Translations
Zabur-e ʿAjam by Allama Iqbal, in translations by A. J. Arberry
This page shows only poems with translations by A. J. Arberry.
Poems with translations
غزل شمارهٔ 47از همه کس کناره گیر صحبت آشنا طلب
Far, far from every other go with the One Friend upon the road; seek thou of God thy self to know, and seek in selfhood for thy God.
غزل شمارهٔ 48بینی جهان را خود را نبینی
The world, but not selfhood, thou canst see; how long in thy ignorance wilt thou sit?
غزل شمارهٔ 49من هیچ نمیترسم از حادثهٔ شبها
In the accidents of night there is naught can me affright, seeing that the night is borne by the wheeling stars to morn.
غزل شمارهٔ 50تو کیستی ز کجائی که آسمان کبود
What man art thou, and where thy home? In the blue skies the stars have opened, to see thee come, a thousand eyes!
غزل شمارهٔ 51دیار شوق که درد آشناست خاک آنجا
In the abode of passion, where the dust is fraught with pain, shineth in every atom there pure spirit without stain.
غزل شمارهٔ 52می دیرینه و معشوق جوان چیزی نیست
The young beloved, the ancient wine, the maids of Paradise; these joys men reckon rare and fine charm not the truly wise.
غزل شمارهٔ 53قلندران که به تسخیر آب و گل کوشند
Qalandars, who to their sway water strive to win and clay, from the monarch tribute bear though the beggar’s robe they wear.
غزل شمارهٔ 54دو دسته تیغم و گردون برهنه ساخت مرا
A double-handled sword am I laid naked by the circling sky; fortune hath sharpened me in Space, and whetted me upon Time’s face.
غزل شمارهٔ 55مثل شرر ذره را تن به تپیدن دهم
Each atom’s body like a spark I set a quivering, each atom quivers through the dark and soars as on a wing.
غزل شمارهٔ 56خودی را مردمآمیزی دلیل نارساییها
Ever to be about with men proveth the self doth not attain; to friends be thou a stranger, then, who art familiar with pain.
غزل شمارهٔ 57چون چراغ لاله سوزم در خیابان شما
Like a tulip’s flame I burn in your presence as I turn; by my life, and yours, I swear youth of Persia ever fair!
غزل شمارهٔ 58دم مرا صفت باد فرودین کردند
Soft my breath doth pass soft as April airs; Jasmine-sweet the grass springeth from my tears.
غزل شمارهٔ 59گذر از آنکه ندیدست و جز خبر ندهد
Leave him who never won to sight, and bears report alone; who makes long speech, but the delight of vision gives to none.
غزل شمارهٔ 60در این صحرا گذر افتاد شاید کاروانی را
It chanced within the desert nigh a caravan was passing by, and presently there reached my ear the leader’s carol, loud and clear.
غزل شمارهٔ 61ترا نادان امید غمگساریها ز افرنگ است
Fool! Is there then such hope in thee of winning Europe’s sympathy? The falcon grieves not overmuch about the bird that’s in his clutch.
غزل شمارهٔ 62بگذر از خاور و افسونی افرنگ مشو
Eschew the West, and do not be bewitched by Europe’s wizardry; not worth barley, in my view, is all her ancient and her new.
غزل شمارهٔ 63جهان رنگ و بو پیدا تو میگوئی که راز است این
A secret ’tis, ’tis evident (Thou sayst) this world of hue and scent: Go, strike thyself upon its wire – Thou art the plectrum, it the lyre.
غزل شمارهٔ 64از داغ فراق او در دل چمنی دارم
This brand of grief, His love apart, hath sown a garden in my heart; O desert-flame anemone, I have a word to say to thee!
غزل شمارهٔ 65به نگاه آشنائی چو درون لاله دیدم
When the tulip’s heart I viewed with the gaze of certitude, all I saw was ecstasy, sighs, and sobbing bitterly.
غزل شمارهٔ 66این هم جهانی آن هم جهانی
This is a world that like to it, each boundless is, and infinite;
غزل شمارهٔ 67بهار آمد نگه می غلطد اندر آتش لاله
Spring is come; bright glances dart in the tulip’s bowl of fire; thousand thousand sighs upspire from each several ember’s heart.
غزل شمارهٔ 68صورت گری که پیکر روز و شب آفرید
The Artist, Whose vast mind both day and night designed, engraving these, displays upon Himself His gaze.
غزل شمارهٔ 69باز این عالم دیرینه جوان میبایست
This ancient universe new youth must now rehearse, its trembling blade of grass huge mountains should surpass.
غزل شمارهٔ 70لاله این گلستان داغ تمنائی نداشت
In the mead a tulip blows in whose breast no yearning glows, a narcissus, languid too, yet it lacked the eye to view.
غزل شمارهٔ 71هنگامه را که بست درین دیر دیر پای
Whence hath this commotion swirled in our old, slow-moving world that each girdled infidel like a reed of grief doth tell?
غزل شمارهٔ 72ای لاله ای چراغ کهستان و باغ و راغ
Tulip in the mountains blowing, lamp in mead and garden glowing, gaze on me, for I will give guidance on the way to live.
غزل شمارهٔ 73من بندهٔ آزادم عشق است امام من
I am a slave set free, and Love still leadeth me; Love is my leader still, mind bows to do my will.
غزل شمارهٔ 74کم سخن غنچه که در پردهٔ دل رازی داشت
Silent rosebud in her heart had a secret, veiled apart, suffered countless aches and woes buffeted by thyme and rose.