Friday, August 31, 2012

नर्म लहजा


During the Iraq war, Don Rumsfeld was reported as saying that the US forces in Iraq needed to use soft tones to win the hearts and minds of the people there. This ghazal arose in response to that extraordinarily cynical statement.



आरज़ू है हुक्मरानी की तो लहजा नर्म भी
है तो खुशरू, है मगर हल्क़ा उसी ज़ंजीर का

हुक्मरानी ही है मत्लूबे अमल तो लहजा नर्म
है बस इक पर्दा शरे मक्कारिये शमशीर का 

हमनशीं हों हमनवा हों हम तो कोई बात हो 
कैसे दे दूं तुमको दर्जा साहिबे तक़दीर का

नर्म लहजे से दिलों की यक-रवानी चाहिए 
क्या करें जज़्बाए आलमसर का आलमगीर का

कसमसाहट हुक्मरां होने की तज मेरे हबीब 
साथ चल मेरे करें आग़ाज़ नव तामीर का 



aarzoo hai hukmaraanee kee to lahjaa narm bhee
hai to khushroo, hai magar halqaa usee zanjeer kaa

hukmaraanee hee hai matloobe amal to lahjaa narm
hai bas ik pardaa share makkariye shamsheer kaa

hamnasheen hon hamnavaa hon ham to koyee baat ho
kaise de doon tum ko darjaa saahibe taqdeer kaa

Narm lahje se dilon kee yakravaanee chaahiye
kyaa karein jazbaaye aalamsar kaa aalamgeer kaa

kasmasaahat hukmaraan hone kee taj mere habeeb
saath chal mere karein aaghaaz nav tameer kaa





If your desire is to dominate, then the soft tones
might look good, but they are links of the same chain

If domination is the object of your actions, then soft tones
are merely a disguise for the mischievous duplicity of the sword

Sitting together, thinking together, we might make something happen
But you want control of my destiny. How can I give you that?

Soft tones are a path to hearts flowing together
What use the sentiment of world conquest and subjugation?

Abandon, my loved one, the aspiration of ruling over me
Walk by my side instead and let us begin the building of the new.




1 comment:

  1. If i remember right, there was a discussion in the US armed forces on the way to win the war where the idea of Wilber and Don Beck were sought. i have read some reports about the need to look beyond the war and to create a context where the people of Iraq had to be valued etc., the cynical redo of that is what Rumsfeld had to say!!!

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