This poem was translated by Professor Carlo Coppola as part of the MULOSIGE Translations project. You can explore our collection of Urdu Poetry here.
Tanhāʼī / Solitude
Someone has come again, sad heart. No, no one.
A traveller, and he will soon go elsewhere.
Night has dwindled; clouds of stars have scattered;
In the rooms drowsy lamps have started to stagger;
Each path, keeping watch, has gone to sleep;
New sand has blotted out old foot-tracks.
Put out the candles; hide the wine, the jug and bowl.
Lock up your sleepless doors.
Now no one, no one will come here!
.
.
With C. M. Naim
From: Naqsh-i faryādī (Image of the Supplicant). Dihlī: Urdū Ghar, 1941. p. 73
Tanhāʼī is quoted in full in Urdu Poetry, 1935-1970
Someone has come again, sad heart. No, no one.
A traveller, and he will soon go elsewhere.
Night has dwindled; clouds of stars have scattered;
In the rooms drowsy lamps have started to stagger;
Each path, keeping watch, has gone to sleep;
New sand has blotted out old foot-tracks.
Put out the candles; hide the wine, the jug and bowl.
Lock up your sleepless doors.
Now no one, no one will come here!
.
With C. M. Naim
.
From: Naqsh-i faryādī (Image of the Supplicant). Dihlī: Urdū Ghar, 1941. p. 73
Tanhāʼī is quoted in full in Urdu Poetry, 1935-1970
Leave A Comment