شعر عجم
English title: PERSIAN POETRY
ہے شعر عجم گرچہ طرب ناک و دل آويزاس شعر سے ہوتي نہيں شمشير خودي تيز
There is no doubt that Persian verse, like music of the harp and lute, is full of joy and has much charm, yet sword or Self it makes not sharp.
افسردہ اگر اس کي نوا سے ہو گلستاںبہتر ہے کہ خاموش رہے مرغ سحر خيز
Better the song‐bird of the dawn be still, | Than by her notes lull flowerland into languor.
وہ ضرب اگر کوہ شکن بھي ہو تو کيا ہےجس سے متزلزل نہ ہوئي دولت پرويز
What use the patient axe that hews through mountains | Yet leaves Parvez and his proud throne unscathed?
اقبال يہ ہے خارہ تراشي کا زمانہ'از ہر چہ بآئينہ نمايند بہ پرہيز'
Iqbal much strife is needed in present age which needs chiselling rocks and crushing stone; shun case, in mirror do not peep, and let such things remain alone.
Sources and translator credits
- Original text transcription: Zarb-e-Kalim — شعر عجم — 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 — Persian Poetry — 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
- Poems from Iqbal — First edition, 1955Translation by V. G. Kiernan; Published English translations attributed to V. G. Kiernan; the 231 previously imported exact passages remain, with one additional independently reviewed final standalone line at PDF page 100. Each new locator names its exact passage scope.Source