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Recitation
War(s) and Such
Zakiah Sayeed Ali
Why do we have to have borders and wars everywhere?
Doesn’t the earth belong to you and me?
So much darkness in so many hearts!
Why are the clothes of this world,
Stained by man’s blood.
Screams echo through the corridors of my soul
Shattered words of love
Cling helplessly in vacant eyes ~~
Why are there locks on every heart?
Why is there rust on every lock?
Why are there borders everywhere?
جنگ ۔ سید محمد شاہد
زکیہ سعید علی کی نظم سے متاثر ہو کر
۱
شاداب یہ زمیں ہماری
بے کراں آسماں ہمارا
تو اِس زمیں پر بتا دے کوئی
حدود کیوں ہیں، یہ جنگ کیوں ہے
۲
زمیں تو تیری بھی اور میری
تو پھر یہ دِل اِتنا تنگ کیوں ہے
جو اِس جہاں کا وسیع ہے دامن
تو اِس پہ خوں کا یہ رنگ کیوں ہے
۳
دِلوں کے ایواں میں گونجتی ہیں جو یہ صدائیں
تو اِن میں نفرت بھری ہوئی یہ ترنگ کیوں ہے
جو حق کی آنکھوں سے ہو ظہورِ طریقِ صلح
تو پھر یہ نظروں میں اِتنی نفرت کا ڈھنگ کیوں ہے
یہ کیوں دِلوں پر لگے ہیں تالے
یہ بند تالوں پہ زنگ کیوں ہے
۴
شاداب یہ زمیں ہماری
بے کراں آسماں ہمارا
تو اِس زمیں پر بتا دے کوئی
حدود کیوں ہیں، یہ جنگ کیوں ہے
जंग – सय्यद महम्मद शाहेद
ज़किया सईद अली का नज़्म से मुतास्सिर हो कर
१
शादाब ये ज़मीं हमारी
बेकरां आस्मां हमारा
तो इस ज़मीं पर बता दे कोई
हुदूद क्यूं हैं, ये जंग क्यूं है
२
ज़मीं तो तेरी भी और मेरी
तो फिर ये दिल इतना तंग क्यूं है
जो इस जहां का वस’ई है दामन
तो इस पे ख़ूं का ये रंग क्यूं है
३
दिलौं के ऐवां में गूंजती हैं जो ये सदाएं
तो इन में नफ़्रत भरी हुई ये तरंग क्यूं है
जो हक़ कि आंखौं से हो ज़हूर-ए तरीक़-ए सुलह
तो फिर ये नज़्रौं में इतनी नफ़्रत का ढंग क्यूं है
ये क्यूं दिलौं पर लगे हैं ताले
ये बंद तालौं पे ज़ंग क्यूं है
४
शादाब ये ज़मीं हमारी
बेकरां आस्मां हमारा
तो इस ज़मीं पर बता दे कोई
हुदूद क्यूं हैं, ये जंग क्यूं है
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. syed mohammed shahed (1944-alive and kicking) is/was an engineer with 50 years of research in automotive air pollution control technology. He came to urdu late in life with no formal education in the language. This website is his attempt to learn urdu. This nazm is a translation/re-composition of zakiah sayeed ali’s poem War(s) and Such. zakiah lives in Illinois and has published two books with her anecdotes, essays and poems.
1
shaadaab1 ye zamiN hamaari
be-karaaN2 aasmaaN hamaara
to is zamiN par bata de koii
hudood3 kyuN haiN, ye jaNg kyuN hai 1.verdant, productive 2.infinite, vast 3.boundaries
This verdant earth that is ours. The sky overhead that is infintie. Why do we boundaries. Why do we have wars.
2
zamiN to teri bhi aur meri bhi
to phir ye dil itna taNg1 kyuN hai
jo is jahaaN ka vas’ee2 hai daaman3
to is pe KhuN ka ye raNg kyuN hai 1.narrow 2.vast 3.hem of robe/dress
This earth is yours and mine too. Then why are hearts so narrow. The apron of this earth is vast, why then is its hem coloured in blood.
3
dilauN ke aivaaN1 meN gooNjti haiN jo ye sadaa’eN2
to in meN nafrat3 bhari hui ye taraNg4 kyuN hai
jo haq5 ki aaNkhoN se ho zahoor6-e tariq7-e sulh8
to phir ye nazroN meN itni nafrat3 ka DhaNg9 kyuN hai
ye kyuN diloN par lage haiN taale
ye band taaloN pe zaNg kyuN hai 1.halls, corridors 2.sounds 3.hatred 4.wave, tune 5.truth 6.emergence 7.way, method 8.peace 9.style
These sounds that echo in the corridors of the soul, why is there a wave of hatred in them. When the way of peace can emerge by looking at the truth, then why is there a style of hatred in the eyes. Why are there locks on hearts. Why are these locks rusted.
4
shaadaab1 ye zamiN hamaari
be-karaaN2 aasmaaN hamaara
to is zamiN par bata de koii
hudood3 kyuN haiN, ye jaNg kyuN hai 1.verdant, productive 2.infinite, vast 3.boundaries
This verdant earth that is ours. The sky overhead that is infintie. Why do we boundaries. Why do we have wars.
syed mohammed shahed (1944-alive and kicking) is/was an engineer with 50 years of research in automotive air pollution control technology. He came to urdu late in life with no formal education in the language. This website is his attempt to learn urdu. This nazm is a translation/re-composition of zakiah sayeed ali’s poem War(s) and Such. zakiah lives in Illinois and has published two books with her anecdotes, essays and poems.
1
shaadaab1 ye zamiN hamaari
be-karaaN2 aasmaaN hamaara
to is zamiN par bata de koii
hudood3 kyuN haiN, ye jaNg kyuN hai
1.verdant, productive 2.infinite, vast 3.boundaries
This verdant earth that is ours. The sky overhead that is infintie. Why do we boundaries. Why do we have wars.
2
zamiN to teri bhi aur meri
to phir ye dil itna taNg1 kyuN hai
jo is jahaaN ka vas’ee2 hai daaman3
to is pe KhuN ka ye raNg kyuN hai
1.narrow 2.vast 3.hem of robe/dress
This earth is yours and mine too. Then why are hearts so narrow. The apron of this earth is vast, why then is its hem coloured in blood.
3
dilauN ke aivaaN1 meN gooNjti haiN jo ye sadaa’eN2
to in meN nafrat3 bhari hui ye taraNg4 kyuN hai
jo haq5 ki aaNkhoN se ho zahoor6-e tariq7-e sulh8
to phir ye nazroN meN itni nafrat3 ka DhaNg9 kyuN hai
ye kyuN diloN par lage haiN taale
ye band taaloN pe zaNg kyuN hai
1.halls, corridors 2.sounds 3.hatred 4.wave, tune 5.truth 6.emergence 7.way, method 8.peace 9.style
These sounds that echo in the corridors of the soul, why is there a wave of hatred in them. When the way of peace can emerge by looking at the truth, then why is there a style of hatred in the eyes. Why are there locks on hearts. Why are these locks rusted.
4
hamaare is be-karaaN1 jahaaN meN
hudood2 kyuN haiN, ye jaNg kyuN hai
1.unlimited, vast 2.boundaries
Why do we have boundaries on this vast earth of ours. Why do we have wars.
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Shahed, such a beautiful and heart rending translation dear heart! I loved what you have done with my simple words. I am deeply, deeply indebted and grateful to you for this translation. Will save it in my documents. Needless to say I love it.
Thank you.
Bahut khoob … your Urdu translation is not only very good, it could also be considered a poem in its own way and right, perhaps “inspired” by Zakia’s excellent poem …