Poems by Faiz Translated By V.G. Kiernan By Faiz Ahmed Faiz Oxford India Paperback Rs. 295; Pages 288

This leprous daybreak, dawn night's fangs have mangled --

This is not that long-looked-for break of day,

Not that clear dawn in quest of which those comrades

Set out, believing that in heaven's wide void

Somewhere must be the stars' last halting-place,

Somewhere the verge of night's slow-washing tide,

Somewhere an anchorage for the ship of heartache.

When we set out, we friends, taking youth's secret

Pathways, how many hands plucked at our sleeves!

From beauty's dwellings and their panting casements

Soft arms invoked us, flesh cried out to us;

But dearer was the lure of dawn's bright cheek,

Closer her shimmering robe of fairy rays;

Light-winged that longing, feather-light that toil.

But now, word goes, the birth of day from darkness

Is finished, wandering feet stand at their goal;

Our leaders' ways are altering, festive looks

Are all the fashion, discontent reproved; --

And yet this physic still on unslaked eye

Or heart fevered by severance works no cure.

Where did that fine breeze, that the wayside lamp

Has not once felt, blow from -- where has it fled?

Night's heaviness is unlessened still, the hour

Of mind and spirit's ransom has not struck;

Let us go on, our goal is not reached yet.



Subh-e-Aazaadii



Ye daagh daagh ujaalaa, ye shab-gaziida sahar,

Vo intizaar thaa jis-kaa, ye vo sahar to nahiiN,

Ye vo sahar to nahiiN jis-kii aarzu lekar

Chale the yaar ke mil-ja`egi kahiiN na kahiN

Falak ke dasht meN taroN kii aakhiri manzil,

KahiN to hogaa shab-e sust mauj kaa sahil,

KahiN to jaake rukegaa safiina-e-gham-e-dil.



JawaaN lahu kii pur-asraar shaahrahoN se

Chale jo yaar to daaman pe kitne hath paRe;

Diyaar-e-husn kii be-sabr khwaabgaahoN se

Pukaarti-rahiiN baahen, badan bulaate-rahe;

Bahut 'aziiz thii lekin rukh-e-sahar ki lagan,

Bahut qariin thaa hasiinaN-e-nuur kaa daaman, ,

Subuk subuk thii tamannaa, dabii dabii thii thakan.

Sunaa hai ho bhii chukaa hai firaaq-e-zulmat-o-nuur,

Sunaa hai ho bhii chukaa hai visaal-e-manzil-o-gaam;

Badal-chukaa hai bahut ahl-e-dard kaa dastuur,

Nishaat-e-vasl halaal o 'azab-e-hijr haraam.

Jigar kii aag, nazar kii umang, dil kii jalan,

kisii pe chaara-e-hijraaN kaa kuchh asar hii nahiiN.

KahaaN se aa'ii nigaar-e-sabaa, kidhar ko ga'ii?

Abhii charaagh-e-sar-e-rah ko kuchh khabar hii nahiiN;

Abhii giraanii-e-shab meN kamii nahiiN aa'ii,

Najaat-e-diidaa-o-dil ki ghaRii nahiiN aa'ii;

Chale-chalo ke vo manjil abhii nahiiN aa'ii

Dawn of Freedom (August 1947) (Literal Translation)

This stain-covered daybreak, this night-bitten dawn,

This is not that dawn of which there was expectation;

This is not that dawn with longing for which

The friends set out, (convinced) that somewhere there we met with,

In the desert of the sky, the final destination of the stars!

Somewhere there would be the shore of the sluggish wave of night,

Somewhere would go and halt the boat of the grief of pain.

By the mysterious highroads of youthful blood

When (we) friends set out, how many hands were laid on our skirt's;

From impatient sleeping-chambers of the dwellings of beauty

Arms kept crying out, bodies kept calling;

But very dear was the passion for the face of dawn,

Very close the robe of the sylphs of light.

The longing was very buoyant, the weariness was very slight.

-- It is heard that the separation of darkness and light has been fully completed,

It is heard that the union of goal and step has been fully completed;

The manner of the people of suffering (leaders) has changed very much,

Joy of union is lawful, anguish for separation forbidden.

The fire of the liver, the tumult of the eye, burning of the heart, --

There is no effect on any of then of (this) cure for separation.

Whence came that darling of a morning breeze, whither has it gone?

The lamp beside the road has still come no lessening,

The hour of the deliverance of eye and heart has not arrived.

Come, come on, for that goal has still not arrived.



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