For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
Sam Cooke
اے چینج اِز گونّہ کم ۔ سام کُک
آزاد اُردو ترجمہ ۔ یہ دن پلٹ جائیں گے ۔ شاہدؔ
۱
یہی ہے وہ دریا کہ جس کے کنارے
دست و پا بستہ اَجداد بیچے گئے
وہیں پر اُسی جھونپڑی میں ہی میں
پیدا ہوا اور یہ دریا کی صورت
میں چلتا رہا ہوں بہت دیر سے
لمبی مگر ہے رہِ جستجو
۲
مگر جانتا ہوں کہ یہ دن پلٹ جائیں گے
یقیں ہے، یقیں ہے، بدل جائیں گے
بارِ گراں ہی سہی زندگی
مگر موت کا خوف بھی ہے قوی
نہیں جانتا کیا ملے گا وہاں
فلک دور ہے پار جانا جہاں
میں چلتا رہا ہوں بہت دیر سے
لمبی مگر ہے رہِ جستجو
۳
مگر جانتا ہوں کہ یہ دن پلٹ جائیں گے
یقیں ہے، یقیں ہے، بدل جائیں گے
باغ و گلزار کی گشت کرنے کو نکلا جو میں
کسی نے کہا یہ تیری جا نہیں
دھتکار دے کر نکالا مجھے
میں چلتا رہا ہوں بہت دیر سے
لمبی مگر ہے رہِ جستجو
۴
مگر جانتا ہوں کہ یہ دن پلٹ جائیں گے
یقیں ہے، یقیں ہے، بدل جائیں گے
غربت کے مارے سوالی ہوا
طلب کی برادر سے اِمداد کی
مگر اُس نے ایسا جو دھکّا دیا
میں گھٹنوں کے بل گر کے رسوا ہوا
وقت ایسا بھی گزرا ہے مجھ پر کہ جب
سوچتا تھا کہ میں اُٹھ نہ پاؤں گا اب
مگر اب یہ ہمّت بندھی ہے کہ چلتا رہوں
لمبی بہت ہے رہِ جستجو، اور چلتا رہوں
۵
میں چلتا رہا ہوں بہت دیر سے
لمبی مگر ہے رہِ جستجو
مگر جانتا ہوں کہ یہ دن پلٹ جائیں گے
یقیں ہے، یقیں ہے، بدل جائیں گے
ए चेंज इज़ गोन्ना कम – सैम कुक
आज़ाद उर्दू तर्जुमा – ये दिन पलट जाएंगे – शाहेद
१
यही है वो दर्या के जिस के किनारे
दस्त-ओ-पा-बस्ता अज्दाद बेचे गए
वहीं पर उसी झोंपढी हि में मैं
पैदा हुआ और ये दर्या की सूरत
मैं चलता रहा हूं बहुत देर से
लम्बी मगर है रह-ए जुस्तजू
२
मगर जान्ता हूं के ये दिन पलट जाएंगे
यक़ीं है, यक़ीं है, बदल जाएंगे
बार-ए गिरां ही सही ज़िन्दगी
मगर मौत का ख़ौफ़ भी है क़वी
नहीं जान्ता क्या मिलेगा वहां
फ़लक दूर है पार जाना जहां
मैं चलता रहा हूं बहुत देर से
लम्बी मगर है रह-ए जुस्तजू
३
मगर जान्ता हूं के ये दिन पलट जाएंगे
यक़ीं है, यक़ीं है, बदल जाएंगे
बाग़ ओ गुल्ज़ार की गश्त करने को निकला जो मैं
किसी ने कहा ये तेरी जा नहीं
धुतकार दे कर निकाला मुझे
मैं चलता रहा हूं बहुत देर से
लम्बी मगर है रह-ए जुस्तजू
४
मगर जान्ता हूं के ये दिन पलट जाएंगे
यक़ीं है, यक़ीं है, बदल जाएंगे
ग़ुर्बत के मारे सवाली हुआ
तलब की बरादर से इम्दाद की
मगर उस ने ऐसा जो धक्का दिया
मैं घुटनौं के बल गिर के रुस्वा हुआ
वक़्त ऐसा भी गुज़्रा है मुझ पर के जब
सोचता था के मैं उठ न पाऊंगा अब
मगर अब ये हिम्मत बंधी है के चलता रहूं
लम्बी बहुत है रह-ए जुस्तजू, और चलता रहूं
५
मैं चलता रहा हूं बहुत देर से
लम्बी मगर है रह-ए जुस्तजू
मगर जान्ता हूं के ये दिन पलट जाएंगे
यक़ीं है, यक़ीं है, बदल जाएंगे
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. Sam Cooke (1931-1964) singer, songwriter, composer. In this song he is not very explicit about his heritage of slavery or about racial discrimination but the allusion is all the more poignant because of it. Obama used the phrase in his victory speech in Chicago and the song was performed at his first inaugural. shahed (1944-living) has translated/recomposed this in urdu, taking some liberties.
