My heart, my fellow traveler
It has been decreed again
That you and I be exiled,
go calling out in every street,
...
Down the memory lanes, on which
you've strolled since ages past
They will end if you walk farther a step or two
Where exits the turn towards the wilderness of forgetfulness
...
Do not strike the chord of sorrow tonight!
Days burning with pain turn to ashes.
Who knows what happens tomorrow?
Last night is lost; tomorrow's frontier wiped out:
...
We shall see
Certainly we, too, shall see
that day that has been promised to us
...
If they snatch my ink and pen,
I should not complain,
For I have dipped my fingers
In the blood of my heart.
...
It is spring, And the ledger is opened again.
From the abyss where they were frozen,
those days suddenly return, those days
that passed away from your lips, that died
...
A despondent highway is stretched,
its eyes set on the far horizon
On the cold dirt of its bosom,
its grayish beauty spread
...
The wall has grown all black, upto the circling roof.
Roads are empty, travellers all gone. Once again
My night begins to converse with its loneliness;
My visitor I feel has come once again.
...
Be near me now,
My tormenter, my love, be near me—
At this hour when night comes down,
When, having drunk from the gash of sunset, darkness comes
...
Faiz Ahmed Faiz was a renowned Pakistani poet, writer, and journalist who is widely considered one of the most important voices in Urdu literature. Faiz's poetry dealt with themes of love, patriotism, and humanism, and he used his words to speak out against social injustice and oppression. He received numerous awards for his literary contributions, including the Lenin Peace Prize and the Nishan-e-Imtiaz, Pakistan's highest civilian award. Even after his death, Faiz's poetry continues to inspire and resonate with people around the world.
Here are a few of Faiz Ahmed Faiz’s famous poems:
"Bol, ke lab azaad hain tere" ("Speak, for your lips are free")
"Hum Dekhenge" ("We shall see")
"Mujhse Pehli Si Mohabbat" ("The love that was mine before")
"Subh-e-Azadi" ("Dawn of freedom")
"Aaj Bazaar Mein" ("Today in the marketplace")
"Intesaab" ("Dedication")
"Dast-e-Saba" ("Morning breeze")
"Dasht-e-Tanhai" ("Wilderness of solitude")
"Raat Yun Dil Mein Teri" ("One night, as I lay thinking of you")
"Meray Dil Meray Musafir" ("My heart, my wanderer")
Faiz Ahmed Faiz (1911-1984) was a renowned Pakistani poet, writer, and journalist, who is considered one of the most prominent and influential poets of the Urdu language. He was born in Sialkot, a city in the Punjab region of what is now Pakistan, and received his early education there before moving to Lahore to study at Government College.
Faiz began writing poetry while still a student, and his work was influenced by his political and social views. He became involved in leftist politics and was a member of the Communist Party of Pakistan. He also worked as a journalist and served as an editor for several publications.
Faiz's poetry was known for its revolutionary themes and for its use of simple language and vivid imagery. His work often explored themes of love, patriotism, social justice, and the struggle for freedom. Some of his most famous poems include "Bol, ke lab azaad hain tere" ("Speak, for your lips are free") and "Hum Dekhenge" ("We shall see").
Faiz was the recipient of many awards and honors for his work, including the Lenin Peace Prize and the Lotus Prize for Literature. He was also a vocal critic of the military dictatorship that ruled Pakistan during much of his career, and he was imprisoned several times for his political activities. Despite this, his poetry continued to be widely read and admired, and he remains a beloved figure in the literary and cultural history of Pakistan.
Here are some famous quotes by Faiz Ahmed Faiz:
"Speak, your lips are free; speak, it is your own tongue; speak, it is your own body; speak, your life is still yours."
"This is not the age of pamphleteers. It is the age of the engineers. The spark-gap is mightier than the pen."
"Let the truth be told, our tears are not for those who have died in the war. They are for those who are still alive."
"My heart, my journeyer, has come to your door; now put aside your veil like a bride."
"Our true homeland is in the hearts of others."
"In the desolate waste of time, love's garden still blooms like a spring."
"The world is like a prison for the believer and like a paradise for the unbeliever."
"Love is not a mere whim of the heart. It is a responsibility that must be taken seriously."
"We are not scared of the bullet, nor the sword, nor the pen. We are scared of the poverty that makes a father sell his daughter."
"Aaj bazaar mein pa ba jaulan chalo, chalen,
Hum mahfilen bichhaye hue hain, tamaam."
(Translation: "Come, let us walk in the bazaar today,
All the gatherings have been scattered, all around.")
Here is an English translation of one of Faiz Ahmed Faiz's most famous poems, "Bol, ke lab azaad hain tere" ("Speak, for your lips are free"):
Speak, for your lips are free
Speak, your tongue is still yours
Your body is still yours, you belong to no one else
Speak, your life is still yours
See how in the streets, there is a chain around your feet
See how in the crowds, there is fear in every heart
See how everyone's lips are sealed shut, the eyes have been lowered
The fate of the land hangs by a thread, but no one speaks
The truth needs to be spoken, all paths of silence must be broken
Every jail must be opened, every chain must be broken
Every dark corner must be illuminated, every veil must be lifted
Speak, for your lips are free
Your life is short, the time is fleeting
The world is a desolate waste, full of pain and suffering
Every dawn brings new sorrow, every evening brings new tears
Yet there is still a chance, still a ray of hope
The ones who have lost everything, they have nothing left to fear
They have no more chains, no more prisons, no more tears
They have nothing left to lose, they have nothing left to gain
They are free, they are the ones who speak
Speak, for your lips are free
Speak, your tongue is still yours
Your body is still yours, you belong to no one else
Speak, your life is still yours
Here is an English translation of a ghazal by Faiz Ahmed Faiz:
My heart, my wanderer, has come to your door
Now put aside your veil like a bride
Why should you be afraid of the night
When the lamps are lit in your courtyard?
We will steal a moment from life
And live it to the fullest
Why should we worry about tomorrow
When today is in our hands?
Let us give ourselves up to love
And forget everything else
The pain of separation will be forgotten
When we are reunited in the end
My heart, my wanderer, has come to your door
Now put aside your veil like a bride
यहाँ कुछ Faiz Ahmed Faiz के प्रसिद्ध उद्धरण हैं हिंदी में:
"बोल कि लब आज़ाद हैं तेरे।"
"जिस तरह सरहद की हवा जो बहाती है। तुम्हारे शहर के हवालदार भी बहाते होंगे।"
"जो बहारों से जी नहीं भरते, वो बैठे हैं रोशनी की तलाश में।"
"हमें जान से प्यारी है वतन सभा में, रहने को ग़रीब का गहना यहाँ अपने सर पर होता है।"
"दिल नहीं तो धड़कनें ही सही, कोई आवाज़ दे कि आएगा।"
"आज बाज़ार में पा बा जौलाँ चलो, चलें हम महफ़िलें बिछाए हुए हैं तमाम।"
"मेरी ज़िन्दगी तो फ़क़त आबाद थी वहाँ तेरी याद के सहारे ज़िन्दगी गुज़र गई।"
"मुझे ज़िंदगी भर नहीं समझ आएगा कि अब आख़िर तक तेरी याद मेरे दिल में रहेगी।"
"जो टूट गए उनको मालूम नहीं, जो चूक गए उनको खबर नहीं, जो बिखर गए समेट लो उन्हें, इन बिखरी हुई रौशनी में से हमें भी थोड़ा सा उजाला दो।"
"हर आहट पे हमें तुम