Your forgotten memory, last night, came by,
As spring steals upon a garden deserted,
Amidst still sands, gently, as the morning breeze blows,
As an ailing man is simply comforted.
Original by Faiz:
Raat youn teri khoyi hui yaad aayi,
Jaise veeraane mein chupke se bahaar aa jaaye,
Jaise sehraon main haule se chale baad-e-naseem,
Jaise beemaar ko bevajah qaraar aa jaaye.
Showing posts with label Faiz Ahmed Faiz. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Faiz Ahmed Faiz. Show all posts
Wednesday, December 09, 2009
Thursday, January 25, 2007
Hum Ke Thehre Ajnabi
Whew! the reign of guilt comes to an end. This is how I would describe the process of this translation. I have only short of had nightmares about Faiz questioning me as to what I think I was doing with his poem.
More than ever I now believe in what A.K. Ramanujan said: A translation is like a wife, it can either be beautiful or faithful. (I'm not quoting because I could have jumbled some words but the effect is right. My knowledge of the same=courtesy Bali-a good friend).
Now as most men, I have succumbed to greed and I want both at the risk of getting neither. In any case here is the outcome.
The original followed by the translation:
Hum ke Thehre ajanabii itane madaaraato.n ke baad
Phir bane.nge aashnaa kitanii mulaaqaato.n ke baad
Kab nazar me.n aayegii bedaaG sabze kii bahaar
Khuun ke dhabbe dhule.nge kitanii barasaato.n ke baad
Dil to chaahaa par shikast-e-dil ne mohalat hii na dii
Kuchh gile-shikave bhii kar lete munaajaato.n ke baad
The bahut bedard lamhe.n Khatm-e-dard-e-ishq ke
Thii.n bahut bemahar subahe.n meharabaa.N raato.n ke baad
Un se jo kahane gaye the "Faiz" jaa.N sadaqaa kiye
Anakahii hii rah ga_ii vo bat sab baato.n ke baad
Hospitalities exchanged, yet we who strangers stay
With how many encounters, shall amiability display?
After how many rains, shall the blood stains fade,
And when, in our sight, shall unspotted fields sway?
All that the heart desired, its breaking permitted not,
No grievance did those contained praises betray.
Merciless were moments, that witnessed the end of pain,
Benevolent nights brought in a cruel break of day.
That which, on your life, you determined to convey
Unspoken on your lips, Faiz, the decided words lay
More than ever I now believe in what A.K. Ramanujan said: A translation is like a wife, it can either be beautiful or faithful. (I'm not quoting because I could have jumbled some words but the effect is right. My knowledge of the same=courtesy Bali-a good friend).
Now as most men, I have succumbed to greed and I want both at the risk of getting neither. In any case here is the outcome.
The original followed by the translation:
Hum ke Thehre ajanabii itane madaaraato.n ke baad
Phir bane.nge aashnaa kitanii mulaaqaato.n ke baad
Kab nazar me.n aayegii bedaaG sabze kii bahaar
Khuun ke dhabbe dhule.nge kitanii barasaato.n ke baad
Dil to chaahaa par shikast-e-dil ne mohalat hii na dii
Kuchh gile-shikave bhii kar lete munaajaato.n ke baad
The bahut bedard lamhe.n Khatm-e-dard-e-ishq ke
Thii.n bahut bemahar subahe.n meharabaa.N raato.n ke baad
Un se jo kahane gaye the "Faiz" jaa.N sadaqaa kiye
Anakahii hii rah ga_ii vo bat sab baato.n ke baad
Hospitalities exchanged, yet we who strangers stay
With how many encounters, shall amiability display?
After how many rains, shall the blood stains fade,
And when, in our sight, shall unspotted fields sway?
All that the heart desired, its breaking permitted not,
No grievance did those contained praises betray.
Merciless were moments, that witnessed the end of pain,
Benevolent nights brought in a cruel break of day.
That which, on your life, you determined to convey
Unspoken on your lips, Faiz, the decided words lay
Labels:
Faiz Ahmed Faiz,
hum ke thehre ajnabi,
poetry,
translation,
urdu
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