گل رنگيں
Gul-i-Rangin
English title: THE COLORFUL ROSE
You are not familiar with the hardships of solving enigmas O Beautiful Rose! Perhaps you do not have sublime feelings in your heart.
Though you adorn the assembly yet do not participate in its struggles; in life's assembly I am not endowed with this comfort.
In this garden I am the complete orchestra of Longing and your life is devoid of the warmth of that Longing.
To pluck you from the branch is not my custom; this sight is not different from the sight of the eye which can only see the appearances.
Ah! O colorful rose this hand is not one of a tormentor; how can I explain to you that I am not a flower picker.
I am not concerned with intricacies of the philosophic eye, like a lover I see you through the nightingale's eye.
In spite of innumerable tongues* you have chosen silence. What is the secret which is concealed in your bosom?
Like me you are also a leaf from the garden of Toor; far from the garden I am, far from the garden you are.
You are content but scattered like fragrance I am wounded by the sword of love for search I am.
This perturbation of mine a means for fulfillment could be; this torment a source of my intellectual illumination could be.
This very frailty of mine the means of strength could be; this mirror of mine envy of the cup of Jam* could be.
This constant search is a world-illuminating candle and teaches to the steed of human intellect its gait.
Sources and translator credits
- Original text transcription: Bang-e-Dara — گل رنگيں — 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: Bang-e-Dara — 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
- Iqbal Academy Pakistan Bang-i-Dara Audio Table of Contents — Official audio contents list; cited only for the displayed Urdu and Romanized title pairsPrimary source used to document this poem’s language or title.Source
- Pinned digital source list 001 (Bang-e-Dara section headings) — Pinned repository commit 39d44fc0c2b8ca25769c4b36e6eac4d90cb42b35; digital transcription, not a selected print edition.Verified against this pinned digital transcription file; not checked against a print edition.Source
- Bang-e-Dara English translation at allama-iqbal.com — The Colorful Rose — Public digital poem page, retrieved 2026-10-05; pinned to allama-iqbal.com commit 82547635bb6b758c45082084b2f152fc453a8056.Translation by Dr M.A.K. Khalil; English Translation by: Dr M.A.K. KhalilSource