ساقي
English title: THE CUP-BEARER
نشہ پلا کے گرانا تو سب کو آتا ہےمزا تو جب ہے کہ گرتوں کو تھام لے ساقي
Everyone knows how to throw down people with intoxicants; the fun is to convert the intoxicated one to sanity, O cup-bearer.
جو بادہ کش تھے پرانے، وہ اٹھتے جاتے ہيں!کہيں سے آب بقائے دوام لے ساقي
Those who were the old wine-drinkers are gradually departing; bring the water of immortality from somewhere, O cup-bearer.
کٹي ہے رات تو ہنگامہ گستري ميں تري!سحر قريب ہے، اللہ کا نام لے ساقي
Your whole night has passed in tumult and clamour; the dawn is close remember God, O cup-bearer!
Sources and translator credits
- Original text transcription: Bang-e-Dara — ساقي — 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 Bartender (Butler) — 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