This poem, originally titled “Beqarari Si Beqarari Hai” by the renowned Urdu poet Jaun Elia, embodies the torment of restless longing and emotional turbulence. The verse reflects a profound sense of inner conflict, where union and separation dance together in a melancholic waltz. Life, as depicted here, is shadowed by inevitable sorrow and yearning, and the translation, "An Unrest, An Eternal Unrest", captures these emotions, as translated by Mason Carter.
Translation: "An Unrest, An Eternal Unrest"
An unrest—an eternal unrest, doth lie,
Though reunion be near, separation draws nigh.
A life once lived, yet foreign to my soul,
A dream unfulfilled, darkness makes me whole.
What shadows that once lingered, now weigh me so,
Even mine own shade, too heavy to bestow.
Without thee, slumber flees the night,
Has thine hold crept into mine rest, so slight?
How can I return to mine soul once more?
Each breath a saw, cleaving to the core.
Tell him thus: within my heart’s deep vein,
’Tis thee I await, in eternal pain.
Be it separation, reunion, or despair,
Memory alone clings to the air.
A scent once passed from heart to mind,
I thought it was thy presence I would find.
For each misfortune, my fate doth speak,
Yet time remains, as shadows creak.
Be joyful now, for life I only borrow,
A lifetime of hope, a lifetime of sorrow.
Translated by:
Mason Carter