Dr Aamir Butt has translated Sahir’s great poem into English | Mufamat

Mufamat: Compromise

Nasheb-e-arz pe zarroñ ko mushta.il pā kar
bulandiyoñ pe safed-o-siyāh mil hī ga.e
jo yādgār the bāham satīza-kārī kī
ba-faiz-e-vaqt vo dāman ke chaak sil hī ga.e
jihād ḳhatm huā daur-e-āshtī aayā
sambhal ke baiTh ga.e mahmaloñ meñ dīvāne
hujūm tishna-labāñ kī nigāh se ojhal
chhalak rahe haiñ sharāb-e-havas ke paimāne
ye jashn jashn-e-masarrat nahīñ tamāshā hai
na.e libās meñ niklā hai rahzanī kā julūs
hazār sham-e-uḳhuvvat bujhā ke chamke haiñ
ye tīrgī ke ubhāre hue hasīñ fānūs
ye shāḳh-e-nūr jise zulmatoñ ne sīñchā hai
agar phalī to sharāroñ ke phuul lā.egī
Na phal sakī to na.ī fasl-e-gul ke aane tak
zamīr-e-arz meñ ik zahr chhor jā.egī

Translation

Finding the elements on earth agitated
In the skies black and white have joined hands
Those that were reminders of our quarrels
Due to need of time those collars have been mended
Jihad has ended and time of peace has come
The wild ones are now sitting in marriage palanquins
Hidden from the eyes of those dying of thirst
Wine of lust’s goblets are overflowing
This is not a celebration of joy but a farce
In a new uniform has come the gang of robbers
After extinguishing a thousand candles of love have glowed bright
These chandeliers of separate houses
This seed of light which is born from darkness
If it sprouts it will bring us flowers of fire
And if it fails to grow then
Till the next cycle of crops it will
poison the conscience of this land

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