By Faiz Ahmed Faiz
nahin mein manzil to hi
nahin mayassar to hi

If the destination is not in sight, then let there be the search; if union is not granted, then let there at least be the longing.

Romanहिन्दीFaiz Ahmed Faiz
नहीं निगाह में मंज़िल तो ही
नहीं मयस्सर तो ही

The verse 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 couplet meets disappointment with a graceful series of substitutions — no destination, then let there be the search; no union, then let there be the longing. Each loss is answered not with despair but with a smaller, sustaining alternative. It is a quiet manifesto for keeping the spirit in motion when fulfilment is withheld.

For You, Today

When the goal is out of reach, do not stop — the searching and the longing are themselves worth keeping alive.

A signature Faiz couplet that turns the act of seeking into a sufficient consolation when arrival is denied.
Themes:LongingHope
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More from Faiz Ahmed Faiz
Aspiration
'faiz' thi raah sar-ba-sar manzil
Love & Loss
aur bhi dukh hain zamane mein mohabbat ke siwa
Hope
dil na-umid to nahin nakaam hi to hai
All couplets by Faiz Ahmed Faiz

The heart of this site stays with Iqbal: explore his couplets → Or browse the whole Other Voices shelf →