دليل مہر و وفا اس سے بڑھ کے کيا ہوگي
دليل مہر و وفا اس سے بڑھ کے کيا ہوگينہ ہو حضور سے الفت تو يہ ستم نہ سہيں
What will be a better proof of affection and fidelity with no love for you how intolerable will this cruelty be.
مصر ہے حلقہ ،کميٹي ميں کچھ کہيں ہم بھيمگر رضائے کلکٹر کو بھانپ ليں تو کہيں
Insistence is that in the ward committee I should also speak, but I shall speak after guessing if the Collector agreeable with me will be.
سند تو ليجيے ، لڑکوں کے کام آئے گيوہ مہربان ہيں اب، پھر رہيں، رہيں نہ رہيں
Obtain the testimonial, it will be of use for sons; he is favorable now, later he may or may not be.
زمين پر تو نہيں ہنديوں کو جا ملتيمگر جہاں ميں ہيں خالي سمندروں کي تہيں
Indians cannot find a place on the earth, but the oceans’ bottom available may be.
مثال کشتي بے حس مطيع فرماں ہيںکہو تو بستہ ساحل رہيں ، کہو تو بہيں
Like the insensitive boat we are subservient to orders; we are bound to the bank or float as your desire may be.
Sources and translator credits
- Original text transcription: Bang-e-Dara — ظر یفا نہ — 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
- Kulliyat-e-Iqbal (Urdu), special edition and Bang-e-Dara contents — Special edition, 1990; cited for the separately numbered humorous-poem contents only.Primary source used to document this poem’s language or title.Source
- Bang-e-Dara English translation at allama-iqbal.com — — 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