Kāfi No. 3
Nī asīñ āo khiḍāhāñ luḍḍī
Nauñ tār ḍor guḍḍī de asīñ le kar āñ uḍḍī
Sājan de hath ḍor asāḍī maiñ sājan dī guḍḍī
Is vele nuñ pachotāsīñ jad jae poseñ vich khuḍḍī
Kahe hussein faqīr sāīñ dā sabh duniyā ho jānī buḍḍī
Come, let’s dance the luddi
Grab that string and let high your kite
My string in my lover’s hand, I’m his kite
You’ll regret the moment you find yourself in a pit
Says Hussein, the Sain’s fakir, the whole world drowns
Kāfi No. 5
Dil dardāñ kītī pūrī nī dil dardāñ kītī pūrī
Lakh karoṛ jinhāñ de juṛyā so bhī jhūrī jhūrī
Bhaṭ paī terī chiṭṭī chādar changī faqīrāñ dī bhūrī
Sādh sangat de ohle rahnde budh tinhāñ dī sūrī
Kahe hussein faqīr sāīñ dā khalqat gāī adhūrī
Sorrows are our completion, I tell you,
aches and scars compose a being
Those busy turning millions to billions
remain as greedy as ever
Your white robe is fuel for fire
You may have been better off
with a dervish’s grimy cloak
Those who keep the company
of the plain and simple
stay out of harm’s way and arrive
at fuller wisdom
Says Hussein, the Sain’s fakir,
People leave unfulfilled.
Kāfi No. 6
Mere sāhibā! Maiñ terī ho mukkīāñ
manoñ na visārīñ tūñ mainūñ mere sāhibā har galloñ maiñ chukkīāñ
Augunhārī nūñ gun nāhīñ bakhsh kare tāñ maiñ chuṭṭīāñ
Jiyoñ bhāve tiyoñ rākh pyāriyā dāman tere maiñ lukkīāñ
Je tūñ nazar mahar dī bhāleñ chaṛh chaubāre maiñ suttīāñ
Kahe hussein faqīr sāīñ dā dar tere dī kuttīāñ
My master, I’m yours, and I’m done for
Don’t you ever erase me from your heart
I’ve given up all the rest. I have no virtue,
no skill. Bless me and I’ll be free
Keep me as you like, my lovely one,
I’ve sought refuge in your shade
If only you’d give a favourable glance
I’m up here asleep on the top floor
windows wide open in all directions
Says Hussein, the Sain’s devotee
I’m the bitch at your doorstep.
Read the original Punjabi in Shahmukhi and Gurmukhi
Translated by Naveed Alam (from Verses of a Lowly Fakir).
Transliterated by R. Singh
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