غزل
English title: GHAZAL
O fearless wave, at bed of river gems are found. What are the gifts of coast? There dust and thorns abound.
The temper of lightning flash that darts, my spark contains, but still your bed of reeds is moist and sap retains.
The age in which you live is influenced by you: To spheres that ever spin, it can, no way be due.
I have come 'cross in life men with such craze and pluck they could darn with much ease the rents produced by luck.
That man is toper fine, who owes, no debt to wine such men are very few, they raise no cry or hue.
The East has taverns still where you can find such, wine, which makes perception dull with grandeur gleam and shine.
Men with vision bright for West have hope go slight the hearts of West aren't chaste for actions good haven't taste.
Sources and translator credits
- Original text transcription: Zarb-e-Kalim — غزل — 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 — Ghazal — Public digital poem page, retrieved 2026-10-06; pinned to allama-iqbal.com commit 82547635bb6b758c45082084b2f152fc453a8056.Translation by Syed Akbar Ali Shah; English Translation by: Syed Akbar Ali ShahSource