translating shiv kumar batalvi: ki pucchdeo haal fakiraan daa

a humble attempt at translating a poem by shiv kumar batalvi

a song

 

why do u ask after us mendicant wanderers

us, who are waters separated from the rivers

us, who have been born as tears

us heartbroken forlorn lovers

knowing well that pictures are but names

for blotches of gaudy colours

i valued them too dearly when

i ended up amongst the lovers

i slept with thousands, but

not one whose soul was mine

such fate did someone write

on my hands, in these four lines

my destiny was ardent, but of no avail

all the meticulous plans i thought i’d try

i left not jhang and pierced not my ears

as a flock of heers passed me by

people listen to my songs too

and they call me a godless infidel

for i called my hurt my kaaba, and god

was the name i gave my pain immeasurable

in the company of the learned

i often spoke out loudly with disdain

it was from a bit of pride in my love

from the small claim i had over pain

you pride yourself as being intelligent

a passionate lover is how myself i paint

let’s leave it for people to decide

whom they honour as a learned saint

in his voice

the text in english