For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the “shahed-sahir” or “Notes” tab.
shahed-urdu re-composition
sahir ludhianavi
Dreams
Hold fast to dreams
For if dreams die
Life is a broken-winged bird
That cannot fly.
Hold fast to dreams
For when dreams go
Life is a barren field
Frozen with snow.
خواب ۔ لانگسٹن ہیوز
اُردو ترجمہ ۔ شاہد
۱
ہر لحظہ خوابِ فردا یوں پیشِ نظر رہے
ڈر ہے کہ کوئی دیر وہ اوجھل اگر رہے
یوں طائرِ پر بستہ سی ہو جائے گی حیات
پرواز کی کاوِش نہ کوئی بال و پر رہے
۲
اِس لئے خواب کی اپنے ہے حِفاظت کرنا
سرمایہ یہ خوابوں کا نہ کھونے دینا
ورنہ یوں سوکھ کے بنجر بنے حیات
زندگی یخ بستہ و جامد نہیں ہونے دینا
خواب ۔ ساحر لدھیانوی
۱
آؤ کہ کوی خواب بُنیں کل کے واسطے
ورنہ یہ رات آج کے سنگین دور کی
ڈس لیگی جان و دِل کو کچھ ایسے کہ جان و دِل
تا عمر پھر نہ کویٰ حسیں خواب بُن سکیں
۲
گو ہم سے بھاگتی رہی یہ تیز گام عمر
خوابوں کے آسرے پہ کٹی ہے تمام عمر
یہ خواب مر گئے ہیں تو بے رنگ ہے حیات
یوں ہے کہ جیسے دستِ تہہ سنگ ہے حیات
ख़्वाब – लांग्स्टन ह्यूज़
उर्दू तर्जुमा – शहेद
१
हर लहज़ा ख़्वाब-ए फ़र्दा युं पेश-ए नज़र रहे
डर है के कोई देर वो औझल अगर रहे
युं ता’एर-ए पर-बस्ता सि हो जाएगी हयात
पर्वाज़ कि काविश न कोई बाल ओ पर रहे
२
इस लिये ख़्वाब कि अपने है हिफ़ाज़त करना
सरमाया ये ख़्वाबौं का न खोने देना
वर्ना यूं सूख के बंजर बने हयात
ज़िंदगी यख़-बस्ता ओ जामद नहीं होने देना
ख़्वाब – साहर लुधियानवी
१
आओ के कोई ख़्वाब बुनें कल के वास्ते
वरना ये रात आज के संगीन दौर की
डस लेगी जान ओ दिल को कुछ ऐसे के जान ओ दिल
ता उम्र फिर न कोई हसीं ख़्वाब बुन सकें
२
गो हम से भागती रही ये तेज़ गाम उम्र
ख़्वाबों के आस्रे पे कटी है तमाम उम्र
ये ख़्वाब मर गए हैं तो बे रंग है हयात
यूँ है के जैसे दस्त-ए तह-ए संग है हयात
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. Langston Hughes (1901–1967) poet, social activist, novelist, playwright, and columnist. Hughes is best known as a leader of the Harlem Renaissance. From 1942 to 1962 he wrote an in-depth weekly column related to the civil rights movement. This is about the aspirations of young African-American people that have been suppressed. 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. shahed (1944-living) maintains this website, is a newcomer and novice to urdu, having spent all his professional life in engineering research. This post includes the original English poem of Langston Hughes, an urdu translation by shahed and a selection from sahir ludhianavi that is remarkably close.
shahed – urdu re-composition of Langston Hughes
1
har lahza1 Khwaab-e farda2 yuN pesh3-e nazar4 rahe
Dar hai ke koii der vo aujhal5 agar rahe
yuN taa’er6-e par-basta7 si ho jaayegi hayaat8
parvaaz9 ki kaavish10 na koii baal-o-par11 rahe 1.moment 2.future 3.before, facing 4.sight, eyes 5.hidden 6.bird 7.tied/clipped wings 8.life 9.flight 10.effort 11.feathers and wings
Every moment, may the dream/vision of the future be before your eyes. I fear that if it disappears even for a short while, then life be like a bird with clipped wings. It will not even try to fly and will lose its feathers and wings.
