Thursday, September 28, 2006

More Than You: a translation

More Than You
[By Majrooh Sultanpuri. Translated from the Urdu by Siyaah]

Dare you teach us of fury? - we were distressed more than you.
We had our collars slashed through, O friends- way more than you.

The slashed-through heart needs patches- today the garments are but blood,
A season there was when we did yearn, for spring more than you.

To scale the peaks of loyalty with friends, to cater to whims of associates with smiles:
Then we had such desires as you do - now are we disgraced more than you.

Go - for the sake of your terrace, slice all flames off lighted candles-
The gifts and crescent of our wounds suffice- our celebrations alight more than you.

It is we who were slain always, and you who watched always from afar-
Think not however that we have suffered, a loss of life more than you.

Chains and walls is all you saw- Majrooh, and yet we:
See the world in a state of captivity more than you.

---
The poet's nom-de-plume Majrooh means "Wounded".

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Wonderful ... just the blog I needed.

though my Urdu vocabulary is limited especially when it comes to poetry but I am tryin my best to regain it.

Looking forward to more :)

Phoenix said...

I like thr translation more than the original.
you are a little genius

Anonymous said...

Powerful translations..
and a lovley blog..
RR

Tapasya said...

Good translation. This way I can improve upon my urdu vocabulary :)

Vik said...

really agree with tapasya.. a translated ghazal can be a better way to improve urdu.. because even the context of the use also gets highlighted.
really nice translation i must say..
nice blog.. with ghazals and translations both available at one spot!

Siyaah said...

:-) thank you all, for the nice comments...

I am translating these just as an interesting exercise for myself...am glad you like them and find them useful.