Hazrat Sultan Bahu � Poetry Kalam, Abiat

PAGE NO. 40

Laam

Roman English of Kalam-e-Bahu

Laayuhtaaj jinhaan noon hoiaa, Faqr jinhaan noon saaraa hoo

Nazar jinhaan dee keemeeaa hove, Oh kion maaran paaraa hoo

Dost jinhaan daa haazir hove, Dushman lain na vaaraa hoo

Main qurbaan tinhaan ton, Baahoo, Jinh miliaa nabee sahaaraa hoo

English translation of Kalam-e-Bahu

Lovers who completely renounce the world Become contented and free from want.

They need practise no alchemy, For they can, with but one glance, Turn base metal into gold.

Their enemies have no chance against them- Their Friend is always by their side.

I sacrifice myself to the one, O Bahu, Who makes his Master the mainstay of his life.

Roman English of Kalam-e-Bahu

Likhan sikhion likh na jaataa, Kaaghaz keetaa zaaiaa hoo

Katt qalam noon maar na haanen, Kaatib naam dharaaiaa hoo

Sabh islaah eh hosee khotee, Jaan kaatib hath aaiaa hoo

Sahee islaah tinhaan dee, jinhaan Alif te meem pakaaiaa hoo

English translation of Kalam-e-Bahu

You learned to write in a beautiful hand, But what to write you didn�t learn- The whole exercise was a waste of paper.

You call yourself a calligrapher When you can�t even shape a writing pen!

When your script is examined by the real Scribe All your efforts will prove to have been worthless.

Only when you repeatedly write Ali and Meem* On the tablet of your heart, will you pass his test.

• Alif stands for Allah; meem (M) stands for Murshid (Master).

Roman English of Kalam-e-Bahu

Laam-laahoo ghairee dhande, Hik pal mool na raihnde hoo

Ishq ne putte rukh jarhaan theen, Hik dam haul na saihnde hoo

Jehrhe patthar vaang paharaan, Loon vaangoon gal vaihnde hoo

Ishq je saukhaa hundaa Baahoo, Sab aashiq ban baihnde hoo

English translation of Kalam-e-Bahu

When you attach yourself to the Lord Alla�hu All your worldly involvements are at once ended.

Love has pulled out huge trees of worldly attachment By the root- Where before, even the worst storm Wouldn�t dislodge a leaf.

Love has dissolved huge rocks of carnal passion As though they were salt.

Love is not child�s play, O Bahu! If it were, everyone would have become a lover of God.

Roman English of Kalam-e-Bahu

Lok qabar daa karsan chaaraa, Laihad banaawan deraa hoo

Chutkee bhar mittee dee paasan, Karsan dher ucheraa hoo

De darood gharaan noon vanjan, Kookan sheraa sheraa hoo

Wich dargaah na amlaan baajhon, Baahoo hog naberha hoo

English translation of Kalam-e-Bahu

Eventually your grave will be dug And your body slid into the lahad.*

Your loved ones will throw handfuls of dust And raise a mound of earth over you.

They will say the death-prayer for you soul�s benefit, They go home wailing and weeping at your sad demise.

But even after death there is no relief from pain Other than through good deeds done while living- Which alone count in the court of the Lord, O Bahu.

• A lahad is a side-extension at the bottom of a grave that provides room for the dead body. The grave is filled up with earth but the lahad remains hollow, providing �breathing space� for the body.