A poem by Faiz Ahmed Faiz copied from “bol ke lab azaad hai tere”:
bol ke lab aazaad haiN tere
bol zabaaN ab tak terii hai
teraa sutvaaN jism hai teraa
bol ke jaaN ab tak terii hai
dekh ke aahaNgar kii dukaaN meN
tuNd haiN shole surKh hai aahan
khulne lage qufloN ke dahaane
phailaa har ek zanjiir kaa daaman
bol ye thoRaa vaqt bahut hai
jism-o-zubaaN kii maut se pahle
bol ke sach ziNdaa hai ab tak
bol jo kuch kehnaa hai keh le
English translation:
Speak up, while your lips (thoughts) are (still) free
speak up, (while) your tongue is still yours
Speak, for your strong body is your own
speak, (while) your soul is still yours
Look at blacksmiths shop
hot flames makes the iron red hot
opening the (jaws of) locks
every chain opens up and begins to break
speak for this brief time is long enough
before yours body and words die
speak, for the truth still prevails
speak up, say what you must.
[Trans. Swati Sani]
When I read the poem, I thought it was great! And I wanted to say the words already. Then I heard Faiz recite it here (first audio clip), and I thought to myself, “how would I say these words?”.
So here it is, me reciting Faiz’s “bol ke lab azaad hai tere”:
[audio:http://www.jaaduhai.com/tunes/adnan/recite1.mp3]
If it plays funny above, you can access the direct link here:
http://www.jaaduhai.com/tunes/adnan/recite1.mp3
The first bol of many I hope. =D