Meaning
The evening of sorrow; the melancholy dusk of grief.
Literally: 'evening of grief'
See it in the verse
Sham-e-gham in Iqbal’s couplets
Dayar-e-ishq mein apna maqam paida kar
Naya zamana, naye subh-o-sham paida kar
Naya zamana, naye subh-o-sham paida kar
In the realm of love, create your own standing — bring a new age into being, new mornings and new evenings of your own.
Aspiration · Action · Love
Kyun ziyaankaar banun sood-faramosh rahun
Fikr-e-farda na karun mahv-e-gham-e-doosh rahun
Fikr-e-farda na karun mahv-e-gham-e-doosh rahun
Why should I make myself a loser, forgetful of all gain — give no thought to tomorrow and stay lost in yesterday's grief?
Restlessness · Courage · Awakening
Agar kho gaya ek nasheman to kya gham
Maqamat-e-aah-o-fughan aur bhi hain
Maqamat-e-aah-o-fughan aur bhi hain
If one nest is lost, why grieve? There are other stations of sighs and laments still ahead.
Restlessness · Hope · Adversity
Khudi mein doob ja ghafil, ye sirr-e-zindagani hai
Nikal kar halqa-e-shaam-o-sahar se javedan ho ja
Nikal kar halqa-e-shaam-o-sahar se javedan ho ja
Dive into your selfhood, O heedless one — this is the secret of life. Step out of the ring of evening and morning, and become everlasting.
Selfhood · Self-Knowledge · Awakening
Tu abhi rahguzar mein hai qaid-e-maqam se guzar
Misr-o-Hijaz se guzar, Paras-o-Shaam se guzar
Misr-o-Hijaz se guzar, Paras-o-Shaam se guzar
You are still only on the road — break free of the prison of one fixed place. Pass beyond Egypt and Arabia, pass beyond Persia and Syria.
Restlessness · Aspiration · Freedom
Agar kho gaya ek nasheman to kya gham
Maqamat-e-aah-o-fughan aur bhi hain
Maqamat-e-aah-o-fughan aur bhi hain
If one nest is lost, why grieve? There are other stations of sighs and laments still ahead.
Restlessness · Hope · Adversity