This poem was translated by Professor Carlo Coppola as part of the MULOSIGE Translations project. You can explore our collection of Urdu Poetry here.

Professor Carlo Coppola, Oakland University

Mashʻal the shajar-i ẓulmat / The moon and those stars

The moon and those stars—candles on the sea of darkness—were broken;

O storm, the funny thing is: the anchor of the boat, too, was broken.

.

My despondent heart was not affected by your glance;

It was as if these delicate daggers were blunted on an insensible piece of wax.

.

What mourning can there be for those hopes, when they come into the heart, burn to ashes.

What’s the use of the sky crying for stars which burn for a moment, then fall?

.

I used to cry for tears; now I am crying often;

I didn’t even have a gem before; now I have thousands which I break and throw away.

.

All crystal and goblets were dancing from the intoxication of my eyes alone;

All crystal and gibbets were broken from the heat [anger] of my eyes alone.

.

This, godly throne of love, O Bird of Paradise [Gabriel], is mine; come to your senses.

Even the wings of imagination were broken in that rather useless attempt.

.

You, suffering from the sorrow of love, O Jazbi, cannot believe that

Knives are being broken in that heart in which even stones were broken!

.
            1937

.

From:  Firozān̲ (Resplendent Things). ʻAlīgaṛh: Anjuman Taraqqī-yi Urdū (Hind), 1960. pp. 75 – 76

             

The moon and those stars—candles on the sea of darkness—were broken;

O storm, the funny thing is: the anchor of the boat, too, was broken.

.

My despondent heart was not affected by your glance;

It was as if these delicate daggers were blunted on an insensible piece of wax.

.

What mourning can there be for those hopes, when they come into the heart, burn to ashes.

What’s the use of the sky crying for stars which burn for a moment, then fall?

.

I used to cry for tears; now I am crying often;

I didn’t even have a gem before; now I have thousands which I break and throw away.

.

All crystal and goblets were dancing from the intoxication of my eyes alone;

All crystal and gibbets were broken from the heat [anger] of my eyes alone.

.

This, godly throne of love, O Bird of Paradise [Gabriel], is mine; come to your senses.

Even the wings of imagination were broken in that rather useless attempt.

.

You, suffering from the sorrow of love, O Jazbi, cannot believe that

Knives are being broken in that heart in which even stones were broken!

.
            1937

.

From:  Firozān̲ (Resplendent Things). ʻAlīgaṛh: Anjuman Taraqqī-yi Urdū (Hind), 1960. pp. 75 – 76