Couplets › Aspiration
From Bal-e-Jibril, 1935 · originally composed in Urdu
na kar par
aur bhi, aur bhi hain
aur bhi, aur bhi hain
“Do not be content with this world of colour and scent — there are other gardens, and other nests, too.”
न कर पर
और भी, और भी हैं
और भी, और भी हैं
The couplet in Devanagari — it carries the authenticity of the original, and every Hindi reader can read it.
قناعت نہ کر عالم رنگ و بو پر
چمن اور بھی آشیاں اور بھی ہیں
چمن اور بھی آشیاں اور بھی ہیں
The couplet as Iqbal wrote it, in Urdu (Nastaliq).
♪ Hear the coupletA recitation in a synthesized voice.
The Interpretation
Iqbal warns against a comfortable, small contentment. The visible world of colour and fragrance is pleasant, and that is exactly its danger — it can satisfy you too soon. Other gardens exist; settling early means never seeing them.
For You, Today
Contentment is a virtue, but Iqbal names its failure mode: stopping at the first pleasant thing. There are other gardens. Make sure your peace is earned, not merely premature.
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
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
Lab pe aati hai dua ban ke tamanna meri
Zindagi shama ki surat ho khudaya meri
Zindagi shama ki surat ho khudaya meri
My longing rises to my lips as a prayer: O God, may my life be like a candle's flame.
Hope · Aspiration