HALI: "JUSTICE FOR THE SILENT" (1905)

STANZA SIX
meter: = = - = / = = - = / = = - = / = = - =

chha;Taa band
*back to Stanza 5*  
 

1a) the way you lived, wasting away, in this uncertain world
1b) it's fitting if you alone are called the pride of the human race

kii tum ne is daar ul-la;han me;N jis ta;hammul se basar
zebaa hai gar kahye tumhii;N fa;xr-e banii nuu((-e bashar

 
2a) those stone-hearted butchers who were thirsty for your blood--
2b) their pitilessnesses are famous in the world, but
jo sang-dil shaffaak pyaase the tumhaare ;xuun ke
un kii to hai;N be-ra;hmiyaa;N mashhuur ((aalam me;N magar
 
3a) you found yourselves no purchase of peace among others either
3b) whether among them would be husbands, or fathers, or brothers, or sons
tum ne to chain apne ;xariid auro;N se bhii paayaa nah kuchh
shauhar ho;N us me;N yaa pidar yaa ho;N biraadar yaa pisar
 
4a) the blind one in whose heart love for you made its home, and then departed
4b) he remained suspicious of you, oh unfortunate ones! for your whole lives
ulfat tumhaarii kar ga))ii ghar dil me;N jis be-diid ke
vuh badgumaa;N tum se rahaa ai be-na.siibo ! ((umr bhar
 
5a) although a virtuous man might often remain your lover
5b) but whether they would be virtuous or vicious, all remained agreed on this opinion:
go nek mard ak;sar tumhaare naam ke ((aashiq rahe
par nek ho;N yaa bad rahe sab muttafiq is raa))e par
 
6a) as long as you live, you would remain deprived of knowledge and wisdom here
6b) as ignorant as you had come, just so ignorant you would go
jab tak jiyo tum ((ilm-o-daanish se raho ma;hruum yaa;N
aa))ii thii;N jaisii be-;xabar vaisii hii jaa))o be-;xabar
 

7a) [*urdu 8*] you would remain ignorant and anonymous in the world
7b) neither would you know the world, nor would the world know you

tum is :tara;h maj'huul aur gumnaam dunyaa me;N raho
ho tum ko dunyaa kii nah dunyaa ko tumhaarii ho ;xabar
 
8a) the learning that was considered the water of life for men
8b) with regard to you, was decreed to be entirely a deadly poison
jo ((ilm mardo;N ke liye samjhaa gayaa aab-e ;hayaat
;Theraa tumhaare ;haq me;N vuh zahr-e halaahal sar-basar
 
   
9a) the time of justice comes, the day of reckoning is near
9b) the world will have to answer for these losses of rights, there
aataa hai vaqt in.saaf kaa nazdiik hai yaum ul-;hisaab
dunyaa ko denaa hogaa in ;haq-talfiyo;N kaa vaa;N javaab
 
*on to Stanza 7*  
~~ Hali index page ~~ Platts Dictionary ~~ FWP's main page ~~