يہ دير کہن کيا ہے ، انبار خس و خاشاک
English title: The ancient fane in which we live
The ancient fane in which we live has heaps of thorns at every turn; too hard to cross it safe and sound without the aid of sighs that burn.
The tale of quarry shot by Love is simple, brief and not too long: The victim feels the joy of prick and then the rest of saddle thong.
The sterling truth to Muslim taught, in feuds of different sects is lost; how can you catch this truth again, with bias if your mind be fraught?
One is the outward form of faith, the other its spirit deep and true: He, who quaffs its spirits deep, brings secrets hidden to his view.
O pilgrim wise, who tread the path, if passion strong for faith you lack, the bough of faith shall whither fast, obscure and dim become the path.
Courage and valour are the signs by which the state of Love is known: Not every zeal is pert and rude, nor daring by ev’ry person shown.
On the Day of Judgment too my frenzy will not let me rest: With Mighty God I shall contend or rend to fragments my own vest.
Sources and translator credits
- Original text transcription: Bal-e-Jibril — يہ دير کہن کيا ہے ، انبار خس و خاشاک — Digital transcription file at commit 39d44fc0c2b8ca25769c4b36e6eac4d90cb42b35; the source dataset does not identify the underlying print edition.Verified against this pinned digital transcription file; not checked against a print edition.Source
- Iqbal Demystified source list: Bal-e-Jibril — Pinned digital dataset commit 39d44fc0c2b8ca25769c4b36e6eac4d90cb42b35; the underlying print edition is not identified by the dataset.Community dataset list; not reconciled against a print edition.Source
- Bal-e-Jibril English translation at allama-iqbal.com — — Public digital poem page, retrieved 2026-10-06; pinned to allama-iqbal.com commit 82547635bb6b758c45082084b2f152fc453a8056.Translation by Syed Akbar Ali Shah; English Translation by: Syed Akbar Ali ShahSource
