Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. A series of posts shows how urdu has cut across lines of religion and mother tongue. The series on non-muslim poets is just as rich as that on muslim poets. Similarly, under “n’aat-e masiihi” are odes to Christ composed in urdu, by Christians of different language backgrounds. haakim singh raahi (1936-xxxx), with a hindu background, probably with punjabi as his mother tongue is writing about the sacrifice of Christ in urdu.
1
ulfat¹ meN aasiyoN² ki vo kya kya na kar gaye
kaaNToN ka taaj pahne sar-e daar³ mar gaye    1.love 2.sinners 3.gallows
O, what all did he did he not do for the love of (even) sinners. He put on a crown of thorns and gave up his life on the gallows.
2
insaan ko najaat¹ ka rasta bata diya
vo kis qadar² jahaan par ehsaan³ kar gaye    1.deliverance, forgiveness 2.much, quantity 3.benevolence
He showed the way of deliverance to humanity. O, how much has he not granted to the world.
3
aaina un ke husn¹ ka jab ban gayi nazar
aalam² ke saare naqsh³ yakayak ubhar gaye     1.beauty 2.glory 3.sketch, picture
When my eyes (like a mirror) reflected his glory, suddenly all the scheme of the universe became clear.
4
eesa¹ ke aastaaN² pe jabiN³ jab se jhuk gayi
sab pech-o-Kham⁴ naseeb⁵ ke apne sanwar gaye    1.Jesus 2.threshold 3.forehead, head 4.twists and turns 5.fate
Ever since my head bowed at the door of Jesus, all the twists and turns of fate were straightened out.
5
raahi¹ nuqoosh-e-paa² haiN abhi tak nazar-faroz³
un raastoN ko choom lo eesa⁴ jidhar gaye    1.pen name of the poet 2.footprints 3.shining before eyes 4.Jesus
O, raahi, even now, Jesus’ footprints shine brightly before our eyes. Kiss the path that Jesus took.