Couplets › Courage
From Bal-e-Jibril, 1935 · originally composed in Urdu
Jis se jigar-e-lala mein thandak ho wo shabnam
Dariyaon ke dil jis se dahal jayen wo toofan
Dariyaon ke dil jis se dahal jayen wo toofan
“To be the dew that cools the heart of the tulip — and the storm that makes the hearts of rivers tremble.”
Romanहिन्दी
जिस से जिगर-ए-लाला में ठंडक हो वो शबनम
दरियाओं के दिल जिस से दहल जाएँ वो तूफ़ान
दरियाओं के दिल जिस से दहल जाएँ वो तूफ़ान
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's portrait of a complete person holds two things at once: the tenderness of dew on a flower, and the force of a storm that shakes great rivers. Gentleness and power are not opposites to choose between — they are two faculties of one whole self.
For You, Today
You do not have to choose between being kind and being formidable. Iqbal's ideal self is both — dew to those who need softness, storm to whatever needs moving.
In the same spirit
Khudi ko kar buland itna ki har taqdeer se pehle
Khuda bande se khud pooche, bata teri raza kya hai
Khuda bande se khud pooche, bata teri raza kya hai
Raise your selfhood so high that, before issuing every decree of destiny, God Himself asks you: tell me, what is your wish?
Selfhood · Courage
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