Raakh

By Urwa Tul Wusqa

Khwaab dekha, nigaaheiñ sataaney lagi Mai ik shama-e-zahmat bhujaaney lagi

Chiragouñ ne ulfat siyaahi se ki Pairahan maiñ sau kaante sajaaney lagi

Jis zanjeer ne jakda tha humko kabhi Uss zanjeer ko paazeb bananey lagi

Nadaamat mai dooba qamar iss qadar Martoob ko behar bataaney lagi

Bashar ke taqaazey na poochey koyi Angaarouñ pe haqq maiñ jataaney lagi

Muskuraahat qatal kar sakey na hareef Al-Nafsi ko hooñ maiñ bhulaaney lagi

Lagi aag, raha kuch na baki yahaañ Raakh-e-hasti ko bhi maiñ jalaney lagi

Word-Meanings Raakh: Ashes Shama: Candle; Zahmat: Hardship/ Pain Chirag: Lightsource/Lamp; Ulfat: Love; Siyaahi: Darkness Pairahan: Apparel; Sau: Hundred (100); Kaante: Thorns Zanjeer: Chain/ Fetters; Jakda: Bind/ tie Paazeb: Anklet Nadaamat: Repentance; Qamar: Moon Martoob: Muggy/Soggy (here, marsh/swamp); Behar: Ocean Bashar: Man/Human; Taqaazey: Demands Angaarouñ: Burning charcoal/ Sparks/ Embers; Haqq: Right Muskuraahat: Smile; Qatal: Kill/Murder; Hareef: Adversary/Enemies Al-Nafsi: Self/ Ego Raakh-e-Hasti: Ashes of existence/ being Jalaney: Act of burning

Translation (Urdu to English):

Ashes

Saw a dream and these eyes started tormenting me (did not let me sleep)

I began to blow out the candle of my pain/hardships

Lamps are fond of the darkness/blackness

So I began to adorn my apparel with a hundred thorns

The chain/fetter which had once strangled me

I began transforming that chain/fetter into my anklet

The moon drowned in repentance/ humility, so much so

That it has begun to view even a swamp as the ocean

Let nobody enquire about the desires of men/humans

For I have begun to assert my right on embers

This smile could not be killed by my adversaries

For I have begun to forget my obsession with self/ my ego driven existence

Here, everything has been set on fire and nothing is left to see

For I have begun to set ablaze even the ashes of my existence

By Urwa Tul Wusqa