Selected poetry from Hazrat Mian Muhammad Baksh Saheb’s “Saif-ul-Malook”. English translation by Saeed Ahmed (Govt. College of Commerce, Rawalpindi).
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“Saif-ul-Malook”
(Part 7 of 8 )
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Sabar karey taan ajar miley gaa, aai khabar Kitaboon,
Sabr utaarey qufl Mohammad har har mushkil baaboon.
Be patient, patience will be rewarded, so the Holy Book informs us.
Patience unlocks all the doors of difficulties.
—
Kach vee mankaa laal vee manka, ikko rang dohaan daa,
Jad srafaan aggey jawan, farq hazaar kohaan da.
Glass is a stone, so is a pearl. Both have the same color and look alike,
But when they are presented to jewelers, they point out the limitless difference between the two.
—
Sukhaan eyeshaan maojaan ander har koee yaar kahaandaa,
Sangee so jo tangee tak ke baney panjhaal dukhaandaa.
Everyone pretends to be your friend when are happy, rich and enjoying life’s luxuries.
The true friend is one who shares your sorrows and does not abandon when you are in trouble.
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Dunyaa utey jo kaam na aaya, okhey sokhey weyley,
Us beyfaizey sangi kolon behtar yaar akley.
It is better keep away from an insincere friend who does not help you when you are in trouble.
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Maan na keyjiye roup ghaney da waris kon husn da,
Sada na rehsn shaakhaan hayaan sada na phul chaman da.
Don’t be proud of beauty because no one can preserve it.
Branches do not remain green nor flowers bloom forever in the garden.
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Koorra banda rabb na bhaway, Yuman zubaan na rehndaa.
Gal ohde koi manda naheen sab jag jhotta kehndaa.
God does not like a liar because his tongue loses blessings.
No one believes in what he says and all call him a liar.
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Tere ot panah khudaaya hor naheen kujh sujhda,
Jis deevey noon aapon baaleyn kad kisey theen bujhdaa.
O God! nothing comes to my mind but to take shelter behind you,
The lamp you kindle can never be put out by anyone.
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Sabar kareen naumeed naa hoween lesayn ajar janaabon,
Mithey howan rehmaanee behtr kaar shataaboon.
Be patient and never lose hope. you will get your reward from God.
Deeds done discretely and with patience are divine and they are better than works done in an irrational hurry.
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Oho sahib malkaam wala aseen tuseen sabh bandey,
Har ek da rakhwala aapey, kiyaa changey kiya mandey.
He has angels to work for him, while we are merely humans.
He protects everyone without discriminating between the good or bad.
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Sarr apoon de lazat horaan, misl sharab kababaan,
Aap fana ho zaatee ral khaan waangan aab habaabaan.
Burn yourself like kebabs or wine sprinkled on the kebabs for the delight of others.
Merge yourself in the One as the bubbles dissolve in water.
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Jo shaair bey-peerraa howey sukhan shdey wee ruhkey,
Bey-perrey theen shair na hundaa, aag bin duhwaan na dukkhey.
If a poet has no sense of sorrow,his verses are also shallow (without depth or passion).
Poetry without sorrows is not possible just as fire does not burn without smoke.
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Aasey aasey umer guzari jhaley khar hazaraan,
Mali bagh na wekhan deyndaa, aayan jadon baharaan.
We spent our life hoping against hope for the spring came and endured all sorts of thorns,
When the spring came, the gardener did not permit us even to peep into the garden.
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Aasey asey gai jawani fikar peyaa hun eha,
Kaalyaan rang wataayaa goraa aaya moat sunhyaa.
Youth passed, hoping against hope and the worry now is that my black hair has turned gray and it is a message of death.
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Sada bhaar deyaan is baaghey kadee khizaan na aawey,
Howan feyz hazaraan taayeen har bhukha phal khaaway.
O God! let spring always reign over this garden and let not autumn come (enter) here ever.
May blessing reach all and may every hungry person eat fruit.
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Jis yaari wich laalch howey, kadey oh torr na charrdhee,
Chader lero leer Muhammad, kanddyaan naal jo arrdee.
Friendship based on greed is not durable.
O Muhammad! the shawl is torn into two pieces when entangled with thorns.
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Dukhye di gal dukheyaan sunda, sukhyey dee gal sukhyaa,
Dukhyaa haaye karey taan kolon sukhya hundaa dukhyaa.
The grieved listen to grieved and the joyful to the joyful.
As the grieved sob, the joyful feels perturbed.
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Qadar pulhaan da bulbul janey saaf damaghaan waalee,
Qadar pulhaan da girj ki janey murdey khawan waalee.
Only the clear headed nightingale knows the real worth of flowers,
The vulture knows not the value of flowers as it eats corpses.
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Aamaan be-ikhlasaan ander khaasaan dee gal karnee,
Mithee kheer paka Muhammad kutyaan aggey dharnee.
To talk sense before insincere people is like preparing kheer (pudding) and presenting it to dogs.
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Bas mera kujh zor na chalnda keeh tusaada khonna,
Lissey da keh zor Muhammad nas jaanaa ya rona.
I am hopeless and cannot harm you at all,
O Muhammad! the weak can only weep or runaway.
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Jey oh jean mangay taan jaldee sir aggay chaa dharyay,
So syaanaa te mat ikko gahnhay kolon dareye.
If a big powerful gun demands your life, place your head before him instantly,
A hundred sages will give you the same advice: Be afraid of the tyrants.
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Verey dushman moye gayee da assh wasaah na karyey,
Sap moey da kandaa chubhey phir bhee dardeen maryey.
Do not feel at ease even when the enemy has gone or is dead,
Even if the fang of a dead snake pricks you, you may die of pain.
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Qausain 