This poem was translated by Professor Carlo Coppola as part of the MULOSIGE Translations project. You can explore our collection of Urdu Poetry here.
Ek nag̲h̲mah karbalā-i bairūt ke liye / A Threnody for the Karbala of Beirut
Beirut—Portrait of the feast of the world
Beirut—Heart of the garden of Paradise
Those shattered mirrors once
The laughing eyes of children
Are now the twinkling of stars
The nights of this city are illuminated
And the land of Lebanon is resplendent
Beirut—Portrait of the feast of the world
Whose face is decorated with blood
Ravishing beyond beauty
Now this city’s lanes
Are lit with their dazzling splendour
And the land of Lebanon is luminous
Every desolate house, every single ruin
Is more magnificent than Darius’ palace
Every fighter more valiant than Alexander
Every daughter is Laila’s equal in beauty
This city existed from the beginning of time
This city will exist till the end of time
Beirut—Heart of the land of Lebanon
Beirut—Portrait of the feast of the world
Beirut—Heart of the garden of Paradise
.
Beirut ∙ June 1982
From: Ghubār-i ayyām (Dust of Passing Days). pp. 10 – 11
Beirut—Portrait of the feast of the world
Beirut—Heart of the garden of Paradise
Those shattered mirrors once
The laughing eyes of children
Are now the twinkling of stars
The nights of this city are illuminated
And the land of Lebanon is resplendent
Beirut—Portrait of the feast of the world
Whose face is decorated with blood
Ravishing beyond beauty
Now this city’s lanes
Are lit with their dazzling splendour
And the land of Lebanon is luminous
Every desolate house, every single ruin
Is more magnificent than Darius’ palace
Every fighter more valiant than Alexander
Every daughter is Laila’s equal in beauty
This city existed from the beginning of time
This city will exist till the end of time
Beirut—Heart of the land of Lebanon
Beirut—Portrait of the feast of the world
Beirut—Heart of the garden of Paradise
.
Beirut ∙ June 1982
From: Ghubār-i ayyām (Dust of Passing Days). pp. 10 – 11
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