آدم
English title: ADAM
طلسم بود و عدم، جس کا نام ہے آدمخدا کا راز ہے، قادر نہيں ہے جس پہ سخن
The Talisman wrought from mud and clay, whom we give the name of mail, is mystery known to God alone, its essence true we can not scan.
زمانہ صبح ازل سے رہا ہے محو سفرمگر يہ اس کي تگ و دو سے ہو سکا نہ کہن
Since Creation's Early Morn began time is engaged in constant flight, has tried to leave its trace on mail, but has not met success e'en slight.
اگر نہ ہو تجھے الجھن تو کھول کر کہہ دوں'!وجود حضرت انساں نہ روح ہے نہ بدن'
If you do not get, much disturbed, to you this truth I may unroll that man, God's image, on the earth is neither frame of clay nor soul.
Sources and translator credits
- Original text transcription: Zarb-e-Kalim — آدم — 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: Zarb-e-Kalim — 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
- Zarb-e-Kalim English translation at allama-iqbal.com — Adam — Public digital poem page, retrieved 2026-10-06; pinned to allama-iqbal.com commit 82547635bb6b758c45082084b2f152fc453a8056.Translation by Syed Akbar Ali Shah; Translator credited in the published English source field as Syed Akbar Ali Shah; source locator group 11176.Source