Dastoor by Habib Jalib
The poem was originally written In 1962, when Field Marshal Ayub Khan formulated the new constitution and was playing the flute of his administrative capabilities, Jalib called it faulty. He called it a tool of exploitation and wrote his most memorable poem Dastoor which shattered the manipulated intentions of the government.
Urdu
Deep jis ka sirf mehellaat hi main jalay,
Chand logon ki khushyon ko lay ker chalay,
Wo jo saye main har maslihat kay palay;
Aisay dastoor ko,
Subh e bay noor ko,
Main naheen maanta,
Main naheen jaanta.
Main bhee khaif naheen takhta e daar say,
Main bhee Mansoor hoon, keh do aghyaar say,
Kyun daraatay ho zindaan ki divar say,
Zulm ki baat ko,
Jehel ki raat ko,
Main naheen maanta,
Main naheen jaanta.
Phool shaakhon pay khilnay lagay tum kaho,
Jaam rindon ko milnay lagay tum kaho,
Chak seenon kay silnay lagay tum kaho,
Iss khulay jhoot ko,
Zehan ki loot ko,
Main naheen maanta,
Main naheen jaanta.
Tum nay loota hai sadyon hamara sakoon,
Ab na hum per chalay ga tumhara fasoon,
Chara gar main tumhain kiss tara say kahoon?
Tum naheen charaagar,
Koi maanay magar,
Main naheen maanta,
Main naheen jaanta.
English
The light which shines only in palaces
Burns up the joy of the people in the shadows
Derives its strength from others weakness
That kind of system,
like dawn without light
I refuse to acknowledge,
I refuse to accept
I am not afraid of execution,
Tell the world that I am the martyr
How can you frighten me with prison walls?
This overhanging doom,
this night of ignorance,
I refuse to acknowledge,
I refuse to accept
Flowers are budding on branches, thats what you say,
Every cup overflows, thats what you say,
Wounds are healing themselves, thats what you say,
These bare-faces lies,
this insult to the intelligence,
I refuse to acknowledge,
I refuse to accept
For centuries you have all stolen our peace of mind
But your power over us is coming to an end
Why do you pretend you can cure pain?
Even if some claim that youve healed them,
I refuse to acknowledge,
I refuse to accept.
