Intense Yearning: Pir Mehre Ali's 'Aj Sik Mitra' in english!

One of the most celebrated Punjabi poems of all time, Aj Sik Mitraan di, the timeless classic of the great Subcontinental Sufi Saint Sayyid Pir Mehr Ali Shah (may Allah sanctify his secret), cast into an english song for the first time:

1.
Intense yearning
For the beloved
Why then o heart
So sad this day?

2.
Each pore of me
Full of longing
Why do my eyes
Cry rivers so?

3:
I saw him in
A vision and
Smelt the perfume
Of his tresses!

4:
Drunken I was
From seeing him
A tide of tears
Has conquered me!

5.
Face like full moon
Shines so splendid
Fore head glows bright
With rays of light!

6.
Black locks and eyes
Intoxicate
Enchanting eyes
Brimful of wine!

7.
Two eyebrows curve
Like archer’s bows
Eyelashes dart
Out like arrows!

8.
Red lips as if
Yemen Rubies
Teeth white, strung like
Necklace of pearls!

9.
This form of his
Should I call life,
The dearest life,
Or life of all?

10.
In truth it’s the
Glory of God
Glory from which
All glories came!

11.
This form came from
The Formless One
The Formless by
The form is shown!

12.
The Colorless
Seen in this cast
When Oneness burst
To show Itself!

13.
Form shows the way
To The Formless
No, not the way
The truth of it!

14.
Not a job for
The dull is this
Just those that dive
Can find the pearl!

15.
May this face be
Before me when
Life departs and
Judgment Day comes

16.
In the grave and
The Bridge when crossed;
There fake coins then
Will be made real!

17.
"Your Lord grants you”
You have been told
“Until you’re pleased”
Our (‘are’) hopes on this!

18.
The loyal one
Will draw us close
Wash-fa’ tu shaf-fa
We read truly!

19.
Move from your face
That patterned cloak
O love show the
Heart-dazzling sight!

20.
O sweet one those
Sweet words repeat
That you said in
Hamra valley

21.
From your chamber
To Masjid come
For luminous
Sight all do yearn!

22.
Towards you both
Worlds turn their gaze
All men, angels
Houris and jinn!

23.
These souls pining
And crying out
Would give up their
Lives many times

24.
These slaves would sell
Them selves for free
May those moments
Arrive quickly!

25.
Glory to God
How beautiful
How excellent
Perfect you are!

26.
Who Mehr Ali
Are you to praise?
Audacious eyes
What have you seen?

--------------

Translated by Mudassir
27th s.Ramadan 1438
June 2017

General Youtube Licence, no copyright over videos or images.

Vocals: Abdul Shakoor,
Audio editing: Yaseen Arlow & Shamshad Hanif
Edit: Tahir Kayani

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