Nida Fazli translations

Apni Marzi se

by Nida Fazli Shayari

translated by Mandakini Bhattacherya and Michael R. Burch

This journey was not of my making;

As the winds blow, I’m blown along ...

Time and dust are my ancient companions;

Who knows where I’m bound or belong?

Original Poem:

Apni Marzi se kahan apne safar ke hum hain,

Rukh hawaaon ka jidhar ka hai udhar ke hum hain.

Waqt ke saath mitti ka safar sadiyon se,

Kisko maaloom kahan ke hain kidhar ke hum hain.

Failures

by Nida Fazli

loose translation/interpretation by Michael R. Burch

I was unable to relate

the state

of my heart to her,

while she failed to infer

the nuances

of my silences.

Every Day and in Every Direction

by Nida Fazli

loose translation/interpretation by Michael R. Burch

Everywhere and in every direction we see innumerable people:

each man a victim of his own loneliness, reticence and silences.

From dawn to dusk men carry enormous burdens:

all preparing graves for their soon-to-be corpses.

Each day a man lives, the same day he dies.

Each new day requires the same old patience.

In every direction there are roads for him to roam,

but in every direction, men victimize men.

Every day a man dies many deaths only to resurrect from his ashes.

Each new day presents new challenges.

Life's destiny is not fixed, but a series of journeys:

thus, till his last breath, a man remains restless.

Couplets

by Nida Fazli

loose translation/interpretation by Michael R. Burch

It was my fate to entangle and sink myself

because I am a boat and my ocean lies within.