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.
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