Couplets › Youth
From Bal-e-Jibril, 1935 — 'Dua' · originally composed in Urdu
Jawanon ko meri aah-e-sahar de
Phir in shaheen bachchon ko bal-o-par de
Phir in shaheen bachchon ko bal-o-par de
“Give the young my dawn-time sigh of longing — and give these falcon-children their wings and their feathers once more.”
Romanहिन्दी
जवानों को मेरी आह-ए-सहर दे
फिर इन शाहीन बच्चों को बाल-ओ-पर दे
फिर इन शाहीन बच्चों को बाल-ओ-पर दे
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
A prayer for the next generation. Iqbal asks that the young inherit not his comfort but his yearning — his 'dawn sigh', the ache that drives a person upward. And he calls them falcon-children who need only their wings restored to fly.
For You, Today
The best thing to pass to those younger than you is not ease but a worthy longing. Iqbal prays for their wings, not their safety.
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
Nahin tera nasheman qasr-e-sultani ke gumbad par
Tu shaheen hai, basera kar paharon ki chattanon mein
Tu shaheen hai, basera kar paharon ki chattanon mein
Your nest is not on the dome of a royal palace. You are a falcon — make your dwelling on the rocks of the mountains.
The Falcon · Freedom · Courage
Mohabbat mujhe un jawanon se hai
Sitaron pe jo dalte hain kamand
Sitaron pe jo dalte hain kamand
My love is for those young ones who cast their lasso upon the stars.
Youth · Aspiration