Abhi toh main jawan hoon...

Have been trying to translate Hafeez Jalandhari's seminal work `Abhi toh main jawan hoon' into English for some time now. To those of us who love, cherish and swear by those lines, the monumental difficulty of the task is apparent. To translate into straightforward prose, all one needs is a good Urdu to English dictionary. The real challenge is to translate it into poetry that can stand on its own. Poetry that retains the essence of the original, yet is not quite a literal translation. Here is my humble effort. Any comments or suggestions towards improving this effort would be more than welcome.

The fragrance wafts o’er the dew

As flowers bloom, in every hue

A thousand melodies fill the air

As spring is here, in bridal wear

It’s time for cheer, bring out the wine

Come back, the moment is divine

Come fill the cup, don’t turn away

Do not demur, do not delay

Do cast your eye upon the spring

The scene’s a dream upon a wing

As evening falls, dark clouds appear

Across the skies, from far and near

Wine lovers will always have their say

As to the taverns, they wend their way

Off with the skeptic look, my man

For I’m not naïve, nor weak nor van

Heaven can wait, as can piety

For I’m still young, so let me be.

Yes, there’s talk of God, of fear

Of salvation that’s never near

Redemption, and the need to know

The after life, where souls will go

But man of God, do hark my word

Is not your contention absurd

Tell me dear man, hand on heart

Can love and beauty stand apart?

When joy and fragrance fill the air

And lissome beauties, tall and fair

Bewitching smiles, do lie in wait

How can our passions ever abate

Sensuous glances, full of grace

Entice one into their embrace

Guiles of love, and passion’s sway

Can mere mortals then stay away?

Okay, to cut the story short

Your point of view, your kindly thought

I may agree with, I may see

But I’m still young, so let me be..

To walk along the mountain side

Or trek the streams at eventide

To hear the nightingales in song

And blooming roses, all along

And then to chance upon your love

And see all worries, gloom dissolve

I guess it’s written in our stars

Tears or joy, what shall be ours..

These tales of love, these songs of yore

Are ones we have all heard before

Some speak of youths, full of flair

And others may merely be hot air

These skies, these meadows evergreen

Are scenes that no one has ever seen

Bounty in joy, calming in strife

They are the essence of our life

A life that’s short, that’s so finite

And so every breath holds delight

But is the end ever so nigh

No, no, not now, how can I die

I’ve long to go, I’ve much to see

For I’m still young, so let me be..

No bondage, nor freedom shall remain

No rise, no fall, no wax nor wane

No past, no present, no despair

No vows, no promises, no care

Hope and despair, both beguiled

With past and future reconciled

All sense, all logic shall now depart

There’s just the wine, and the heart

Come let the wine flow, let’s rejoice

Oh nightingale, where is your voice

Do sing of joy, draw out our pain

Let just the cup, the ale remain..

Let every voice sing out as one

Drink on, the joy has just begun

A drink, a drink, don’t you see

For I’m still young, so let me be… 

Here is the version immortalised by the mother-daughter duo of Malika Pukhraj and Tahira Syed - whom I liken to the finest single malt and blended Scotch respectively.

And here is the original version in Roman Urdu...

Hawaa bhii khushagawaar hai,

Gulon pe bhi nikhaar hai

Tarannumein hazaar hai,

Bahaar purbahaar hai

Kahaan chalaa hai saaqiyaa,

idhar to laut idhar to aa

Arey, yeh dekhtaa hai kya?

Uthaa subuu, subuu uthaa

Subuu uthaa, piyaalaa bhar,

Piyaalaa bhar ke de idhar

Chaman ki simt kar nazar,

Samaa to dekh bekhabar

Woh kaali kaali badliyaan,

Ufaq peH ho gayi ayaan

Woh ik hajum-e-maikashaan,

Hai su-e-maikadaa ravaan

Yeh kyaa gumaan hai badgumaan,

Samajh na mujh ko naatavaa

Kayaal-e-zuhad abhi kahaan?

Abhi to main jawaan hoon

Ibaadaton ka zikr hai,

Nijaat ki bhi fikr hai

Junoon hai sawaab ka,

Khayaal hai azaab kaa

Magar suno to sheikh ji,

Ajeeb shai hain aap bhi

Bhalaa shabaab-o-aashiqui!,

Alag huay bhi hain kabhi?

Hasiin jalwaa raiz hon,

Adaaein fitanaa khaiz hon

Havaaein itr baiz hon,

Toh shauq kyun na taiz hon?

Nigaah haai fitanaa gar,

Koi idhar koi udhar

Ubhaarate hon aish par,

Toh kyaa karey koi bashar?

Chalo ji qissaa muktasar,

Tumhaaraa nuqtaa-e-nazar

Durust hai to ho magar,

Abhi to main jawaan hoon

YeH gasht kohsaar ki,

YeH sair ju-e-waar ki

YeH bulbulon ke chahchahey,

YeH gulrukHon ke qah-qahey

Kissi sey mail ho gayaa,

Toh ranj-o-fikr kho gayaa

Kabhi jo waqt so gayaa,

Yeh hans gayaa who ro gayaa

Yeh ishq kii kahaaniyaan,

Yeh ras bhari jawaaniyaan

Udhar sey meharbaaniyaan,

Idhar sey lantaraaniyaan

Yeh aasmaan yeh zameen,

Nazzaraahaa-e-dilanashiin

Unhey hayaat aafareen,

Bhalaa main chhorh doon yahin

Hai maut is qadar qarib,

Mujhey na aayegaa yaqin

Nahin nahin, abhi nahin,

Nahin-nahin abhi nahin

Na gham kashood-o-bast ka,

Baland ka na past ka

Na bood ka naH hast ka,

Na vaadaa-e-alast ka

Ummid aur yaas gum,

Havaas gum qayaas gum

Nazar sey aas-paas gum,

Hamaa, bajuz gilaas gum

Na mai mein kuchh kami rahey,

Gadaah sey hamdami rahey

Nashist yeh jami rahey,

Yahi hama hami rahey

Who raag chheRh mutribaa,

Tarab-fizaa, alam-rubaa

Asar sadaa-e-saaz ka,

Jigar meiN aag de lagaa

Har ik lab pe ho sadaa,

Na haath rok saaqiyaa

Pilaaye jaa pilaaye jaa,

Abhi to maiN jawaan hoon