Today We Seperate - Gulzar
Today we seperate with no apprehension for tomorrow
But life after all is not as concise as this
Our bloody wounds don’t show as yet, But when they cool pain will emerge And when time’s intoxication will cease, From inside our sallow faces will emerge
How do they matter these gossips’ words For they stake nothing on them? Who shall respond to the interrogation of wounds When all people do is ask endless questions?
When tomorrow arrives, who is to know what will come? Past’s tomorrows that are already done, they don’t return Those who gather branches from time’s tree should Know how no leaves can grow from what is broken
Of wet clay is this heart, this man Only to sight do they appear hard And if tears ask why, it will also take a while For their tracks to wipe them dry and answer
Translated from the Urdu. You may also listen to Bhupinder sing this melodic ghazal from the movie "Thodisi Bewafai".
Translations
... link (3 comments) ... comment
In The Desert of My Longing - Faiz Ahmed Faiz
In the desert of my longing, shimmer
The shadows of your voice,
The mirages of your lips.
In the desert of my longing,
Under the dust and ashes of distance
Bloom the jasmine and rose of your proximity.
For somewhere very close Wafts the heat of your breathing Smoldering in its own aroma, Breath after slow breath. And on the horizon glistens, Drop after drop, Dew of your intoxicating glance.
With tenderness, as the shadow Of your remembrance places a hand On my heart’s face, it appears as if the day Of separation has ended, and the night Of union is right here.
Translated from the Urdu. Listed to Iqbal Bano sing the ghazal here.
Translations
... link (no comments) ... comment
This Evening - Gulzar
Photo by M, a conversation with whom triggered this translation
This evening, it appears that that is a wetness to these eyes here. This evening, it appears that there is an absence of you here.
Simply burn me so that I too may breathe along with smoke For it appears that my life has held its breath for too long here.
Fickle time, why it doesn't stay at one place? In this inconstancy of habit, it is like us here.
Agreed that between us now, there is no relationship left. Yet it appears that you have stayed in the mirrors here.
This evening, there seems to be a wetness to these eyes here. This evening, there seems to be an absence of you here.
No one can put the heart of the matter into words more simply and elegantly than Gulzar. Listen to this ghazal here.
Translations
... link (no comments) ... comment