Here are a few lines from Late Faiz Ahmed Faiz that capture the essence of where Pakistanis stand today:
Subah-e- Azadi
(Dawn of Freedom)
ye daaG daaG ujaalaa, ye shab_gaziidaa sahar
(This spotty, stained, dim light after a long, dark night)
wo intazaar thaa jis kaa, ye wo sahar to nahii.n
(Is this the dawn of freedom we yearned for?)
ye wo sahar to nahii.n jis kii aarazuu lekar
chale the yaar ki mil jaayegii kahii.n na kahii.n
falak ke dasht me.n taro.n kii aaKharii ma.nzil
kahii.n to hogaa shab-e-sust mauj kaa saahil
kahii.n to jaa ke rukegaa safinaa-e-Gam-e-dil
jawaa.N lahuu kii pur-asaraar shaaharaaho.n se
chale jo yaar to daaman pe kitane haath pa.De
dayaar-e-husn kii be-sabr Khwaab-gaaho.n se
pukaratii rahii.n baahe.n, badan bulaate rahe
bahut aziiz thii lekin ruKh-e-sahar kii lagan
bahut qarii.n thaa hasiinaan-e-nuur kaa daaman
subuk subuk thii tamannaa, dabii dabii thii thakan
sunaa hai ho bhii chukaa hai firaq-e-zulmat-e-nuur
sunaa hai ho bhii chukaa hai wisaal-e-ma.nzil-o-gaam
badal chukaa hai bahut ahl-e-dard kaa dastuur
nishaat-e-wasl halaal-o-azaab-e-hijr-e-haraam
jigar kii aag, nazar kii uma.ng, dil kii jalan
kisii pe chaaraa-e-hijraa.N kaa kuchh asar hii nahii.n
kahaa.N se aaii nigaar-e-sabaa, kidhar ko gaii
abhii chiraaG-e-sar-e-rah ko kuchh Khabar hii nahii.n
abhii garaani-e-shab me.n kamii nahii.n aaii
najaat-e-diida-o-dil kii gha.Dii nahii.n aaii
chale chalo ki wo ma.nzil abhii nahii.n aaii
(We have not yet reached our destination.
So let's keep marching until we get there.)
Faiz Ahmed Faiz
Here's another one of Faiz's poems with translation:
ReplyDeletechand roz aur meri jan faqat chand hi roz
zulm k chanw main dam lene par majbur hain ham
ik zara aur sitam sah len tarap len ro len
apne ajdad ki miras hai mazur hain ham
jism par qaid hai jazbat pe zanjire hai
fikr mahbus hai guftar pe taziren hain
aur apni himmat hai k ham phir bhi jiye jate hain
zindagi kya kisi muflis k qaba hai
jis main har ghari dard k paiband lage jate hain
lekin ab zulm k miyad k din thore hain
ik zara sabr k fariyad k thore hain
arsa-e-dahar k jhulsi hui wirani main
ham ko rahna hai par yun hi to nahin rahna hai
ajnabi hathon ka benam garan-bar sitam
aj sahna hai hamesha to nahin sahna hai
ye teri husn se lipti hui alam ki gard
apni do roza jawani ki shikaston ka shumar
chandani raton ka bekar dahakta hua dard
dil k besud tarap jism ki mayus pukar
chand roz aur meri jan faqat chand hi roz
Only a few days, dear one, a few days more.
Under oppression’s shadows condemned to breathe,
Still for a time we must bear them, and tears, and endure
What our forefathers, not our own faults, bequeath:
Fettered limbs, each impulse held on a chain,
Minds in bondage, our words all watched and set down
Courage still nerves us, or how should we still exist,
Now with existence only a beggar’s gown,
Tattered, and patched every hour with new rags of pain?
Yes, but to tyranny not many hours are left now;
Patience a little, few hours of lamenting remain.
In this parched air of an age that desert sands choke
We must stay now—not forever and ever stay!
Under this load beyond words of a foreign yoke
We must submit for a while—not for ever submit!
Dust of affliction that clings to your beauty today,
Crosses unnumbered that mar our few mornings of youth,
Torment of silver nights, a pain with no cure,
Heartache unanswered, the body’s long cry of despair—
Only a few days, dear one, a few days more.
Translated by: Victor Kiernan
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