کرم کتابی


شنیدم شبی در کتب خانۂ من
بہ پروانہ می گفت کرم کتابی
بہ اوراق سینا نشیمن گرفتم
بسی دیدم از نسخۂ فاریابی
نفہمیدہ ام حکمت زندگی را
ہمان تیرہ روزم ز بی آفتابی
نکو گفت پروانۂ نیم سوزی
کہ این نکتہ را در کتابی نیابی
تپش می کند زندہ تر زندگی را
تپش می دہد بال و پر زندگی را



THE BOOKWORM AND THE MOTH

I hear that in my library one night
A bookworm spoke thus to a moth:
"I have long lodged in Sina’s14 tomes
And have consumed much of Farabi’s15 manuscript.
But I have not learned anything
About life’s mystery,
And am just as much in the dark
About it as before."

The half-burnt moth gave it a fine reply
"You will not find life’s mystery
Explained in books.
However, here it is:
What gives to life intensity
Is ardency.
It lends life wings
With which to fly."

__________________
Faith is the bird that sings when the dawn is still dark.