ايک پرندہ اور جگنو
English title: A BIRD AND THE FIRE‑FLY
Early in the evening a song bird sitting on a branch was singing.
It saw a glowing object on the ground; considering it a fire fly flew down to it.
The fire-fly said to the singing bird: ‘O singing bird, do not kill a helpless creature.
Who gave chirping to you, and fragrance to the rose; the same God gave the glittering light to me.
I am clad in the apparel of light. I am the Toor of the insects' world.
If your chirping is the ear's pleasure; my brightness also is the sight's pleasure.
Nature has given light to my wings; it has given fascinating voice to you.
He taught singing to your beak; He made me the torch of the garden.
He bestowed glitter upon me, voice upon you; conferred warmth upon me and music upon you.
Warmth is not the opposite of music; everywhere warmth is the associate of music.
The assembly of existence is based on these alone. All the world's manifestations are through these alone.
The world's assembly is based on harmony alone. The bloom of this garden is based on this alone.’
Sources and translator credits
- Original text transcription: Bang-e-Dara — ايک پرندہ اور جگنو — 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
- 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 Bird And The Fire Fly — 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
