sipahi ka marsia – faiz ahmed faiz

Click here for overall comments and on any passage for meanings and discussion.  Many sentiments here are similar to “jaane vaale sipahi se poochho” of maKhdoom mohiuddin. This composition also illustrates the range of language that faiz employs – from chaste Persianized Urdu to colloquial Urdu/Hindi/Punjabi.

uTTho ab maaTi se uTho, jaago mere laal
ab jaago mere laal
tumri sej¹ sajavan kaaran²
dekho aai rayn³ andhyaaran 1.bed 2.because of, for the sake of 3.night
Arise now, arise from the lowly dust, rise, my precious. Now awake, my loved one. To make your bed, see how the dark night arrives …

neele shaal doshaale lekar
jin meN in dukhyan akhyan ne
Dher kye haiN itne moti
itne moti jinki jyoti daan⁴ se tumra
jag jag laaga naam chamakne4.grant, benevolence
… bearing blue shawls and blankets in which are gathered a heap of pearls, so many pearls whose light radiates and grants you such brilliance that your name shines across the world. The blue shawl is the blue sky, and stars are the heap of pearls – the broken hearted mother’s tears. She has been crying night after night gathering this heap. These pearls/stars shine proclaiming the glory of her lost son.

ab uTTho maaTi se uTho jaago mere laal
ab jaago mere laal
ghar ghar bikhra bhor¹ ka kundan²
ghor andhera³ apna aaNgan1.dawn 2.bright, sliver 3.pitch black darkness
Rise from the dust now, awake my precious. Now, arise my loved one. Silvery dawn spreads in every home, but gloomy darkness reigns over your abode.

jaane kab se raah take haiN
baali dulhania⁴ baaNke veeran⁵
soona⁶ tumra raaj paRa hai
dekho kitna kaaj⁷ paRa hai4.bride 5.young children 6.lonely, abandoned 7.work
For long they wait for you, your lovely wife, your bonny children. So hushed, subdued is your ken and theirs. Look, there is so much work to be done.

bairi¹ bairaje² raaj siNghaasan³
tum maaTi meN laal
uTTho ab maaTi se uTho, jaago mere laal
haT⁴ na karo maaTi se uTho, jaago mere laal
ab jaago mere laal1.others 2.sit on 3.royal throne 4.obstinacy
Others ride high, preen on thrones. You are left wallowing in the dust. Come arise from the dust, wake my precious, my son. Be not wayward, arise from the dust! Awaken dear heart. Yes now, arise my jewel.