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Article 11
THE
MOON AND THE STARS
Iqbal's Urdu poem, " Chand aur Taray "
( Translation by Nasir Shamsi)
Dartay dartay dem-e seher say Bashful and shy Stars, just before the day break
taray kehne lagay qamar say the Stars called out to the Moon
nazzaray rahay wohi falak par The heaven is lit as ever, with our lighthumm thak bhi gayay chamk chamak kar but we are tired with always shining in it
kaam apna hay subho shaam chalna our work is to move, morning and evening
chalna,chalna,medaam chalna moving, moving, for ever moving
baytaab hay iss jahaa(n) ki her shay Nobody in this universe knows rest
kehtay hai(n) jisay sakoo(n), nahee(n) hay Nowhere does the peace exist
rehtay hai(n) sittam kesh-e safar sebb everyone is hooked on travel
Taaray, insa(n),shejer, hejer sebb the stars, humans, rocks and trees
hoga kabhi khatam yeh safr kiya ? But will this journey ever end,
manzil kabhi aayey gi nazar kiya ? and ever a destination find
kehnay legha Chaand, ham nashin-o ! Oh, my fellow travelers, said the Moon
ye nezara-e shab kay khosha cheeno ! you shining over the meadows of the night !
junbash say hay zindgi jaha(n) ki on movement hangs the world's life
yeh resme qadeem hay yaha(n) ki this is the law of nature, since times past
iss rah mein maqaam bey mahal hay the universe does not know resting
poshida qarar mein ajal hay Hidden in inaction lurks death
chalnay waalay nikal gayay hai(n) those who kept moving, went far ahead
jo thehray zera kuchal gayay hai(n) those who stopped, were trampled underfoot
Anjaam hay iss khraam kaa husn And the movement and action result in Beauty
Aaghaaz hay ishq , intehaa husn its beginning Beauty, its end is Beauty too !
Iqbal's poem in his book, Baang-e Dara (The Clarion Call)
Word-Key:
dar = fear (dartay = afraid)
dem-e seher = early morning (dem-e = breath of, seher = morning)
falak = sky
nazaara = sight ( nazzaray, plural )
baytaab = impatient
sakoon = peace
sitam kesh = victim
manzil = destination
ham nashin - companion, friend
nezara = sight
junbash = movement
resm = custom
qadeen = old, ancient
maqaam = stay
be mahal = inappropriate, out of place
poshida = hidden
qarar = inaction, lack of movement
ajal = death
Anjaam = result, end
khraam = movement, walking
husn = beauty
aaghaaz = beginning
intehaa = end