Bullah Doesn’t Know Who I Am Poem by Muhammad Shanazar

Neither I am a momin in the mosque,
Nor a ritual amid the blasphemes,
Nor a sacrilegious amid the pious,
Neither Moses, nor Pharaoh;
Bullah doesn’t know who I am!

Neither I am a mystery in the books,
Nor in the potion of hemp, nor in wine,
Nor amid the befuddled drunks;
Neither in wake, nor in sleep;
Bullah doesn’t know who I am!

Neither I am in joy, nor in gloom,
Nor in profanity, nor in piety,
Neither watery, nor earthen,
Nor in the fire, nor in the air;
Bullah doesn’t know who I am!

Neither I am from Arab, nor from Lahore,
Nor from the Indian city of Nagore,
Neither I am Hindu, nor Turk,
Nor Pathan, nor I live in Nadone;
Bullah doesn’t know who I am!

Neither have I found the mystery of religion,
Nor I am the successor of Adam and Eve,
Nor have I reiterated my name,
Neither in sitting, nor in squatting;
Bullah knows not who I am!

First and last I identified myself,
And did not recognize someone else,
None else is wiser than me,
Lo Bullah! Who stands there afar;
Bullah doesn’t know who I am!

Written by Bullah Shah
Translated by Muhammad Shanazar