Walo myaani poshey madno

Dil nith colham roshey,
Walo myaani poshey madano!

Wolai ve’si’ gachavai hiyey,
yus gav su katee yiyey,
Praaraan chhas channi ziyey,
Walo myaani poshey madano!

Wolai ve’si’ gachavai handey,
Laanyum nyai kati andey,
Loo’ka’ ma’ti ka’dnas randey,
Walo myaani poshey madano!

Wolai ve’si’ gachavai babrey,
Chhokh me’ loinam tabrey,
Zanh ti aam nai khabrey,
Walo myaani poshey madano!

Wolai ve’si’ gachavai krechhey,
Khalqav tuj has rechhey,
Timan tay myon hyu gachhey,
Walo myaani poshey madano!

Wolai ve’si khasavai vantai,
Khalqav b’ari’ has kan tai,
Tee booz ta’mi’ saadan tai,
Wo’lo myaani poshey madano!

Wolai ve’si gachhvai aabas,
Dunya chhu nendri ta khaabas,
Praaran chhas bo’ jawaabas,
Walo myaani poshey madano!

-0-

Having snatched my heart you have gone far off,
Come, my love, my flowery Cupid!

Let us go, mu friend, to gather jasmine,
Once dead, none can enjoy life;
I hanker for your prosperity, Love,
Come, O Come, my flowery Cupid.

Let us go, friend, to gather dandelion,
The tangled strands of destiny cannot be freed,
The populace relishes my humiliation,
Come, O come, my flower Cupid.

Let us go, friend, to gather basil,
Wounding my heart with the axe,
Disdains he even to inquire of me,
Come, O Come, my flowery Cupid.

Let us go friend to gather herbs,
Heartless people make fun of me,
Would that they were in a similar plight!
Come, O Come, my flowery Cupid.

Let us go, friend, to the woods:
People poison his ears against me,
Naively he gives credence to these tales!
Come, O Come, my flowery Cupid.

Let us go, friend, to fetch water:
The world is fast aslumber, Love,
I yearn for a response from you,
Come, O Come, my flowery Cupid.

~ A Translation by S.L. Sadhu offered in his ‘Habba Khatoon’ written for Sahitya Akademi’s ‘Makers of Indian Literature’ series.

An interesting thing about the books on Kashmiris written by Kashmiris under this series is that they seldom actually offer the original Kashmiri lyrics. It’s like they (the publishers, not the writers as it does seems the original lyrics were left out in the final edit) never thought other Kashmiris might be interested in reading these books some day and might want to read the originals too.

-0-

He stole my heart, then
enraged, he left.
Come back my flower, my God, my Love!

Come my friends, let us gather Jasmine,

One who is gone,
never returns.
And yet I wait on all your life.
Come back my flower, my God, my Love!

Come my friends, let us gather Dandelion,

It was fate,
not meant to be, they say.
All that people now offer is abjection.
Come back my flower, my God, my Love!

Come my friends, let us gather Basil,

My beauty
he threw to axes,
it went to pieces,
And he never even returned to know,
if I was alive
Come back my flower, my God, my Love!

Come my friends, let us gather wild herbs,

People mock and taunt,
Not if,
they too had gone through,
what I am going through,
Come back my flower, my God, my Love!

Come my friends, let us go to the woods,

People poison his two ears
That simple man,
what if he hears their tales of me,
what if he believes their falsehood!
Come back my flower, my God, my Love!

Come my friends, let us go to the river,

While the world is still asleep and dreaming,
I await,
I wait for an answer
Come back my flower, my God, my Love!