is shahr-e-sañg-dil ko jalā denā chāhiye
phir us kī khaak ko bhī udā denā chāhiye
Line 1/2 - This stone-hearted city needs to be burned to the ground! Then its ashes needs to be flung in the winds. The poet says this cold brutal place needs to be consigned to the flames and then its ashes needs to thrown away. Such is the state of despair that not only the place needs to go, but not even its vestiges can stay for it reminds of the hopelessness of their existence. No trace needs to be left of it. The context here is not necessarily the place or people as such, but more of the behaviour (maybe the indiffernce) or the systems (may the rulers) prevelant there.
miltī nahīñ panāh hameñ jis zamīn par
ik hashr us zamīñ pe uThā denā chāhiye
Line 3/4 - There is no shelter or respite for us in such a land. A terrible fate should befall on such a place. Again the dark despair of the situation. There is no solace or any comfort this place provides. Such is the brutality of the place. I wish a calamity falls on such a place. A hostile place like a desert would make a poet wish for an oasis or an occasional rain or shade, but for a savage place where all hope is lost the wish is for its utter destruction.
hadd se guzar ga.ī hai yahāñ rasm-e-qāherī
is dahr ko ab is kī sazā denā chāhiye
Line 5/6 - The oppressive practices have crossed all limits here. This world now needs to be punished for this. The poet says that oppression and burden has crossed the limits now. rasm-e-qāherī would translate into ritual of oppression or unjust attitude. This place needs to be punished for this cruelty.
ik tez ra.ad jaisī sadā har makān mein
logoñ ko un ke ghar mein darā denā chāhiye
Line 7/8 - One sharp and thunderous like call rises from among all houses. Should scare the people inside their own homes. The poet says let fiery voices rise from every house. Terrify the people in the safety of their home and then they will rise to throw the tyrants out. Let the moment of comfort also be taken away for then only they will care!
gum ho chale ho tum to bahut khud meñ ai 'munīr'
duniyā ko kuchh to apnā pata denā chāhiye
Line 9/10 - Lost you are in your own self O! 'munir', let the world atleast know of your whereabouts. The poet says you are so absorbed in your thoughts and your troubles o! munir. Open yourself to the world and let them be aware of you.
Meaning of difficult words
shahr-e-sañg-dil = stone-hearted city, indifferent
qaahira = oppressive
dahr = this world
ra.ad = thunder
sadā = cry
Read more posts on Urdu poetry.
I admire you blog a lot, started reading today and impressed by the effort you have put to translate some of the greatest Urdu poetry. Urdu is my mother tongue and being from that corner of India which still nourishes this amazing language, makes me feel proud and also confident that as long as there are people like you , Urdu won't fade out easily. Good work and please keep up.
ReplyDelete