ايک آرزو
Aik Arzoo
English title: A LONGING
O Lord! I have become weary of human assemblages! When the heart is sad no pleasure in assemblages can be.
I seek escape from tumult, my heart desires; the silence which speech may ardently love!
I vehemently desire silence, I strongly long that a small hut in the mountain's side may there be.
Freed from worry I may live in retirement; freed from the cares of the world I may be.
Birds' chirping may give the pleasure of the lyre; in the spring's noise may the orchestra's melody be.
The flower bud bursting may give God's message to me; showing the whole world to me this small wine-cup may be.
My arm may be my pillow, and the green grass my bed be; putting the congregation to shame my solitude's quality be.
The nightingale be so familiar with my face that her little heart harboring no fear from me may be.
Avenues of green trees standing on both sides be; the spring's clear water providing a beautiful picture be.
The view of the mountain range may be so beautiful; to see it the waves of water again and again rising be.
The verdure may be asleep in the lap of the earth; water running through the bushes may glistening be.
Again and again the flowered boughs touching the water be; as if some beauty looking at itself in mirror be.
When the sun apply myrtle to the evening's bride; the tunic of every flower may pinkish golden be.
When night's travelers falter behind with fatigue; their only hope my broken earthenware lamp may be.
May the lightning lead them to my hut; when clouds hovering over the whole sky be.
The early dawn's cuckoo, that morning's mu’adhin; may my confidante he be, and may his confidante I be.
May I not be obligated to the temple or to the mosque; may the hut’s hole alone herald of morning’s arrival be.
When the dew may come to perform the flowers’ ablution’ may wailing my supplication, weeping my ablution be.
In this silence may my heart’s wailing rise so high that for stars’ caravan the clarion’s call my wailing be.
May every compassionate heart weeping with me be; perhaps it may awaken those who may unconscious be
Sources and translator credits
- Original text transcription: Bang-e-Dara — ايک آرزو — 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 — A Desire — 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