Couplets › Humility
From Bal-e-Jibril, 1935 · originally composed in Urdu
nahin hai
ki jaye tere mein meri
ki jaye tere mein meri
“Though my manner of saying it is not especially dazzling — perhaps, even so, my words may sink into your heart.”
Romanहिन्दीاردو
नहीं है
कि जाए तेरे में मेरी
कि जाए तेरे में मेरी
The couplet in Devanagari — it carries the authenticity of the original, and every Hindi reader can read it.
انداز بیاں گرچہ بہت شوخ نہیں ہے
شاید کہ اتر جائے ترے دل میں مری بات
شاید کہ اتر جائے ترے دل میں مری بات
The couplet as Iqbal wrote it, in Urdu (Nastaliq).
♪ Hear the coupletA recitation in a synthesized voice.
The Interpretation
Iqbal opens Bal-e-Jibril with disarming humility. He makes no claim to dazzle. He hopes only that the truth of what he says will quietly find its way in. It is a reminder that substance, not flourish, is what reaches the heart.
For You, Today
You do not need to be dazzling to be heard. Iqbal's quiet hope is that honest words, plainly meant, will land — and they usually do.
In the same spirit
Sitaron se aage jahan aur bhi hain
Abhi ishq ke imtihan aur bhi hain
Abhi ishq ke imtihan aur bhi hain
Beyond the stars there are worlds yet — there are still more trials of love to come.
Aspiration · Love · Restlessness
Zindagi ho meri parwane ki surat ya-rab
Ilm ki shama se ho mujh ko mohabbat ya-rab
Ilm ki shama se ho mujh ko mohabbat ya-rab
Let my life be like the moth's, O Lord; let me love the lamp of knowledge.
Love · Aspiration · Youth
Ho mera kaam ghareebon ki himayat karna
Dard-mandon se zaeefon se mohabbat karna
Dard-mandon se zaeefon se mohabbat karna
Let my work be to defend the poor — to love the suffering and the weak.
Justice · Humility · Love