Couplets › Love
From Bang-e-Dara, 1924 — 'Jawab-e-Shikwa' · originally composed in Urdu
se jo nikalti hai rakhti hai
Par nahin, taqat-e-parvaaz magar rakhti hai
Par nahin, taqat-e-parvaaz magar rakhti hai
“Words that come straight from the heart carry power — they have no wings, and yet they have the strength of flight.”
से जो बात निकलती है रखती है
पर नहीं, ताक़त-ए-परवाज़ मगर रखती है
पर नहीं, ताक़त-ए-परवाज़ मगर रखती है
The couplet in Devanagari — it carries the authenticity of the original, and every Hindi reader can read it.
♪ Hear the coupletA recitation in a synthesized voice.
The Interpretation
Iqbal describes what gives speech its reach. A thing said from the heart has no physical wings, yet it travels — it has 'the strength of flight'. Sincerity, not technique, is what carries words into another person.
For You, Today
What makes your words land is not polish but where they come from. Iqbal's test for anything you want to say: did it actually come from the heart? If so, it will travel further than you think.
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
Ho mere dam se yunhi watan ki zeenat
Jis tarah phool se hoti hai chaman ki zeenat
Jis tarah phool se hoti hai chaman ki zeenat
Let my country be adorned by me, as a garden is adorned by its flowers.
Aspiration · Youth · Action
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