Desolation of Delhi (part)

This is the latter part of Mohammad Rafi Sauda’s poem on the Desolation of Delhi. You can read the entire poem (in Urdu, its transliteration, and K. C. Kanda’s translation).

Many poets, including Ghalib, wrote on similar topics.

Desolation of Delhi

written by Mohammad Rafi Sauda | tr. by Tejas Gupta

Enough, Sauda, finish your speech, for I can endure no more,
There is no heart that sadness has not stricken,
There is no set of eyes that do not pour,
But your words are true, and we must answer,
But we live in the era of betrayal, so speak no more.

Direct transliteration of Urdu:

Bas ab khamosh ho Sauda, ke aage taab nahin,
Who dil nahin ke ab is ghum se jo kebab nahin,
Kisi ki chashm na hogi ke woh pur aab nahin,
Siwaaey is ke tiri baat ka jawab nahin,
Ke yeh zamaana hai betarah ka, zayaada na bol

Direct translation of Urdu:

Enough, be quiet, Sauda, I can endure no more,
There is no heart that sadness has not stricken,
There is no one whose eyes are not soaked with tears,
it is exactly your truth that we must answer
But it is the era of betrayal, don’t speak more.