کوشش نا تما م
English title: THE UNSUCCESSFUL EFFORT
فرقت آفتاب ميں کھاتي ہے پيچ و تاب صبحچشم شفق ہے خوں فشاں اختر شام کے ليے
The dawn is vexed by separation from the sun; the twilight's eye is raining blood for the evening star.
رہتي ہے قيس روز کو ليلي شام کي ہوساختر صبح مضطرب تاب دوام کے ليے
The day's Qais has the pining for the night's Lailah; the morning star is restless for perpetual radiance.
کہتا تھا قطب آسماں قافلہ نجوم سےہمرہو ، ميں ترس گيا لطف خرام کے ليے
The sky's polar star was saying to the stars' caravan: ‘Companions! I am tantalized for the pleasure of walking.’
سوتوں کو نديوں کا شوق ، بحر کا نديوں کو عشقموجہء بحر کو تپش ماہ تمام کے ليے
Springs desire rivers, rivers love the ocean; the ocean wave is in love with the full moon.
حسن ازل کہ پردہء لالہ و گل ميں ہے نہاںکہتے ہيں بے قرار ہے جلوہء عام کے ليے
The eternal Beauty which is veiled in tulips and roses is considered to be restless for general manifestation.
راز حيات پو چھ لے خضر خجستہ گام سےزندہ ہر ايک چيز ہے کوشش ناتمام سے
Ask Khizar of blessed steps for the secret of life: Everything is alive with un-achieved effort.
Sources and translator credits
- Original text transcription: Bang-e-Dara — کوشش نا تما م — 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
- Bang-e-Dara English translation at allama-iqbal.com — The Unsuccessful Effort — 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