Title: Sighra Aaween – سگھڑا آويں – Come Swiftly
Language: Punjabi, Siraiki
Poetry: Sachal Sarmast (1739-1826) and Sultan Bahu (c.1628-1691)
Sassi roams the blistering desert in desperate search of Sanwal, her beloved Punnun. His beautiful image has taken root in her heart, pervading all her senses. A Quranic verse states, “There remaineth but the Countenance of thy Lord of Might and Glory”. Sassi’s frenzied quest for union is an allegory for the call of the human soul to reunite with the Divine Source. The poet knows that love and the torment of separation is a universal experience; his pain is still acute and particular.
الف الا چمبے دي بوٹي مرشد من وچ لائي ہُو
alaf ala chambe di boo?i murshid man wich laai hu
alif, the first letter of God’s name, is a jasmine flower that the Guide has planted in my heart – He!
نفي اثبات دا پاني مليو ہر رگے ہر جائي ہُو
nafi asbaat da paani milyo har rage har jaai hu
watered with negation and affirmation (no God, but God) was each vein and each pore – He!
اندر بوٹي مشک مچائي جاں پھلاں تے آئي ہُو
andar boo?i mushk machaai jaan phulaan te aai hu
inside, the plant stirred a musky tumult of fragrance when the flowers of gnosis blossomed – He!
جيوے مرشد کامل “باہو” جيں ايہہ بوٹي لائي
jeewe murshad kaamil baahu jain eh boo?i laai
long live my Consummate Guide, O “Bahu”, who planted this chaste flower
سگھڑا آويں سانول يار
sigh?a aaween saanwal yaar
come swiftly, dark, handsome love!
روندي وتديّاں زاروزار
roandi watadiyyaan zaarozaar
I wander weeping wretchedly
سگھڑا آويں سانول يار
sigh?a aaween saanwal yaar
come swiftly, dark, handsome love!
رات دياں وچ سانگ سجن دے رہن ہميشہ سرد رات
raat diyaan wich saang sajan de rahn hamesha sard raat
the nights and days of separation from my lover always remain bitterly cold
جو اک واري مر کے جيوے فير اناں کي مرنا ہُو
jo ik waari mar ke jeewe fer unaan ki marna hu
he who, after death, once more lives, what fear has he of death then – He!
دنيا اتو جس دن بھاويں اس دن پردا کرنا ہُو
duniya uto jis din bhaawen us din parda karna hu
from the world, the day he chooses his mortal frame he can quit – He!
راہاں تي?ياں روز ?وليندياں
raahaan te?iyaan roz golaindiyaan
each day, I scour the roads you travelled
من توں آويں کنہں ول يار
man tu aaween kainhn wal yaar
oh, would to God you come back, love!
سگھڑا آويں سانول يار
sigh?a aaween saanwal yaar
come swiftly, dark, handsome love!
جيں ڈينہ دا ميں در تينڈے تے سجدہ صحي جا کيتا ہُو
jain ?eenh da main dar tain?e te sajdah sahi ja keeta hu
at your door, from the day that I did bow my forehead in the True Court – He!
اس ڈينہ دا سر فدا اتھائيں بيا دربار نہ ليتا ہُو
us ?eenh da sir fida uthaaeen bya darbaar nah leeta hu
from that day, my head (life) is devoted to that Court; no other court have I since sought – He!
سر ڈيون آکھن ناہيں شاد پيالہ پيتا ہُو
sir ?ewan aakhan naaheen shaad piyaala peeta – hu
they’d give up their heads than give up His Secret, who have drunk from the Cup of Gladness – He!
ميں قربان تنہاں توں “باہو” جنہاں عشق سلامت کيتا ہُو
main qurbaan tinhaan ton baahu jinhaan ishq salaamat keeta hu
I am sacrificed for those ones, O “Bahu”, who have (like Husain) safeguarded Pure Love – He!
در تي?ے تے “سچّو” ?يہے
dar te?e te sachchu jehe
at your door, like the lowly “Sachchu”
عاشق لکھہ ہزار او يار
aashiq lakh hazaar o yaar
(must be) countless ardent lovers, love!
سگھڑا آويں سانول يار
sigh?a aaween saanwal yaar
come swiftly, dark, handsome love!
