ਮੈਂ ਕਿਹਡ਼ਾ ਜਂਗਲ ਨਹੀਂ ਤੁਰਿਯਾ | मैं किहड़ा जंगल नहीं तुरिया | What jungle haven’t I walked ਮੈਂ ਕਿਹਡ਼ਾ ਸਾਗਰ ਨਹੀਂ ਤਰਿਆ | मैं किहड़ा सागर नहीं तरिआ | What ocean haven’t I swum ਮੈਂ ਕਿਹਡ਼ਾ ਅਂਬਰ ਨਹੀਂ ਟੋਹਿਯਾ | मैं किहड़ा अंबर नहीं टोहिया | What skies haven’t I explored ਪਰ ਕੁਝ ਤੇਰੇ ਚੋਂ | पर कुझ तेरे चों | But nothing in you ਕੁਝ ਤੇਰੇ ਚੋਂ | कुझ तेरे चों | Nothing in you ਤੇਰਾ ਨਹੀਂ ਮਿਲਿਯਾ | तेरा नहीं मिलिया | Was your own
तूं तुरिओं सूरज असतिआ कोई गिआ हनेरे डोल्ह असां तकवा लै के इशक दा कुल कालख दिती फोल असां दीवे बाली चानणी विच घउं के महिकां सोल्ह असां लूं लूं गीत जगाइआ जिद्हे किसमत वरगे बोल औह तारे साडी मुठ विच अहि दीवे साडी झोल कुल किसमत साडे वल वे इक तूं ना साडे कोल
My pathetic translation:
you walked away, the sun set someone left, spilling darkness we took piety from love and rummaged through the soot we lit lamps with moonlight in stolen fragrances softly* we woke up the song in each pore whose words are like fate those stars are in our fist these lamps are in our lap fate is on our side only you are not here
Translation by Madan Gopal Singh (carried with permission):
The sun went down when you left someone had gone spilling darkness all around
with love’s fervor, we rummaged the dark spread, all its ground
with moonlight we lit the lamp, with a dainty touch the fragrant stealth
In each pore and down, we awakened the song whose verses were like destiny’s own
Out there the stars were in our fist, Down here in our lap the lamps
The full sweep of fate was on our side, you alone were not there
Gloss provided by Rabbi on his FB post: taqvaa – piety fol – rummage solh – delicate gha’u.n ke – stealthily luu.n-luu.n – each pore
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 .
Juvenilia 