Dasht-e-Tanhaai

Metaphorical

One of the poems of Faiz,beautifully written, sung with the same fervour by Iqbal Bano.

Lyricist: Faiz Ahmed Faiz

Singer: Iqbal Bano

English Translation: Ayesha Khanna

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dasht-e-tanhaai mein, ai jaan-e-jahaan, larzaan hain

teri avaaz ke saaye,

tere honthon ke saraab

<dasht- desert  larzaan-quiver  saraab-mirage>

<<<<<<<<<<

In the desert of my solitude, oh love of my life, quiver

the shadows of your voice,

the mirage of your lips

>>>>>>>>>>

dasht-e-tanhaai mein,

duri ke khas-o-khaak tale

khil rahe hain tere pehlu ke saman aur gulaab

<khas-dust khaak-ashes saman-jasmine pehlu-presence>

<<<<<<<<<<

In the desert of my solitude,

beneath the dust and ashes of distance

bloom the jasmines and roses of your proximity

>>>>>>>>>>

uht rahi hai kahin qurbat se

teri saans ki aanch

apani khushbuu mein sulagti hui

maddham maddham

<qurbat-vicinity maddham-slowly>

<<<<<<<<<<

From somewhere very close,

rises the warmth of your breath

smouldering in its own aroma,

slowly, bit by bit.

>>>>>>>>>>

dur ufaq par chamakati hui

qatra qatra

gir rahi hai teri dil daar nazar ki shabnam

<ufaq-horizon qatra-drop shabnam-dew>

<<<<<<<<<<

far away, across the horizon, glistens

drop by drop

the falling dew of your beguiling glance

>>>>>>>>>>

is qadar pyaar se hai jaan-e jahaan rakkhaa hai

dil ke rukhsaar pe

is waqt teri yaad ne haath

<rukhsaar-cheek>

<<<<<<<<<<

With such tenderness, O love of my life,

on the cheek of my heart,

has your memory placed its hand right now

>>>>>>>>>>

yun guman hota hai

garche hai abhi subah-e-firaaq

dhal gaya hijr ka din

aa bhi gaye vasl ki raat

<guman-presumption firaaq-absence hijr-separation vasl-union>

<<<<<<<<<<

that it looks as if

(though it’s still the dawn of adieu)

the sun of separation has set

and the night of union has arrived.

>>>>>>>>>>