Monday, August 19, 2019

A poem - Noorul Huda Shah

One of the very genuine writers left in Pakistan. My loose translation afterward.



People!
Count your steps
(and) walk slowly
Gazed downwards
 (to be assured)
You haven't killed anyone
You haven't smashed anyone
Wear shackle of boils in legs
Cautiously
Look behind
(again and again)
Who is chasing you
is judging your steps
(he is) no one else but
the All-Mighty

(I will theme this poem as 'insaan' ka apna zameer')

4 comments:

bsc said...

I dont know where you discover suc h poets from while living here but Ashab Kahaf wali to rearkable baat hay
This Zameer poem reminded me of two different religion teachings that I would share 1. Jain mazhab: We are advised to walk the way described here and even breathe with cover in case some little bug gets into mouth or drink carefully etc.
2. Christian: (My own description from my understanding)Walking on sand tired and with difficulty I noticed there are two pairs of feet impressions and I asked who is the other one. I was told The Lord is accompanying you and then as I got more tired I noticed one pair foot mark disappeared I asked what happened Has the Lord left me alone I heard
No the Lord has picked you up

Z-ki-Diary said...

Uncle: the poem you mentioned of two feet impressions is so touching that it is hanging in a picture frame outside my daughter's room since she was 5 years old.

One night I dreamed a dream.
As I was walking along the beach with my Lord.
Across the dark sky flashed scenes from my life.
For each scene, I noticed two sets of footprints in the sand,
One belonging to me and one to my Lord.

After the last scene of my life flashed before me,
I looked back at the footprints in the sand.
I noticed that at many times along the path of my life,
especially at the very lowest and saddest times,
there was only one set of footprints.

This really troubled me, so I asked the Lord about it.
"Lord, you said once I decided to follow you,
You'd walk with me all the way.
But I noticed that during the saddest and most troublesome times of my life,
there was only one set of footprints.
I don't understand why, when I needed You the most, You would leave me."

He whispered, "My precious child, I love you and will never leave you
Never, ever, during your trials and testings.
When you saw only one set of footprints,
It was then that I carried you."

Z-ki-Diary said...

Thank you for sharing Jain philosophy!

bsc said...

Thanks for writing the whole poem which I did not remember I wrote from the memory of the picture
That is a wonderful poem though Christian in origin but equally applicable for any religion with belief in the Almighty