1
yahi hai vo darya1 keh jis ke kinaare
dast2 o paa3 basta4 ajdaad5 beche gaye
vahiN par usi jhoNpRi meN hi maiN
paida hua aur yeh darya1 ki suurat6
maiN chalta raha huN bahut der se
lambi magar hai rah7-e justaju8 1.river 2.hands 3.feet 4.tied 5.forebears, ancestors 6.like, similar to 7.path 8.search, goal
This is the river on the banks of which, hands and feet tied, my forebears were sold into slavery. Over there in that hut was I born and just like the river, I have been running all this long. But the path to the goal is long.
2
magar jaanta huN keh ye din palaT1 jaayeNge
yaqiiN2 hai, yaqiiN hai, badal jaayeNge
baar3-e giraaN4 hi sahi zindagi
magar maut5 ka Khauf6 bhi hai qavi7
nahiN jaanta kya milega vahaaN
falak8 duur hai paar jaana jahaaN
maiN chalta raha huN bahut der se
lambi magar hai rah9-e justaju10 1.turn back, change 2.certain 3.burden 4.heavy 5.death 6.fear 7.strong 8.sky 9.path 10.search, goal
But I know that the times will change. I am sure, I am sure that they will change. Life may be a heavy burden, but the fear of death is also strong. I don’t know what there is beyond the sky where I have to go. I have been running all this long. But the path to the goal is long.
3
magar jaanta huN keh ye din palaT1 jaayeNge
yaqiiN2 hai, yaqiiN hai, badal jaayeNge
baaGh3 o gulzaar4 ki gusht5 karne ko nikla jo maiN
kisi ne kahaa ye teri jaa6 nahiN
dhutkaar7 de kar nikaala mujhe
maiN chalta raha huN bahut der se
lambi magar hai rah8-e justaju9 1.turn back, change 2.certain 3.park 4.flowering garden 5.walk, stroll 6.place 7.abuse 8.path 9.search, goal
But I know that the times will change. I am sure, I am sure that they will change. When I went for a stroll in the garden, they told me that it was not my place. They abused and sent me away. I have been running all this long. But the path to the goal is long.
4
magar jaanta huN keh ye din palaT1 jaayeNge
yaqiiN2 hai, yaqiiN hai, badal jaayeNge
Ghurbat3 ke maare savaali4 hua
talab5 kii baraadar se imdaad6 ki
magar us ne aisa jo dhakka diya
maiN ghuTnoN ke bal gir ke rusvaa6 hua
vaqt aisa bhi guzra7 hai mujh par ke jab
sochta tha keh maiN uTh na paauNga ab
magar ab yeh himmat8 bandhi hai keh chalta rahuN
lambi magar hai rah9-e justaju10, aur chalta rahuN 1.turn back, change 2.certain 3.need, poverty 4.ask (for help) 5.ask, demand 6.ashamed, insulted 7.passed, happened 8.courage 9.path 10.search, goal
But I know that the times will change. I am sure, I am sure that they will change. Forced by need, I sought help. I asked my brother, but he shoved me so hard that I fell on my knees, insulted. I have passed through such as a time as when I thought that I would never be able to get up. But now I have the courge to walk again. The path to the goal is long, I should keep walking.
5
maiN chalta raha huN bahut der se
lambi magar hai rah1-e justaju2
magar jaanta huN keh ye din palaT3 jaayeNge
yaqiiN4 hai, yaqiiN hai, badal jaayeNge 1.path 2.search, goal 3.turn back, change 4.certain
I have been running all this long. But the path to the goal is long. But I know that the times will change. I am sure, I am sure that they will change.
Sam Cooke (1931-1964) singer, songwriter, composer. In this song he is not very explicit about his heritage of slavery or about racial discrimination but the allusion is all the more poignant because of it. Obama used the phrase in his victory speech in Chicago and the song was performed at his first inaugural. shahed (1944-living) has translated/recomposed this in urdu, taking some liberties.
