ना मैं अन्दर बेद किताबां, ना विच भंगां ना शराबां, ना विच रिन्दां मसत खराबां, ना विच जागन ना विच सौण । बुल्ल्हा की जाणा मैं कौण ।
I am not in the Vedas or in the scriptures; I am not in drugs or in liquor. I am not among the drunken reprobates. I am not in waking, nor am I in sleep. Bullha, what do I know about who I am?
ना विच शादी ना ग़मनाकी, ना मैं विच पलीती पाकी, ना मैं आबी ना मैं ख़ाकी, ना मैं आतिश ना मैं पौण । बुल्ल्हा की जाणा मैं कौण ।
I am not in joy or in sadness, nor am I in pollution or purity. I am not of water or of earth, nor am I fire or air. Bullha, what do I know about who I am?
ना मैं अरबी ना लाहौरी, ना मैं हिन्दी शहर नगौरी, ना हिन्दू ना तुर्क पशौरी, ना मैं रहन्दा विच नदौण । बुल्ल्हा की जाणा मैं कौण ।
I am neither an Arab nor from Lahore, nor an Indian from the city of Nagaur. I am not a Hindu, nor a Turk from Peshawar. Nor do I live in Nadaun. Bullha, what do I know about who I am?
ना मैं भेत मज़हब दा पाइआ, ना मैं आदम हवा जाइआ, ना मैं आपना नाम धराइआ, ना विच बैठण ना विच भौण । बुल्ल्हा की जाणा मैं कौण ।
I have not discovered the secret of religion, nor am I born of Adam and Eve. I have not given myself a name, nor am I found in sitting or moving about. Bullha, what do I know about who I am?
अव्वल आखर आप नूं जाणां, ना कोई दूजा होर पछाणां, मैथों होर ना कोई स्याणा, बुल्हा शाह खढ़ा है कौण । बुल्ल्हा की जाणा मैं कौण ।
– Bulleh Shah Sufi Lyrics
translated byChristopher Shackle
Bullha, what do I know about who I am?
I know myself to be first and last, I do not recognise anyone else. No one is wiser than I am. Bullha, who is the lord standing here?
I am not a believer in the mosques, nor do I follow the rites of unbelief. I am not among the pure or the polluted. I am not Moses or Pharaoh.
I am not in the Vedas or in the scriptures; I am not in drugs or in liquor. I am not among the drunken reprobates. I am not in waking, nor am I in sleep . I am not in joy or in sadness, nor am I in pollution or purity. I am not of water or of earth, nor am I fire or air.
I am neither an Arab nor from Lahore, nor an Indian from the city of Nagaur. I am not a Hindu, nor a Turk from Peshawar. Nor do I live in Nadaun.
I have not discovered the secret of religion, nor am I born of Adam and Eve. I have not given myself a name, nor am I found in sitting or moving about.
I know myself to be first and last, I do not recognise anyone else. No one is wiser than I am. Bullha, who is the lord standing here?
naa main momn vich msitaan, naa main vich kufer diaan ritaan, naa main paakaan vich plitaan, naa main musaa naa fraun . bullhaa ki jaanaa main kaun .
naa main andr bed kitaabaan, naa vich bhngaaan naa shraabaan, naa vich rindaan mst khraabaan, naa vich jaagan naa vich saun . bullhaa ki jaanaa main kaun .
naa vich shaadi naa gaemnaaki, naa main vich pliti paaki, naa main aabi naa main khaki, naa main aatish naa main paun . bullhaa ki jaanaa main kaun .
naa main arbi naa laahauri, naa main hindi shhr ngaauri, naa hindu naa turk pshauri, naa main rhndaa vich ndaun . bullhaa ki jaanaa main kaun .
naa main bhet mjehb daa paaiaa, naa main aadm hvaa jaaiaa, naa main aapnaa naam dhraaiaa, naa vich baithn naa vich bhaun . bullhaa ki jaanaa main kaun .
avvl aakhr aap nun jaanaan, naa koi dujaa hor pchaanaan,
maithon hor naa koi syaanaa, bulhaa shaah khdha hai kaun .
bullhaa ki jaanaa main kaun .
