| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Why must I forever suffer loss, oblivious to gain?
Why think not upon the morrow, drowned in grief for yesterday?
Why must I attentive heed the nightingale's lament of pain?
Fellow-bard! am I rose, condemned to silence all the way?
No; the burning power of song bids me be bold and not to faint;
Dust be in my mouth, but God - He is the theme of my complaint.
True, we forever, famous for our habit to submit;
Yet we tell our tale of grief, as by our grief,
We are muted lyre; yet a lament inhabits it -
If a sigh escapes our lips, no more can sorrow be contained.
God, give ear to the complaint of us, Thy servants tried and true;
Thou art used to songs of praise; now hear a note of protest too.
In Thy everlasting Essence Thou wast from eternity;
Bright the bloom bedecked the garden; undiffused the scent abode.
Lord of universal favor, let impartial justice be -
Could the rose's perfume scatter with no breeze to waft abroad?
Peace of mind and quiet spirit won we of our labors glad.
Else the folk of Thy Beloved - should they be accounted mad?
Strange indeed the spectacle Thy world supplied before our days,
Here men bowed them down to stones, there paid reverence to trees;
Only to the visual image was attuned the human gaze -
How could hearts adore a God no eye percipient may seize?
Well Thou knowest, was there any anywhere to name Thy name?
By the Muslim's strong right arm Thy purpose to fulfillment came.
---------
Kiyu ziya' kar banu sood framosh rahu?
Fikr-e-farda na karu mehv-e-gham-e-dosh rahu?
Naale bulbul ke sunu aur hama tan gosh rahu
Ham navaa! mai bhi koi gul hoo ke khamosh rahu?
Jur'at aamoze miri taab-e-sukhan hai mujh ko
Shikwa Allah se "khakam badahan" hai muhj ko
Hai bajaa shaiva-e-taslim mai mush-hoor hai hum
Kissa-e-dard sunatey hai ke mujboor hai hum
Saaz-e-khamosh hai, furyaad se mehmoor hai hum
Naala aata hay agar lub pe, to mahzoor hai hum
Aey Khudaa! shikwa-e-arbab-e-vafa bhi sun lai
Khogar-e-hamd se thora sa ghilla bhi sun lai
Thi to mojood azal se hee teri zaat-e-kadeem
phool tha zaib-e-chaman, par na praishan thi shamim
Shart-e-insaaf hai aey saahb-e-altaf-e-'amim
Boo-e-gul phailty kis tara jo hoti na naseem?
Hum ko hami'at-e-khaatir ye praishaani thi
Varna ummat terey mehboob ki deevani thi?
Hum se pehlay tha ajab terey jaha ka manzar
Kahi masjood they puthar, kaheen mahbood shajar
Khogar-e-paikar-e-mahsoos thi insaan ki nazar
Manta phir koi un dekhey Khodaa ko kyo kar?
Tuj ko mahloom hai laita tha koi naam tera?
Kuwat-e-baooi muslim ne kya kaam tera!
Note: The poem above was written by Iqbal, a famous Urdu poet. He probably wrote it
around 1915. It was one of his first poems which landed him a name in India and Urdu poetry.
"Shikwa" is followed by another poem called, "Jawab-i-Shikwa" which is just as popular.
Unfortunately, I don't have a copy of it. If you do, please pass it here. This poem was translated
from the Urdu by A.J. Arberry.
 -
www.zensufi.com - © zensufi
|