1
yahi hai vo darya1 keh jis ke kinaare
dast2 o paa3 basta4 ajdaad5 beche gaye
vahiN par usi jhoNpRi meN hi maiN
paida hua aur yeh darya1 ki suurat6
maiN chalta raha huN bahut der se
lambi magar hai rah7-e justaju8
1.river 2.hands 3.feet 4.tied 5.forebears, ancestors 6.like, similar to 7.path 8.search, goal
This is the river on the banks of which, hands and feet tied, my forebears were sold into slavery. Over there in that hut was I born and just like the river, I have been running all this long. But the path to the goal is long.
2
magar jaanta huN keh ye din palaT1 jaayeNge
yaqiiN2 hai, yaqiiN hai, badal jaayeNge
baar3-e giraaN4 hi sahi zindagi
magar maut5 ka Khauf6 bhi hai qavi7
nahiN jaanta kya milega vahaaN
falak8 duur hai paar jaana jahaaN
maiN chalta raha huN bahut der se
lambi magar hai rah9-e justaju10
1.turn back, change 2.certain 3.burden 4.heavy 5.death 6.fear 7.strong 8.sky 9.path 10.search, goal
But I know that the times will change. I am sure, I am sure that they will change. Life may be a heavy burden, but the fear of death is also strong. I don’t know what there is beyond the sky where I have to go. I have been running all this long. But the path to the goal is long.
3
magar jaanta huN keh ye din palaT1 jaayeNge
yaqiiN2 hai, yaqiiN hai, badal jaayeNge
baaGh3 o gulzaar4 ki gusht5 karne ko nikla jo maiN
kisi ne kahaa ye teri jaa6 nahiN
dhutkaar7 de kar nikaala mujhe
maiN chalta raha huN bahut der se
lambi magar hai rah8-e justaju9
1.turn back, change 2.certain 3.park 4.flowering garden 5.walk, stroll 6.place 7.abuse 8.path 9.search, goal
But I know that the times will change. I am sure, I am sure that they will change. When I went for a stroll in the garden, they told me that it was not my place. They abused and sent me away. I have been running all this long. But the path to the goal is long.
4
magar jaanta huN keh ye din palaT1 jaayeNge
yaqiiN2 hai, yaqiiN hai, badal jaayeNge
Ghurbat3 ke maare savaali4 hua
talab5 kii baraadar se imdaad6 ki
magar us ne aisa jo dhakka diya
maiN ghuTnoN ke bal gir ke rusvaa6 hua
vaqt aisa bhi guzra7 hai mujh par ke jab
sochta tha keh maiN uTh na paauNga ab
magar ab yeh himmat8 bandhi hai keh chalta rahuN
lambi magar hai rah9-e justaju10, aur chalta rahuN
1.turn back, change 2.certain 3.need, poverty 4.ask (for help) 5.ask, demand 6.ashamed, insulted 7.passed, happened 8.courage 9.path 10.search, goal
But I know that the times will change. I am sure, I am sure that they will change. Forced by need, I sought help. I asked my brother, but he shoved me so hard that I fell on my knees, insulted. I have passed through such as a time as when I thought that I would never be able to get up. But now I have the courge to walk again. The path to the goal is long, I should keep walking.
5
maiN chalta raha huN bahut der se
lambi magar hai rah1-e justaju2
magar jaanta huN keh ye din palaT3 jaayeNge
yaqiiN4 hai, yaqiiN hai, badal jaayeNge
1.path 2.search, goal 3.turn back, change 4.certain
I have been running all this long. But the path to the goal is long. But I know that the times will change. I am sure, I am sure that they will change.
1
I was born by the river, in a little tent
Oh, and just like the river
I’ve been running ever since
It’s been a long
A long time coming
2
But I know a change gonna come
Oh, yes it will
It’s been too hard living
But I’m afraid to die
‘Cause I don’t know what’s up there
Beyond the sky
It’s been a long
A long time coming
3
But I know a change gonna come
Oh, yes it will
I go to the movie
And I go downtown
Somebody keep telling me
Don’t hang around
It’s been a long
A long time coming
4
But I know, a change gonna come
Oh, yes it will
Then I go to my brother
And I say, brother, help me please
But he winds up, knockin’ me
Back down on my knees
Oh, there been times that I thought
I couldn’t last for long
But now I think I’m able, to carry on
5
It’s been a long
A long time coming
But I know a change gonna come
Oh, yes it will
