Friday, February 1, 2013

Rumi - Na Man Behuda Girde

I do not understand Persian, but the first time I listened to this poetry I fell in love. Beautifully sung by Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, this is one of my most favorite Sufi kalam by Jalāl ad-Dīn Muhammad Balkhī or Rumi. Came across this poetry while searching for qawwalis on youtube, but hail the ban, I lost the song and could not find an mp3 either. Today of all days I decided to download hotspotshield just to listen to this song and luckily the new realplayer update allowed me to not only download the song, but make an mp3. Here is a very basic translation I could come up with, for what was already out there doesn't seem very appealing.

نه من بيهوده گرد کوچه و بازار می گردم
Na man behuda gird-e-koocha-o-bazar me gardam
My roaming on streets & bazaars is not pointless

مذاق عاشقی دارم پی ديدار می گردم
Mazaq-e-aashiq-e-daram ba-deedar me gardam
I seek thee, beloved

خدايا رحم کن بر من پريشان وار می گردم
Khudaya rehm kun barman, pareshan waar me gardam
Have mercy on me, for I am anxious

خطا کارم گناه کارم به حال زار می گردم
Khata karam gunah garam ba-haal-e-zar me gardam
I have sinned; wandering, troubled

شراب شوق می نوشم به گرد يار می گردم
Sharab-e-shoq me nosham, ba-gird-e-yaar me gardam
Intoxicated by desire I seek thee and roam

سخن مستانه می گويم ولی هوشيار می گردم
Sukhan mastana me goyam, walay hushyaar me gardam
Not drunk but alert as I search

گهی خندم گهی گريم گهی افتم گهی خيزم
Gahe khundam, gahe giryum, gahe ufftum, gahay khezum
Every now and then laughing, crying, falling, rising

مسيحا در دلم پيدا و من بيمار می گردم
Maseeha dar dilum paida, o-man beemar me gardam
Roving sick as the messiah knocks at my heart's door

بالبم رسیده جانم تو بیاں که زنده مانم
Ba labam raseeda jaanam utu biya ke zinda manam
Death is round the corner, please come so I shall live

پس اذ آں کے من نه مانم بہ چھکار خواہی آمد
Pas az aan ke man na manam ba chih kar khaahi aamad
If you come when I am no more what use will it be

جدا ماسکی رسم آشنای است
Juda maskaye rasm-e-aashnaye ast
As the familiar mask is drawn

بیا که مرا تا قطعی جدای است
Baya kay marata qataye-judaye ast
And arrives the time of deliverance

بیا جانا عنایت کن تو مولانای رومی را
Baya jana inayat kunto Maulana Rumi Ra
Beloved! Come, aid your Maulana Rumi

غلام شمس تبریزم قلندروار می گردم
Ghulam-e-Shams-e-Tabraizi, Qalandar-war me gardam
Wanderer, slave of Qalandar Shams Tabraizi

For those who can access youtube:


17 comments:

  1. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  2. This is an awesome....NFAK put such a lovely soul into this marvelous poetry of Rumi

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  3. this kalam .... is it from Masnavi ya .. dewan e shams tabrez???

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  4. so nice , anybody can translate in urdu 4 me

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  5. wonderfull!
    But there is a couplet by Khusro which I think you got completely wrong.

    Man ham raseeda janam to bayan kay zinda manam
    Pas azan kay man na manam chkar khuwah-e-aamad

    it is actually
    ba labam raseeda jaanam...tu biya ke zinda manam
    (jaan ba lab hoon mai...tu aa ke me zinda rahoon)

    paas az aan ke man na maanam...ba chih kar khaahi aamad
    (if you come when i am more...phir aa kar kya hoga!)

    "az"...a pharsi preposition..should not be confused with aazan-)



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  6. This has been one favourite.. Thanks for such precise translation!

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  7. I think you got that one also wrong
    Juda maskaye rasm-e-aashnaye ast
    Baya kay marata qataye-judaye ast

    it's like this

    Juda Nabash Ki ee Rasm-e-Ashnayi Nast
    Baya Baya ki Mara Taqate Judai Nast

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  8. This is absolutely beautiful. I reached this kalaam, the other way around - by first listening to this in Qawwali form n then searching for it. Thus landing here. Thank you for this enormous effort. I'll be using, inAllah, some of these at my Rumi Page, on FaceBook - "Rumi - Thoughts Of Divine Love n Wisdom". Stay blessed.

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  9. Ba labam raseedah jaanam... That one's by Hasrat Amir Khusro (r.a.)

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  10. TRANSLATION IS NOT COMPLETELY CORRECT

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  11. Who has said,
    Aye zaad e daar e baag e tamaasha chee mee kunee, Gul rafta ghuncha rafta too ghogha chee mee kunni?

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  12. aye zaade daare baaghi tamasha chee mee kunni, gul rafta ghuncha rafta too ghogha che mee kunni

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