Couplets › Love
From Bang-e-Dara, 1924 — 'Bachche ki Dua' · originally composed in Urdu
ho meri parwane ki
ki se ho mujh ko
ki se ho mujh ko
“Let my life be like the moth's, O Lord; let me love the lamp of knowledge.”
Romanहिन्दी
ज़िन्दगी हो मेरी परवाने की या रब
की शम्आ से हो मुझ को मुहब्बत या रब
की शम्आ से हो मुझ को मुहब्बत या रब
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
The moth burns itself in the flame it loves — Iqbal's old image for total, consuming devotion. The child asks for that intensity, but aimed at the lamp of knowledge: a love of learning so complete one is willing to be consumed by it.
For You, Today
Lukewarm curiosity changes nothing. Iqbal's prayer is for the moth's intensity pointed at learning — to love knowledge enough to lose yourself in it. Pick the lamp worth burning for.
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