raushan kahii.n bahaar ke imkaa.N huye to hai.n
Faiz Ahmed Faiz

raushan kahii.n bahaar ke imkaa.N huye to hai.n
gulashan me.n chaak cha.nd garebaa.N huye to hai.n

[Some signs of spring are visible now, at long last
Some flowers with torn cloaks, we can now see]

[imkaa.N=possibility; chaak=torn; garebaa.N=clothes/outer garment/cloak]

ab bhii Khizaa.N kaa raaj hai lekin kahii.n kahii.n
goshe rah-e-chaman me.n Gazal-Khvaa.N huye to hai.n

[Khizaa.N=autumn; goshaa=corner; Gazal-Khvaa.N=singing]

[Though autumn still reigns but in places, nevetheless
The sound of singing can be found in some corners of the garden]

Thaharii huyii hai shab kii siyaahii vahii.n magar
kuchh kuchh sahar ke rang par-afshaa.N huye to hai.n

[The darkness of the the night does not seem to lessen
Yet the colours of dawn can be seen in the Eastern sky]

in me.n lahuu jalaa ho hamaaraa ke jaan-o-dil
mahafil me.n kuchh chiraaG farozaa.N huye to hai.n

[Whether it uses our blood or our heart and soul
Some lamps are now ablaze in the gathering]

haa.N kaj karo kulaah ke sab kuchh luTaa ke ham
ab be-niyaaz-e-gardish-e-dauraa.n huye to hai.n

ahal-e-qafas kii subah-e-chaman me.n khulegii aa.Nkh
baad-e-sabaa se vadaa-e-paimaa.N huye to hai.n

[The prisoners will now awake in the flush of the dawn
We have had such a promise from the morning breeze]

hai dasht ab abhii dasht magar Khuun-e-paa se "Faiz"
sairaab cha.nd Khaar-e-muGelaa.N huye to hai.n

[The wilderness is still a wilderness but with our bleeding feet "Faiz"
We have managed to reclaim some of the thorns from this]

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Last updated on 20th December, 1999