makeh gayaan gall mukdii naahiin bhaaven sou sou jummay paRh aaee-ey Pilgrimage to Mecca is not the answer Even if we offer hundreds of prayers there
Ganga gayaan gall mukdii naahiin bhaaven sou sou go-te khaee-ey A visit to the Ganges is not the answer Even if we take hundreds of dips there
Gaya gayaan gall mukdii naahiin bhaaven sou sou sou sou panD paR aaee-ey Going to Gaya is not the answer Even if we go read hundreds of books
Bulleh Shah gall taaN hii o mukdii jadon mai nuu diloN gavaa-ee-ey Bulleh Shah, the end of the matter is only When the “I” is removed from the heart
naa mai pujaa paath jo kiittii te naa mai Ganga nahaaya I neither worshipped nor chanted nor did I bathe in the Ganga
naa main panj namaazaan paRiyaan te naa tasbaa khaRkaayaa I neither read the namaaz five times nor did I pray with the rosary beads
Bulleh Shah nuu murshid milleya ohne aeveiin jaa bakshaayaa
Bulleh Shah found a spiritual guide who just simply granted him forgiveness (or boons?)
PaR paR aalam faazal hoyaa Kadii apne aap nu paRayaa hii naiiN
Read and read and and became a scholar But never read himself
jaa jaa VaR daa mandir masiitaaN kadii man apne vich vaRyaa hii naiin Goes visiting temples and mosques But has never entered his own heart
aevaiin roz shaitaan naal laRdaan kadii nafs apne naal laRyaa hii naiin Fights with the devil every day just like that But never has fought with his own ego
Bulleh Shah asmaani uDadiiyaan phaRdaa jeRaa ghar baiThaa onnuu phaRyaa hii naiin Bulleh Shah grabs the flying things in the sky But doesn’t grasp the one sitting at home
sir te Topii te niiyat khoTii lainaa kii Topii sir dhar ke
If you wear a prayer cap, but harbour ill intent, What good is wearing a cap on your head?
tasbii phirii par dil naa phir-yaa, lainaa ki pher tasbii hath phaR ke If you move the prayer beads, but don’t move your heart, What good is holding prayer beads in your hands?
chill-e kitte par rab na milyaa lainaa kii chillyaan wich waR ke If you performed all the rituals, but didn’t find god What good are such rituals? Bullyaa! jaag binaa dudh naeo jamdaa bhaanwen laal huve kaaRh kaaRh ke
O Bulleh! You can’t set milk into curd without starter culture If you keep boiling it, it would only get red
Raanjha chaak na aakho kuRiyo aenuu chaak kehNdii sharmaawaan O friends, don’t call Ranjha a shepherd O I blush when I call him a shepherd
Mai jaii aan laakh Heeraan is nuu te mai kis gintii wich aawaan I am like a thousand Heers to him In which counting would I appear?
Takhat Hazaar-ay da eh maalik Te mai Heer sayaal sadaa waan He’s the ruler of Hazara’s thronea And I am forever the plain Heer
Bulleh Shah rabb kuuk sune te mai chaak dii chaak ho jaawaan Bulleh Shah may God hear my wail And I’ll become shepherded by the Shepherd
Ranjha JogiRaa aa ban aaya Ae ne anokhaa bhes waTaayaa Ranjha became Jogi and arrived He changed into a unique disguise
Ahdo-n Ahmad naam dharaayaa Nii mai jaanaa Jogi de naal He changed his name from Ahad (One God) to Ahmad (Prophet Mohammad) O I want to go with the Jogi
koii kis-e de naal koii kise de naal mai Jogi de naal naal Someone with someone, this one with that one I’m one with Jogi
JaduuN dii mai Jogi dii hoii Mai wich mai naa rah gayii koii Since I have become Jogi’s I have no “I” left in me
Jogi mere naal naal mai Jogi de naal naal nii mai jaanaa Jogi de naal Jogi is with me I am with Jogi I’m going along with Jogi
kan-nii mundaraaN paa ke math-e tilak lagaa ke After putting earrings in my ears and decorating my forehead with Tilak
nii ae Jogi naiiN koii ruup hai rabb daa O he’s not a Jogi He’s some form of God
bhes Jogi daa is nu phab-daa is Jogi meraa juuRaa khasyaa The form of Jogi suits him This Jogi has tightened my hair-knot
ae Jogi mere man wich wasyaa sach aakhaan mai qasm Quran hai This Jogi has come to stay in my heart I tell you the truth swearing by the Koran
