For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
بیروت ۔ فیض احمد فیضؔ
۱
بیروت نگار بزم جہاں
بیروت بدیل باغ جناں
۲
بچوں کی ہنستی آنکھوں کے
جو آئینے چکنا چور ہوئے
اب ان کے ستاروں کی لو سے
اس شہر کی راتیں روشن ہیں
اور رخشاں ہے ارض لبناں
۳
بیروت نگار بزم جہاں
جو چہرے لہو کے غازے کی
زینت سے سوا پر نور ہوئے
اب ان کے رنگیں پرتو سے
اس شہر کی گلیاں روشن ہیں
اور تاباں ہے ارض لبناں
۴
بیروت نگار بزم جہاں
ہر ویراں گھر، ہر ایک کھنڈر
ہم پایۂ قصرِ دارا ہے
ہر غازی رشکِ اسکندر
ہر دختر ہمسرِ لیلیٰ ہے
یہ شہر ازل سے قائم ہے
یہ شہر ابد تک دائم ہے
۵
بیروت نگار بزم جہاں
بیروت بدیل باغ جناں
बैरूत – फ़ैज़ अहमद फ़ैज़
१
बैरूत निगार-ए बज़्म-ए जहाँ
बैरूत बदील-ए बाग़-ए जिनाँ
२
बच्चों की हँसती आँखों के
जो आइने चकना-चूर हुए
अब उन के सितारों की लौ से
इस शहर की रातें रौशन हैं
और रख़्शाँ है अर्ज़-ए लबनाँ
३
बैरूत निगार-ए बज़्म-ए जहाँ
जो चेहरे लहू के ग़ाज़े की
ज़ीनत से सिवा पुर-नूर हुए
अब उन के रंगीं परतव से
इस शहर की गलियाँ रौशन हैं
और ताबाँ है अर्ज़-ए लबनाँ
४
बैरूत निगार-ए बज़्म-ए जहाँ
हर वीराँ घर, हर एक खंडर
हम पाया-ए क़स्र-ए दारा है
हर ग़ाज़ी रश्क-ए अस्कंदर
हर दुख़्तर हम-सर-ए लैला है
ये शहर अज़ल से क़ाएम है
ये शहर अबद तक दाएम है
५
बैरूत निगार-ए बज़्म-ए जहाँ
बैरूत बदील-ए बाग़-ए जिनाँ
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. faiz ahmad faiz (1911-1984) nominated several times for the Nobel Prize. Awarded Lenin Peace Prize. Progressive, humanist, internationalist, rebel, free thinker. Jailed and exiled, he came back stronger every time. He composed this during his exile to beirut in 1982 and reflects the massacre in sabra and shaTiila refugee camps.
1
beirut nigaar1-e bazm2-e jahaaN3
beirut badiil4-e baaGh-e jinaaN5 .embellishment, jewel 2.gathering 3.world 4.substitute 5.heaven
beirut, the jewel of this crowded world. beirut, the substitute of the garden of Eden on earth.
2
bachchoN ki haNsti aaNkhoN ke
jo aaiine chaknaa-choor hue
ab un ke sitaaroN ki lau1 se
is shahr ki raateN raushan haiN
aur raKhshaaN2 hai arz3-e labnaaN .flame, glow 2.dazzling 3.land
The smiling eyes of children, shattered like glass. Now from the glow of their spirit the nights of this city are lit up and the land of labnaan dazzles.
3
beirut nigaar-e bazm-e jahaaN
jo chehre lahoo1 ke Ghaaze2 ki
ziinat3 se sivaa4 pur-noor5 hue
ab un ke raNgiN partav6 se
is shahr ki galiyaaN raushan haiN
aur taabaaN7 hai arz-e labnaaN .blood 2.rouge, make up 3.beauty 4.over and above, more 5.shining 6.reflection, image 7.shining, glittering
beirut, the jewel of this crowded world. Those faces, embellished and glowing even more with the rouge of their own blood. Those faces, whose beauty keeps increasing as they shine brilliantly. Now their beautiful images light up the streets of this city and the land of labnaan shines.
