Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. Rohingya poetry from refugee camps.
“Dedicated for the thousands of Rohingya souls lost in the vast open oceans,
ashore only the fond memories of their lives back in the vast open prison of the
earth, Arakan”. Haikal Mansor.
1
kahaani sunaatiiN samandar ki lahreN¹
jo saahil² pe tanha³ maiN jaata raha    1.waves 2.shore 3.alone
The waves have a story to narrate,
When I leave the lonely beach.
2
havaaeN pukaariiN baland¹ taaR² se
sabaq³ vo kahaani ka dene mujhe   1.high, tall 2.palm 3.lesson
Calling aloud from the tops of palm trees,
the wind has a lesson to teach.
3
magar vo sunaaii sitaaroN ne t’aariif¹
zabaaN² kah saki vo na mere qalam³ ki   1.praise 2.tongue 3.pen
But heard a praise from the stars,
which cannot be pulled out from the tip of my pen.
4
sunaati haiN lahreN¹ samandar ke us bekaraani² safar³ ki
aazaad Khwaahish⁴, bahaadur⁵ diloN ki
pardes⁶ meN duur ajnabi⁷ ek shahr⁸ ki
naii zindagi aur naii rahguzar⁹ ki
mere duudmaaN¹⁰ ahl¹¹-e raakhiiN¹² shahr ki
Doobti¹³ laash¹⁴ ki, jaan khone ke Dar ki
kahaani 1.waves 2.without limits, vast 3.journey 4.wish 5.brave 6.foreign land 7.unfamiliar 8.city 9.pathway 10.relatives, tribe, family 11.people of 12.Rakhine State 13.drowning 14.corpse
The waves tell, of the endless open ocean,
Of wild and brave heart,
Of new people, new town and new country,
Of difficult journeys of my Rohingya,
Of vanished souls, of drown lives
Story.
5
sunaati haiN jaan-afza¹ havaa’eN
Khunak², ThanDi ThanDi, subuk³ rau⁴ havaa’eN
mere chehre ko pyaar se choomti⁵
jaise maKhmal⁶ ki narmi
jaise maata ki godi 1.life-giving, strong 2.moist 3.gentle 4.flowing 5.kissing 6.velvet
The mighty wind,
Breezing across my face,
Like chilly cold ice,
Like soft tender feather,
Like mother’s love.
6
magar vo jo laakhoN sitaare falak¹ paar
vo har ek saabit² vo har ek sayyaar³
aur phir is zamiN par
har ek bejaan⁴ o har ek jaaNdaar⁵
hamd⁶ karte Khuda ki keh paravardigaar⁷
dua maaNgte haiN amaaN⁸ ki
meri aur mere rohiNg duudmaaN⁹ ki    1.sky 2.stationary (star) 3.moving (planet) 4.lifeless 5.living 6.praise 7.creator, sustainer 8.safety, shelter 9.family, relatives
But millions of
Stars gather in the sky,
Every star and planet in the sky,
Every living and non living thing on the earth
Praising The King who creates all.
Praying for the safety of me and my Rohingya.

Rohingya

Hoibár asé ekkán kaáni, Goir ókkol óttu,
Zeéñtte aññí neeillí ekgúilla Doijjar sor óttu.
Guzori hoór talgas ór uortú,
Cíkaibár asé ekkán sóbok, Boiyar óttu.
Kintu fúinni ekkán taarif, tara ókkol óttu,
Ziyán neelai nofarír aññí holom or nif ottú.
Goir e hoór, ofúrani kúla sómondor or,
Jahél arde baádur dil or,
Osin koum, osin cóor arde osin mollúk or,
Mockil añár Ruáingar sofór or,
Gaif óiyedé jan ókkol, dhuiffé dé zindigi ókkol ór
Kaáni.
Taakot wala Boiyar,
Añár muk ót bazí bazí baár,
Thándha thándha boróf ór dhóilla,
Norom norom fóoir or dhóilla,
Maa ador or dhóilla.
Kintu lak lak loi
Tara ókkol asman or mujilís ót boói,
Asman ot asé dé háar tara ókkol óre,
Zomin ot asé dé háar insán arde cis ókkol óre
Banaiyé dé Rob or zikír gorér
Nisé asé dé añár lá arde añár Ruáinga ókkol ólla estekfar forér.

English Translation

The waves have a story to narrate,
When I leave the lonely beach.
Calling aloud from the tops of palm trees,
the wind has a lesson to teach.
But heard a praise from the stars,
which cannot be pulled out from the tip of my pen.
The waves tell, of the endless open ocean,
Of wild and brave heart,
Of new people, new town and new country,
Of difficult journeys of my Rohingya,
Of vanished souls, of drown lives
Story.
The mighty wind,
Breezing across my face,
Like chilly cold ice,
Like soft tender feather,
Like mother’s love.
But millions of
Stars gather in the sky,
Every star and planet in the sky,
Every living and non living thing on the earth
Praising The King who creates all.
Praying for the safety of me and my Rohingya.