defeat of the heart
munAjAt = pleading
jA.N sadaKA = laying down one's life