Zabur-e ʿAjam by Allama Iqbal, in translations by A. J. Arberry

INVOCATION

دعا

غزل شمارهٔ 1–«عشق شور انگیز را هر جاده در کوی تو برد»

Tumultuous Love where’er it rove unto Thy street is brought; what boasteth he who findeth Thee that for himself he sought?

غزل شمارهٔ 3–غزل سُرای و نواهای رفته باز‌آور

O bring me back the singing, the airs of long ago; bring back the sweet, sad music to set cold hearts aglow.

غزل شمارهٔ 4–ای که ز من فزوده‌ای گرمی آه و ناله را

Thou who didst make more ardent my sighing and my tears, O let my anthem quicken dust of a thousand years.

غزل شمارهٔ 6–من اگرچه تیره خاکم دلکیست برگ و سازم

Though dust, and dark as dust, am I, I have a little heart, whereby with vision open as a star I gaze on beauty from afar.

غزل شمارهٔ 7–بصدای درمندی بنوای دلپذیری

With a song of agony, with a sweet, soft melody, to a dying world athirst Lo: life’s flagon I have burst.

غزل شمارهٔ 8–بر سر کفر و دین فشان رحمتِ عامِ خویش را

On faith and infidelity O scatter wide Thy Clemency; at last the veil of darkness raise from the full splendour of Thy Face.

غزل شمارهٔ 9–نوای من از آن پر سوز و بیباک و غم انگیزست

A flame is in my minstrelsy, a fearlessness, a tragedy; a spark is smouldering in my corn, and sprightly blows the breath of morn.

غزل شمارهٔ 11–گرچه شاهین خرد بر سر پروازی هست

Though the falcon of the brain yearneth on the wing to be, archers in this desert plain wait upon him secretly!

غزل شمارهٔ 12–این جهان چیست صنم خانهٔ پندار من است

What is the world? The temple of my thought, the seen projection of my wakeful eye;

غزل شمارهٔ 13–فصل بهار این چنین بانگ هزار این چنین

It is the season of the spring and nightingales are carolling; O smile on me, and chant a song, and freely pass the wine along.

غزل شمارهٔ 14–برون کشید ز پیچاک هست و بود مرا

From life and being’s twisted skein let me be free; in resignation is to gain true liberty.

غزل شمارهٔ 15–خیز و به خاک تشنه‌ای بادهٔ زندگی فشان

Rise! And upon the thirsty land sprinkle life’s wine with lavish hand; kindle anew the spirit’s fire, and bid the flame in us expire.

غزل شمارهٔ 16–تو باین گمان که شاید سر آستانه دارم

Thinkest Thou that to the threshold I have made this pilgrimage? With the master of the household I have business to engage.

غزل شمارهٔ 17–نظر به راه‌نشینان سواره می‌گذرد

With a glance at us who sit by the way He goes riding by: Conceive, if Thou canst, my soul’s dismay sore distraught am I.

غزل شمارهٔ 18–بر عقل فلک پیما ترکانه شبیخون به

Better is the robbers’ train than the heaven-pacing brain, better one distress of heart than all Plato’s learned art.

غزل شمارهٔ 20–عقل هم عشق است و از ذوق نگه بیگانه نیست

Intellect is passion too, and it knows the joy to view, but the poor unfortunate dares not as the inebriate.

غزل شمارهٔ 21–سوز و گداز زندگی لذت جستجوی تو

All that in life I love the best is the sweet fever of Thy quest; the way is like an adder’s sting, be not to thee my wayfaring.

غزل شمارهٔ 22–درین محفل که کار او گذشت از باده و ساقی

The night grows late, the route is up, no need for saki now or cup; pass me Thy goblet, friend of mine, I’ll pour thee the remaining wine.

غزل شمارهٔ 23–ساقیا بر جگرم شعلهٔ نمناک انداز

Saki, on my heart bestow liquid flame with living glow; let the resurrection day dawn tremendous on my clay.

غزل شمارهٔ 24–از آن آبی که در من لاله کارد ساتگینی ده

The juice that maketh tulips spring within the heart – a bumper bring, Saki! And let the April gust scatter at will my body’s dust.

غزل شمارهٔ 25–ز هر نقشی که دل از دیده گیرد پاک می‌آیم

Of every image that the heart takes from the eye – I have no part; perception weigheth not with me, I beg for pure reality.

غزل شمارهٔ 26–دل بی قید من با نور ایمان کافری کرده

Against the light, an infidel, my heart, unfettered, doth rebel; it bows before God’s sanctuary and idols serves, indifferently.

غزل شمارهٔ 27–ز شاعر ناله مستانه در محشر چه می‌خواهی

Why in the concourse dost Thou seek the poet’s wild, ecstatic shriek, or lookest for another’s riot, whose heart is troubled and unquiet?

