بُلّھے شاہBULLEH SHAHTHE LIVING VERSE
FROM THE WORDS OF BULLEH SHAH

Munh Aai Baat Na Rahindi E

The Word Will Not Stay Unspoken

Two ways into the same verse. Tap a line to find its echo.

A lie may spare me; truth sets fire alight.

झूठ आखां ते कुझ बचदा ए सच्च आख्यां भांबड़ मचदा ए,

The heart weighs both, then the tongue must speak.

जी दोहां गल्लां तों जचदा ए जच जच के जेहवा कहन्दी ए ।

The word will not stay unspoken.

मूंह आई बात ना रहन्दी ए ।

Who found the wanderer's secret searched the inward road.

जिस पाइआ भेत कलन्दर दा, राह खोज्या आपने अन्दर दा,

They live in peace's house, beyond all rise and fall.

उह वासी है सुक्ख मन्दर दा, जिथे कोई ना चढ़दी लहन्दी ए ।

The word will not stay unspoken.

मूंह आई बात ना रहन्दी ए ।

Courtesy asks its due; we know these stories well.

इक लाज़म बात अदब दी ए सानूं बात मलूमी सभ दी ए,

God's image lives in each—now hidden, now in sight.

हर हर विच सूरत रब्ब दी ए किते ज़ाहर किते छुपेंदी ए ।

The word will not stay unspoken.

मूंह आई बात ना रहन्दी ए ।

This world is dark, its playing-floor treacherous underfoot.

एथे दुनियां विच अन्हेरा ए इह तिलकन बाज़ी वेहड़ा ए,

Go within and see who waits; madwoman, why search outside?

वड़ अन्दर वेखो केहड़ा ए क्युं खफ़तन बाहर ढूंडेदी ए ।

The word will not stay unspoken.

मूंह आई बात ना रहन्दी ए ।

The account spreads far; a stranger secret lies beneath it.

एथे लेखा पायों पसारा ए इहदा वखरा भेत न्यारा ए,

A flash of that face—a spark in gunpowder.

इह सूरत दा चमकारा ए जिवें चिनग दारू विच पैंदी ए ।

The word will not stay unspoken.

मूंह आई बात ना रहन्दी ए ।

Here a lovely gesture; there the Messenger appears.

किते नाज़ अदा दिखलाईदा, किते हो रसूल मिलाईदा,

Here love takes a lover's shape; there a soul endures its loss.

किते आशक बण बण आईदा, किते जान जुदाई सहन्दी ए ।

The word will not stay unspoken.

मूंह आई बात ना रहन्दी ए ।

When the light appeared, the mountains of Tur burned away.

जदों ज़ाहर होए नूर हुरीं, जल गए पहाड़ कोह-तूर हुरीं,

Mansur went to the scaffold; no boasting served him there.

तदों दार चढ़े मनसूर हुरीं, ओथे शेखी पेश ना वैंदी ए ।

The word will not stay unspoken.

मूंह आई बात ना रहन्दी ए ।

If I reveal the secret, every quarrel will fall silent.

जे ज़ाहर करां इसरार ताईं, सभ भुल्ल जावन तकरार ताईं,

Then they will kill poor Bulleh; better keep the secret veiled.

फिर मारन बुल्ल्हे यार ताईं, एथे मख़फ़ी गल्ल सोहेंदी ए ।

The word will not stay unspoken.

मूंह आई बात ना रहन्दी ए ।

We learned the knowledge of truth: one letter was enough.

असां पढ़आ इलम तहकीकी ए ओथे इको हरफ़ हकीकी ए,

All else is needless quarrel, clamour piled on clamour.

होर झगड़ा सभ वधीकी ए ऐवें रौला पा पा बहन्दी ए ।

The word will not stay unspoken.

मूंह आई बात ना रहन्दी ए ।

King of wisdom, come; teach us how to bear ourselves.

ए शाह अकल तूं आया कर, सानूं अदब अदाब सिखाइआ कर,

Teach this false one, who calls other people fools.

मैं झूठी नूं समझाइआ कर, जो मूरख माहनूं कहन्दी ए ।

The word will not stay unspoken.

मूंह आई बात ना रहन्दी ए ।

Wonderful power, free of care—it crowns a captive king.

वाह वाह कुदरत बेपरवाही ए देवे कैदी दे सिर शाही ए,

A mother bore a son whose witness all now speak.

ऐसा बेटा जाइआ माई ए सभ कलमा उस दा कहन्दी ए ।

The word will not stay unspoken.

मूंह आई बात ना रहन्दी ए ।

What can this helpless one do, so pale with longing?

इस आज़िज़ दा की हीला ए रंग ज़रद ते मुक्खड़ा पीला ए,

Where you yourself are the appeal, what can a court pronounce?

जिथे आपे आप वसीला ए ओथे की अदालत कहन्दी ए ।

The word will not stay unspoken.

मूंह आई बात ना रहन्दी ए ।

Bulleh, love is not apart from us; no smallest thing stands outside him.

बुल्ल्हा शहु असां थीं वक्ख नहीं, बिन शहु थीं दूजा कक्ख नहीं,

We lack the eyes to see; so the soul still suffers parting.

पर वेखन वाली अक्ख नहीं, ताहीं जान जुदाईआं सहन्दी ए ।

The word will not stay unspoken.

मूंह आई बात ना रहन्दी ए ।

بلھے شاہ
— 107 —
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