masjid-e qur:tubah
*stanza one*

  ....  
1) sequence of day and night,
shape-maker of events
= In silsilah there's also the sense of 'lineage',
and other complexities as well (*Platts*)
 
silsilah-e roz-o-shab , naqsh-gar-e ;haadi;saat
sequence of day and night,
origin of life and death
 
silsilah-e roz-o-shab , a.sl-e ;hayaat-o-mamaat
     
2) sequence of day and night,
two-colored strand of silk
 
silsilah-e roz-o-shab , taar-e ;hariir-e do-rang
from which Being makes
its robe of qualities
 
jis se banaatii hai ;zaat apnii qabaa-e .sifaat
     
3) sequence of day and night,
wail/lament of the tone/instrument of eternity
 
silsilah-e roz-o-shab , saaz-e azal kii fi;Gaa;N
through which Being shows
the treble and bass of possibilities
 
jis se dikhaatii hai ;zaat zer-o-bam-e mumkinaat
= More precisely, azal is the eternity before creation.    
     
4) this one examines/assays you,
this one examines/assays me,
 
tujh ko parakhtaa hai yih , mujh ko parakhtaa hai yih
sequence of day and night--
the Jeweler of Creation
 
silsilah-e roz-o-shab , .seraafii-e kaa))inaat
= It's apparently the Jeweler of Creation
who examines the 'sequence of day and night',
the way a jeweler would test the quality of gems.
   
   
5) if you would be of low quality,
if I would be of low quality
 
tuu ho agar kam-((ayaar , mai;N ho;N agar kam-((ayaar
death is your assignment,
death is my assignment
 
maut hai terii baraat , maut hai merii baraat
= This is the Arabic baraat , with no connection
to the Indic one meaning 'wedding procession'.
   
     
6) of your night-and-day,
what other reality--
 
tere shab-o-roz kii aur ;haqiiqat hai kyaa
the movement of one age,
in which is neither day nor night
 
ek zamaane kii rau , jis me;N nah din hai nah raat !
= The 'sequence of day and night' itself is doomed,
its black and white will blend into a river-like 'flow'
[rau] of time
   
     
7) momentary, oblivion-bound, all
the miracles of craftsmanship
 
aanii-o-faanii tamaam mu((jizah'haa-e hunar
the work of the world-- without stability!
the work of the world-- without stability!
 
kaar-e jahaa;N be-;sabaat ! kaar-e jahaa;N be-;sabaat !
     
8) first and last-- oblivion,
inside and outside-- oblivion
 
avval-o-aa;xir fanaa , baa:tin-o-:zaahir fanaa
whether it be an old shape or new,
the final destination-- oblivion
 
naqsh-e kuhan ho kih nau , manzil-e aa;xir fanaa
   

*On to stanza two* -- *Masjid-e Qurtubah index page*

 
 
 

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