غزل شمارهٔ 28–نه در اندیشهٔ من کار زار کفر و ایمانی

Faith and infidelity fight not for the mind of me; no delights of Paradise do my stricken soul entice.

غزل شمارهٔ 29–مرغ خوش لهجه و شاهین شکاری از تست

Thine is the hawk upon the wing and thine the thrush sweet-carolling, thine is the light and joy of life and thine its fire and baneful strife.

غزل شمارهٔ 30–خوشتر ز هزار پارسائی

One step on friendship’s road fairer I see than the moat pressing load of piety.

غزل شمارهٔ 31–بر جهان دل من تاختنش را نگرید

In my heart’s empire, see how He rides spitefully, rides with imperious will to ravage, and to kill!

غزل شمارهٔ 32–مرا براه طلب بار در گل است هنوز

Upon the road of high desire my load yet lieth in the mire, because my heart would still engage with trappings, caravan, and stage.

غزل شمارهٔ 33–زمستان را سرآمد روزگاران

The days are ended of winter long; the branches quiver with living song.

غزل شمارهٔ 34–هوای خانه و منزل ندارم

At home to loiter never did me please, A rover I, stranger in every land.

غزل شمارهٔ 35–از چشم ساقی مست شرابم

By the Saki’s eye heart-enflamed I lie; drunk without wine – O delight divine!

غزل شمارهٔ 36–شب من سحر نمودی که به طلعت آفتابی

Thou didst turn my night to dawning; O Thou sun of presence bright, like the sun Thou art in brightness, light unveiled, most worthy light!

غزل شمارهٔ 37–درین میخانه ای ساقی ندارم محرمی دیگر

None other in this tavern is, Saki, to share my mysteries; am I the first (O who can tell) conceived in heaven, on earth to dwell?

غزل شمارهٔ 38–بجهان دردمندان تو بگو چه کار داری

Tell me this: what is Thy share in this world of pain and care? Knowest Thou the spirit’s smart? Hast Thou an uneaseful heart?

غزل شمارهٔ 40–نور تو وانمود سپید و سیاه را

Thy light defineth all things one by one: black, white, sea, mountain, valley, moon and sun;

غزل شمارهٔ 41–بده آندل که مستی های او از بادهٔ خویش است

Give me the heart whose rapture fine flames from a draught of its own wine, and take the heart that, self-effaced, by alien fancy is embraced.

غزل شمارهٔ 42–کف خاکی برگ و سازم برهی فشانم او را

A hand of dust is all I own; I scatter it upon the way, because I hope that on a day it shall ascend to heaven’s throne.

غزل شمارهٔ 43–این دل که مرا دادی لبریز یقین بادا

Let this heart Thou gavest me overflow with certainty, and my world-beholding glass all its radiance surpass.

غزل شمارهٔ 44–رمز عشق تو به ارباب هوس نتوان گفت

To passion’s slaves let no man e’er the mystery of Thy love declare: It is not meet for straws to hear talk of the blazing brazier.

غزل شمارهٔ 45–یاد ایامی که خوردم باده ها با چنگ و نی

Ah, the wine, the lute, the piping, the dear memories of old, when I held the brimming beaker and my friend a bowl of gold.

غزل شمارهٔ 46–انجم بگریبان ریخت این دیدهٔ تر ما را

Stars on my bosom shine wept from these eyes of mine: Lo, beyond heaven’s height; cast me the joy of sight;

غزل شمارهٔ 47–خاور که آسمان بکمند خیال اوست

The East, that holds the heavens fast within the noose its fancy cast, its spirit’s bonds are all united, the flames of its desire have died.

غزل شمارهٔ 48–فرصت کشمکش مده این دل بی قرار را

Leave no quarter to resist to this restless heart of mine give Thy curls another twist, let Thy tresses intertwine.

غزل شمارهٔ 49–جانم در آویخت با روزگاران

My soul, embattled with fortune ever, weeps like a river among the mountains.

غزل شمارهٔ 50–به تسلئی که دادی نگذاشت کار خود را

In Thy hands I now deliver once again my restless heart; it will never cease from labour for the ease.

غزل شمارهٔ 51–بحرفی می توان گفتن تمنای جهانی را

A single word sufficeth well the passion of a world to tell: The joy to view thee night to me moved me to this long history.

غزل شمارهٔ 52–چند بروی خودکشی پردهٔ صبح و شام را

How long the veil of eve and dawn about Thy beauty shall be drawn? Thy cheek display: make whole to me this incomplete epiphany.

غزل شمارهٔ 53–نفس شمار به پیچاک روزگار خودیم

One by one we count our breath on the narrow road to death; like a raging sea we roar as we walk along the shore.

غزل شمارهٔ 54–به فغان نه لب گشودم که فغان اثر ندارد

No lament, no sigh I uttered; naught avail laments and sighs; best unspoken, the heart’s sorrow; there be few to sympathize.