An Urdu Poem

Date: 7 Apr 2002 9:06 +0100
To: critics-l@nic.surfnet.nl
Subj: Vs: [asiapeace] Blood is After
From: MUSTAFA HUSSAIN <mustafa.

----- Oprindelig meddelelse -----
Fra: "Ishtiaq Ahmed" <Ishtiaq.Ahmed@statsvet.su.se>
Til: "Asiapeace@Yahoogroups. Com" <asiapeace@yahoogroups.com>
Sendt: 6. april 2002 10:36
Emne: [asiapeace] Blood is After All Blood

Dear Members and Friends of Asiapeace,

Today, I have the following for you:

1. A poem by one of the greatest Urdu poets, Sahir Ludhianvi (1921-80). I have tried to write the Urdu text in Roman script, but the translation was done by Sain Sucha, whose collection of the poems of Sahir was published by him under the title 'Sorcery'. (1921-80).

Ishtiaq Ahmed
Associate Professor
Moderator Asiapeace
Department of Political Science
Stockholm University
Tel: work: 00 46 8 16 26 24
Ishtiaq.Ahmed@statsvet.su.se

Zulm phir zulm hai, bart-ta hai to mitt jata hai Khun phir khun hai, tapkay ga to jum jaiga	Cruelty is after all cruelty ----when it inflates, it dissipates, Blood is after all blood ----- when it drips, it coagulates
Khak-i-Sehra pay jamay yaa kaf-e-qatil pay jamay Firq-e-insaaf pay yaa pai-e-silasal pay jamay Taigh-i-baydad pay, yaa lash-e-bismil pay jamay Khun phir khun hai, tapkay ga to jum jaiga	It may congeal on the desert's chest, or on the murderer's sleeve, on the faulty scales of justice, or on the links of chains, on the oppressive sword, or on the slaugheterd corpse, Blood is after all blood ----- when it drips, it coagulates
Lakh Bethay koi chup chup key Kami(n) Gaho(n) mei(n) Khun khud deta hai jalado(n) key maskan ka suragh Sazishe(n) lakh urati rahei(n) zulmat ka niqaab Ley key har boond nikati hai hatha	One may hide in whichever shelter one likes, blood itself reveals the executioner's hide-out. Conspiracies may cast around the veil of darkness; yet, every drop of blood carries its own burning torch.
Tum ne jis khun ko maktal mei(n) dabana chaha Aaj wo kucha-o-bazaar mei(n) Aa nikla hai Kahi(n) Shola, kahi(n) narah, kahi(n) pathar ban ke Khun chalta hai to rukta nahi(n) Sangeeno se Sar Uthta hai to dubta nahi(n) Aaeeno(n) se	The blood which you tried to suppress in the abattoir, today has rushed out in the streets and squares ---- as a flame, or battle-cry, or as a stone, Once blood starts flowing, the bayonets can not restrain it. Once blood lifts its head, the ordinances can not constrain it.
Zulm ki baat hi kya, zulm ki Aukaat hi kya Zulm bass zulm hai Aaghaaz se Anjaam talak Khun phir khun hai, Soa Shakal Badal Sahta hai Aisi Shakle(n) kah mitao to mitaye na banay Aisey Sholey keh Bhujao to bhujao na banay Aisey Narey keh dabao to dabaye na banay	What is to be said about cruelty! What is cruelty's nature? Cruelty is always cruelty--- from its beginning to its end. Blood is after all blood, it can take so many forms, forms which cannot be destroyed, flames which cannot be extinguished, cries which cannot be silenced.

Sahir Ludhianvi (1921-80)