This highway of humankind, the road of life

Carrying the heavy burden of thousands of years;

On the forehead this conspicuous writing of History’s Calligrapher,

Embracing innumerable impressions of feet 

Beneath the dust of passing time,

Hiding the brightness of a beautiful body, 

Cradling the states of the past culture 

In its embrace like a young mother.

.

This highway of humankind, this road of life

Carrying the heaven burden of thousands of years;

Jenghis, Nadir, and Timur have passed from here

.

With lighted, blood-soaked torches.

The caravans of slave boys and slave girls came,

Soaked in their own blood,

Carrying on their broken shoulders the Wall of China,

Holding on their heads the pyramids of Egypt,

The pompous processions of sheikhdom and the majesty of Brahmanism

Hiding the fires of lust in their breasts,

The lengthy shadow of ignorance

Waking the darkness of superstition,

The parties of cunning merchants of the white nations

Decorating their shop with deceit and fraud,

The crowds of defeated political beggars

Bowing their broken necks in veneration,

Travellers shattered with sorrows, the tired passers-by

Extinguishing the lamp of the soul and the lotuses of the heart.

.

This road of humanity, this highway of life

Carrying the heavy burden of thousands of years.

Now there come new caravans from a fresh horizon

Raising the colourful flame of Time’s lamp,

The armies of revolts, the troops of revolution,

With their feet rooted to the earth and eyes to heaven,

Waving their flags of victory’s pride in the air,

Holding aloft the banners of persistence and resolve,

Holding the sun and moon in the palms of their hands, 

Pressing the beautiful sphere of the earth under their arm.

Rise up! Mix with these caravans 

Which have turned the stages [of the journey] into the journey’s dust. 

March on! O heroes of my country, 

O heroes of my country, march on!

.

28 December 1946

.

From: Naʼī dunyā ko salām aur jamhūr , 1947. pp. 153 – 55