4
beirut nigaar-e bazm-e jahaaN
har viraaN1 ghar, har ek khaNDar2
ham3 paa4-e qasr5-e daaraa6 hai
har Ghaazi7 rashk8-e askandar9
har duKhtar10 ham-sar11-e lailaa12 hai
ye shahr azal13 se qaa’em14 hai
ye shahr abad15 tak daa’em16 hai .desolate, abandoned 2.ruins 3.same as, equal to 4.footing, standing 5.palace 6.Darius 7.victor, fighter 8.envy 9.Alexander 10.daughter, damsel 11.equal to 12.of laila majnuN legend 13.eternity-beginning 14.established 15.eternity-end 16.firm
beirut, the jewel of this crowded world. Every abandoned house, every ruin is like the palace of Darius. Every fighter the envy of Alexander. Every maiden the equal of laila. This city has been since eternity and will be till doomsday.
5
beirut nigaar1-e bazm2-e jahaaN3
beirut badiil4-e baaGh-e jinaaN5 .embellishment, jewel 2.gathering 3.world 4.substitute 5.heaven
beirut, the jewel of this crowded world. beirut, the substitute of the garden of Eden on earth.
faiz ahmad faiz (1911-1984) nominated several times for the Nobel Prize. Awarded Lenin Peace Prize. Progressive, humanist, internationalist, rebel, free thinker. Jailed and exiled, he came back stronger every time. He composed this during his exile to beirut in 1982 and reflects the massacre in sabra and shaTiila refugee camps.
1
beirut nigaar1-e bazm2-e jahaaN3
beirut badiil4-e baaGh-e jinaaN5
1.embellishment, jewel 2.gathering 3.world 4.substitute 5.heaven
beirut, the jewel of this crowded world. beirut, the substitute of the garden of Eden on earth.
2
bachchoN ki haNsti aaNkhoN ke
jo aaiine chaknaa-choor hue
ab un ke sitaaroN ki lau1 se
is shahr ki raateN raushan haiN
aur raKhshaaN2 hai arz3-e labnaaN
1.flame, glow 2.dazzling 3.land
The smiling eyes of children, shattered like glass. Now from the glow of their spirit the nights of this city are lit up and the land of labnaan dazzles.
3
beirut nigaar-e bazm-e jahaaN
jo chehre lahoo1 ke Ghaaze2 ki
ziinat3 se sivaa4 pur-noor5 hue
ab un ke raNgiN partav6 se
is shahr ki galiyaaN raushan haiN
aur taabaaN7 hai arz-e labnaaN
1.blood 2.rouge, make up 3.beauty 4.over and above, more 5.shining 6.reflection, image 7.shining, glittering
beirut, the jewel of this crowded world. Those faces, embellished and glowing even more with the rouge of their own blood. Those faces, whose beauty keeps increasing as they shine brilliantly. Now their beautiful images light up the streets of this city and the land of labnaan shines.
4
beirut nigaar-e bazm-e jahaaN
har viraaN1 ghar, har ek khaNDar2
ham3 paa4-e qasr5-e daaraa6 hai
har Ghaazi7 rashk8-e askandar9
har duKhtar10 ham-sar11-e lailaa12 hai
ye shahr azal13 se qaa’em14 hai
ye shahr abad15 tak daa’em16 hai
1.desolate, abandoned 2.ruins 3.same as, equal to 4.footing, standing 5.palace 6.Darius 7.victor, fighter 8.envy 9.Alexander 10.daughter, damsel 11.equal to 12.of laila majnuN legend 13.eternity-beginning 14.established 15.eternity-end 16.firm
beirut, the jewel of this crowded world. Every abandoned house, every ruin is like the palace of Darius. Every fighter the envy of Alexander. Every maiden the equal of laila. This city has been since eternity and will be till doomsday.
5
beirut nigaar1-e bazm2-e jahaaN3
beirut badiil4-e baaGh-e jinaaN5
1.embellishment, jewel 2.gathering 3.world 4.substitute 5.heaven
beirut, the jewel of this crowded world. beirut, the substitute of the garden of Eden on earth.
Trans. Karima Brooke,
Sept. 2020, following the explosion in Beirut 04.08.20
Beirut, jewel of this frantic world!
Beirut, garden of heaven on earth!
Children’s laughter has been stolen from them,
their eyes are reflected in shattered mirrors.
The light of stars is outshone by flames
in the night sky of this city,
once the beacon of the land of Lebanon.
Beirut, jewel of this frantic world!
Bloody bandages
are now the only coloured decoration
of faces seen in the streets
of this city, renowned for its beauty
in the bright land of Lebanon.
Beirut, jewel of this frantic world!
Every now deserted house, every ruin
will rise once more to be Darius’ palace,
every young man, an Alexander
every young woman, a Leila.
This city has existed since time immemorial.
This city is eternal.
Beirut, jewel of this frantic world!
Beirut, garden of heaven on earth!
