There are many cities

More beautiful than this one;

But for us, they have no reality;

Pleasure and happiness are found only here;

Only here is life found.

We have suffered torments on this city’s roads;

In return for friendship and love

We have received contempt;

Still we do not want

To go anywhere else.

We are contented here.

We are not alone.

Those who have tortured,

Those who have suffered

Have lived together, will die together.

That’s life.

In the darkness we hear shrieks

Making our hearts shudder.

The dark clouds of ignorance

Gathered on our heads and rained.

That’s life.

Often, we have seen children and women

Captives in the steel net of tradition,

Writing, wailing, sobbing, dying.

We went through seasons of hell

We saw scenes of destruction;

Still we do not wish to go anywhere else.

It will not be surprising if, one day, 

The sun of Knowledge 

Will conquer dark-clouded Ignorance 

And dawn will break upon us. –

.

    December 1964

.

From: Dard kā shahr (City of Suffering). Lāhaur: Naʼī maṭbūʻāt. 1965. pp. 75 – 76

             

There are many cities

More beautiful than this one;

But for us, they have no reality;

Pleasure and happiness are found only here;

Only here is life found.

We have suffered torments on this city’s roads;

In return for friendship and love

We have received contempt;

Still we do not want

To go anywhere else.

We are contented here.

We are not alone.

Those who have tortured,

Those who have suffered

Have lived together, will die together.

That’s life.

In the darkness we hear shrieks

Making our hearts shudder.

The dark clouds of ignorance

Gathered on our heads and rained.

That’s life.

Often, we have seen children and women

Captives in the steel net of tradition,

Writing, wailing, sobbing, dying.

We went through seasons of hell

We saw scenes of destruction;

Still we do not wish to go anywhere else.

It will not be surprising if, one day, 

The sun of Knowledge 

Will conquer dark-clouded Ignorance 

And dawn will break upon us. –

.

    December 1964

.

From: Dard kā shahr (City of Suffering). Lāhaur: Naʼī maṭbūʻāt. 1965. pp. 75 – 76