2
is liye Khwaab ki apne hai hifaazat1 karna
sarmaaya2 ye KhwaaboN ka na khone dena
varna yuN sookh ke banjar3 bane hayaat4
zindagi yaKh-basta5 o jaamid6 nahiN hone dena 1.protection 2.treasure 3.barren 4.life 5.frozen 6.still, motionless
The reason that dreams/vision should be protected is that we don’t want to lose the treasure of our dreams. If they are lost, then life will become dry and barren. It will be frozen, solid and motionless.
sahir ludhianavi – aao keh koii Khwaab buneN
1
aao ke koi Khwaab1 buneN2 kal ke vaaste
varna ye raat aaj ke saNgeen3 daur4 ki
Dass5 legi jaan o dil ko kuchh aise ke jaan o dil
ta umr6 phir na koi haseeN7 Khwaab bun sakeN 1.dream 2.weave 3.stony 4.times 5.sting/poison 6.lifelong 7.beautiful
Come, let us weave a dream, a vision for tomorrow, lest this dark, stony order of the day poison life and soul that the heart and mind may never be able to weave a dream at all.
2
go1 hum se bhaagti rahi ye tez gaam2 umr
Khwaabon ke aasre3 pe kaTi hai tamaam umr
ye Khwaab mar gaye haiN to be raNg4 hai hayaat5
yuN hai ke jaise dast-e tah-e saNg6 hai hayaat 1.even though 2.fast moving 3.basis 4.without purpose 5.life 6.hand under a rock (unable to do anything useful)
Even though this fast paced life has outpaced us, our whole life has been guided by our dreams. Without a vision life is colourless, it is as if our hands are tied down (trapped under a rock).
Langston Hughes (1901–1967) poet, social activist, novelist, playwright, and columnist. Hughes is best known as a leader of the Harlem Renaissance. From 1942 to 1962 he wrote an in-depth weekly column related to the civil rights movement. This is about the aspirations of young African-American people that have been suppressed. 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. shahed (1944-living) maintains this website, is a newcomer and novice to urdu, having spent all his professional life in engineering research. This post includes the original English poem of Langston Hughes, an urdu translation by shahed and a selection from sahir ludhianavi that is remarkably close.
shahed – urdu re-composition of Langston Hughes
1
har lahza1 Khwaab-e farda2 yuN pesh3-e nazar4 rahe
Dar hai ke koii der vo aujhal5 agar rahe
yuN taa’er6-e par-basta7 si ho jaayegi hayaat8
parvaaz9 ki kaavish10 na koii baal-o-par11 rahe
1.moment 2.future 3.before, facing 4.sight, eyes 5.hidden 6.bird 7.tied/clipped wings 8.life 9.flight 10.effort 11.feathers and wings
Every moment, may the dream/vision of the future be before your eyes. I fear that if it disappears even for a short while, then life be like a bird with clipped wings. It will not even try to fly and will lose its feathers and wings.
2
is liye Khwaab ki apne hai hifaazat1 karna
sarmaaya2 ye KhwaaboN ka na khone dena
varna yuN sookh ke banjar3 bane hayaat4
zindagi yaKh-basta5 o jaamid6 nahiN hone dena
1.protection 2.treasure 3.barren 4.life 5.frozen 6.still, motionless
The reason that dreams/vision should be protected is that we don’t want to lose the treasure of our dreams. If they are lost, then life will become dry and barren. It will be frozen, solid and motionless.
sahir ludhianavi – aao ke koii Khwaab buneN
1
aao ke koi Khwaab1 buneN2 kal ke vaaste
varna ye raat aaj ke saNgeen3 daur4 ki
Dass5 legi jaan o dil ko kuchh aise ke jaan o dil
ta umr6 phir na koi haseeN7 Khwaab bun sakeN
1.dream 2.weave 3.stony 4.times 5.sting/poison 6.lifelong 7.beautiful
Come, let us weave a dream, a vision for tomorrow, lest this dark, stony order of the day poison life and soul that the heart and mind may never be able to weave a dream at all.
2
go1 hum se bhaagti rahi ye tez gaam2 umr
Khwaabon ke aasre3 pe kaTi hai tamaam umr
ye Khwaab mar gaye haiN to be raNg4 hai hayaat5
yuN hai ke jaise dast-e tah-e saNg6 hai hayaat
1.even though 2.fast moving 3.basis 4.without purpose 5.life 6.hand under a rock (unable to do anything useful)
Even though this fast paced life has outpaced us, our whole life has been guided by our dreams. Without a vision life is colourless, it is as if our hands are tied down (trapped under a rock).