Jogi meraa diin iimaan hai Is Jogi maenuu kiitaa rogii Jogi is my religion and faith This Jogi has made me sick
Nii mai is jogii hun hor naa jogii O I belong to him (I am worth him only) Now I’m not worth any one else (Now there’s no other Jogi)
tar gaii ve mai tar gaii loko akh Jogi naal laR gaii loko I’m floating, I’ve gone across, O people I have locked eyes with the Jogi, O people
Mae nuu jogan Jogi dii aakho Heer salaetii [?] mar gaii loko Call me Jogi’s devotee Heer is dead, O people
khere* karde guuRiyaan gallaaN Jogi de mehne mai sir te jhallan Kheras have deep things to say I will take the jibes for Jogi [Kheras are the family Heer was married off to]
hor kis-say nuu kujh naa jaanaaN jaanaaN te Jogi nuu jaanaaN I don’t know anything about anyone else If I know anything, I only know Jogi
is daa paayaa kis-se naa paayaa is daa hae do jag ut-te saayaa No one has attained what he has attained He provides shade to both worlds
is diyaan dhuummaN do jag dhummiyaan is diyaan juttiaaN arsh ne chummiaaN His fame is celebrated in both worlds His shoes are kissed by Heaven
Ae Jogi jogi matwaalaa hatth wich Ill’Allah dii maalaa This Jogi is full of wonders In his hand is the rosary of “There is Nothing But One God”
nii naam hae is daa Kamli-waalaa O his name is “the one with the blanket”*
(or shawl – reference to Mohammad)
je Jogi ghar aave mere muk jaavan sab jhagRe tere If Jogi comes to my home All your fights will end
[And here NFAK segues into akhiaan uDiik diyaan and other songs:
ghar aa jaa tere sadqe jaawaan akhiyaan uDiik diyaaN dil vaajaaN maar daa] aa jaa taenu akhiyaan uDiik diyaan
bhul gayiaaN khushiaan te rus gaye chaa ve aj pataa lagaa ke vichheRaa kii balaa hai
kaii kaii vaar chaRii koThe te te mai utrii kaii kaii vaarii naa dil chaen naa sabr akhiiN nuu te naa bhuldii suurat pyaarii ishq sataaii davaaN duhaaii te main kardii dil [?] aa jaa sajnaa naa jaa sajnaa..
and then segues into loye loye… and finally returns to Jogi de naal:]
je Jogi ghar aave mere muk jaavan sab jhagRe tere If Jogi comes to my home All your fights will end
nii mai laavaan siin-e de naal lakhaaN shagan manaa ke I will embrace him to my chest And celebrate millions of good omens
Bulleh Shah ik Jogi aayaa dar saade aynay dhuan paya Bulleh Shah a Jogi came To our door….(… ?… )
aenae luT laii Heer Sial aaya bhes vataa ke He stole away Heer of Sial He came in a disguise
Jogi luT laii Heer
sonii sonii shaqal dikhaa ke miim daa ghuuNghaT sir ut-e paa ke naam apnaa Ahmad kahvaa ke
By showing beautiful beautiful faces and using the veil of holiness on his head by calling himself Ahmad
jogi luT layii Heer miThii, miThii, miThii [panjhali?] di kuuk sunaa ke
मक्के ग्यां गल्ल मुकदी नाहीं, जिचर दिलों ना आप मुकाईए । गंगा ग्यां गल्ल मुकदी नाहीं, भावें सौ सौ ग਼ोते लाईए । गया गयां गल्ल मुकदी नाहीं, भावें कितने पिंड भराईए । बुल्हा स਼ाह गल्ल मुकदी ताहीं, जद मैं नूं खड़े लुटाईए ।
The matter is not finished by going to Mecca, so long as you do not finish off the self from your heart. Sins are not shed by going to the Ganges, even though you immerse yourself hundreds of times. The matter is not finished off by going to Gaya, no matter how many offerings you make to the dead. Bullhe Shah, the matter is finished when the ego is destroyed.
Doha 54
raati jaage kare ibaadat raatii jaagan kute tethon ute bhonkan band muul naa hunde jah roRii te sute tethon ute khasam apne da darr na chhaD de bhaaven vajjan jute tethon ute Bulleh Shah koi rakhat vihaj leh nahi te baazi leh gai kute tethon ute
You remain awake at night and perform your devotions. Also awake at night are dogs, better than you. They bark and in no way can they be stopped. They go and sleep on the dung heap, better than you. They do not leave their master’s door, even if they get beaten with slippers, better than you. Bullhe Shah, buy yourself something for the journey, or else the game will be won by the dogs, better than you
Juvenilia 