Nahin se ye
“You are a hunter of the huma, your journey has only just begun; this world of birds and fish is not without its hidden purpose.”
नहीं से ये
The couplet in Devanagari — it carries the authenticity of the original, and every Hindi reader can read it.
نہیں مصلحت سے خالی یہ جہان مرغ و ماہی
The couplet as Iqbal wrote it, in Urdu (Nastaliq).
The huma is the legendary high-flying bird of fortune and greatness. Iqbal tells the listener their true quarry is something rare and lofty, and reminds them they are still at the start. The ordinary world around them is not pointless; it carries a wisdom that prepares them for the higher pursuit.
Aim higher than you currently dare, and forgive yourself for being early in the journey. The small, ordinary phase you are in is not wasted time; it is shaping you for the larger thing you are meant to hunt.
Abhi ishq ke imtihan aur bhi hain
Sitaron pe jo dalte hain kamand
Zindagi shama ki surat ho khudaya meri