Nisar Teri Galiyon Main

Nisār maiñ tirī galiyoñ ke ai vatan ki jahāñ

Chalī hai rasm ki koī na sar uThā ke chale

Jo koī chāhne vaalā tavāf ko nikle

Nazar churā ke chale jism o jaañ bachā ke chale

Hai ahl-e-dil ke liye ab ye nazm-e-bast-o-kushād

Ki sañg-o-ḳhisht muqayyad haiñ aur sag āzād

Bahut hai zulm ke dast-e-bahāna-jū ke liye

Jo chand ahl-e-junūñ tere nām-levā haiñ

Bane haiñ ahl-e-havas mudda.ī bhī munsif bhī

Kise vakīl kareñ kis se munsifī chāheñ

Magar guzārne vāloñ ke din guzarte haiñ

Tire firāq meñ yuuñ sub.h o shaam karte haiñ

Bujhā jo rauzan-e-zindāñ to dil ye samjhā hai

Ki terī maañg sitāroñ se bhar ga.ī hogī

Chamak uThe haiñ salāsil to ham ne jaanā hai

Ki ab sahar tire ruḳh par bikhar ga.ī hogī

Ġharaz tasavvur-e-shām-o-sahar meñ jiite haiñ

Giraft-e-sāya-e-dīvār-o-dar meñ jiite haiñ

Yūñhī hamesha ulajhtī rahī hai zulm se ḳhalq

Na un kī rasm na.ī hai na apnī riit na.ī

Yūñhī hamesha khilā.e haiñ ham ne aag meñ phuul

Na un kī haar na.ī hai na apnī jiit na.ī

Isī sabab se falak kā gila nahīñ karte

Tire firāq meñ ham dil burā nahīñ karte

Gar aaj tujh se judā haiñ to kal baham hoñge

Ye raat bhar kī judā.ī to koī baat nahīñ

Gar aaj auj pe hai tāla-e-raqīb to kyā

Ye chaar din kī ḳhudā.ī to koī baat nahīñ

Jo tujh se ahd-e-vafā ustuvār rakhte haiñ

Ilāj-e-gardish-e-lail-o-nahār rakhte haiñ

English Translations

My salutations to thy sacred streets, O beloved nation!
Where a custom ‘that none shall walk with his head held high’ has been invented
And if a devotee yearns to go on pilgrimage
Then He must walk, with eyes lowered & body crouched in fear

The heart is in a tumultuous wrench at the sight
Of stones and bricks locked away and mongrels breathing free

In this tyranny that has many an excuse to perpetuate itself
Those crazy few that have nothing but thy name on their lips
Facing those power crazed that both prosecute and judge, wonder
To whom does one turn for protection, from whom does one expect justice?

But those whose fate it is to live through these times
Spend their days in thy mournful memories

When hope begins to faint, my heart has often conjured
Your forehead sprinkled with stars
And when my chains have glittered
I have imagined that dawn must have burst upon thy face

Thus one lives in the memories of thy dawns and dusks
Imprisoned in the shadows of the high prison walls

Thus always has the world grappled with tyranny
Neither their rituals nor our rebellion is new
Thus have we always grown flowers in fire
Neither their defeat, nor our final victory, is new!

Thus we do not blame the heavens
Nor let bitterness seed in our hearts (in times of parting)

We are separated today, but one day shall be re- united
This separation that will not last beyond tonight, bears lightly on us
Today the power of our exalted rivals may touch the zenith
But these four days of omniscience (power) too shall pass

Those that love thee keep, beside them
The cure of the pains of a million heart- breaks