Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. sahir ludhianavi (1921-1980) progressive poet writing in chaste yet relatively easily understood urdu. He brought the quality of urdu nazm to movie songs and raised the standards to a high level. Supported labour movements.
1
dabegi kab talak aavaaz-e aadam¹ hum bhi dekheNge
rukeNge kab talak jazbaat²-e barham³ hum bhi dekheNge
chalo yuNhi sahi ye jaur⁴-e paiham⁵ hum bhi dekheNge     1.humanity 2.sentiments, emotions 3.aroused, angry 4.oppression 5.continuous
How long will the voice/demands of humanity remain suppressed, we will see. How long will these aroused passions be in control, we will see. Keep up your constant oppression, we will see (how long you can keep it up).
2
dar¹-e zindaaN² se dekheN ya urooj³-e daar⁴ se dekheN
tumheN rusvaa⁵ sar-e baazaar-e aalam⁶ hum bhi dekheNge
zara dam lo ma’aal⁷-e shaukat⁸-e jam⁹ hum bhi dekheNge   1.door 2.prison 3.height 4.hanging platform 5.shamed, regretful 6.world 7.result 8.grandeur, pomp 9.jamshed, legendary absolute monarch
Whether we see it from the prison door or from atop the hangman’s platform, we will see you shamed/defeated in the open bazaar before everyone in the world. Just wait for a short time, we will see the consequences (punishment) of the pomp of royalty.
3
ye zo’am¹-e quvvat²-e faulaad³ o aahan⁴ dekh lo tum bhi
ba-faiz⁵-e jazba⁶-e imaan⁷-e mohkam⁸ hum bhi dekheNge
jabin⁹-e kaj-kulaahi¹⁰ Khaak par Kham¹¹ hum bhi dekheNge   1.confidence 2.strength, power 3.iron 4.steel 5.with the blessing 6.passion 8.unshakable, firm 9.forehead 10.slanted cap, haughty, vain 11.bent
You look carefully at our confidence in our power, strong like iron and steel. With the blessings of passionate and unshakable faith (in justice), we will see your proud/vain forehead bowed/bent to the earth.
4
mukaafaat¹-e amal² taariKh³-e insaaN ki rivaayat⁴ hai
karoge kab talak naavak⁵ faraaham⁶ hum bhi dekheNge
kahaaN tak hai tumhaare zulm⁷ meN dam hum bhi dekheNge   1.retribution 2.actions 3.history 4.tradition 5.arrows 6.obtain, gather 7.oppression
It is the tradition of history that all will face retribution for their actions. We will see how long you can keep shooting arrows at us. How mush stamina/staying power your oppression has, we will see.
5
ye haNgaam¹-e vidaa²-e shab³ hai aye zulmat⁴ ke farzando⁵
sahar⁶ ke dosh⁷ par gulnaar⁸ parcham hum bhi dekheNge
tumheN bhi dekhna hoga ye aalam⁹ hum bhi dekheNge    1.time of 2.departure, farewell 3.night, injustice 4.darkness 5.children 6.dawn 7.shoulder 8.red 9.condition
This is the time of the passing of the dark/oppressive night, O, children of darkness. Surely, we will get to see the red (socialist) flag on the shoulder of dawn. You will also have to see this, we too will see.