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Thorns, as opposed to

flowers, embody opposite qualities. Thorns are hard, ugly, and cause pain with a simple prick. They are what they are and represent no duality of character. Like flowers, they don’t deceive the onlookers with their beautiful appearance. Such ideas would come across in some of the verses we have selected for you. You would also discover how our concepts of thorns and flowers have been reiterated and challenged by poets, as well as how the two represent the dualities of life characterized by odds and evens.

na ham-safar na kisī ham-nashīñ se niklegā

hamāre paañv kāñTā hamīñ se niklegā

na ham-safar na kisi ham-nashin se niklega

hamare panw ka kanTa hamin se niklega

Rahat Indori

ham ne kāñToñ ko bhī narmī se chhuā hai aksar

log bedard haiñ phūloñ ko masal dete haiñ

hum ne kanTon ko bhi narmi se chhua hai aksar

log bedard hain phulon ko masal dete hain

Bismil Saeedi

log kāñToñ se bach ke chalte haiñ

maiñ ne phūloñ se zaḳhm khaa.e haiñ

log kanTon se bach ke chalte hain

main ne phulon se zaKHm khae hain

Unknown

burī sarisht na badlī jagah badalne se

chaman meñ aa ke bhī kāñTā gulāb ho na sakā

buri sarisht na badli jagah badalne se

chaman mein aa ke bhi kanTa gulab ho na saka

Arzoo Lakhnavi

kāñToñ se guzar jaatā huuñ dāman ko bachā kar

phūloñ siyāsat se maiñ begāna nahīñ huuñ

kanTon se guzar jata hun daman ko bacha kar

phulon ki siyasat se main begana nahin hun

Shakeel Badayuni

kāñToñ se dil lagāo jo tā-umr saath deñ

phūloñ kyā jo saañs garmī na sah sakeñ

befriend the thorns for they will be loyal until death

what of these flowers that will wilt with just a burning breath

kanTon se dil lagao jo ta-umr sath den

phulon ka kya jo sans ki garmi na sah saken

befriend the thorns for they will be loyal until death

what of these flowers that will wilt with just a burning breath

Akhtar Shirani

bahut hasīn sahī sohbateñ guloñ magar

vo zindagī hai jo kāñToñ ke darmiyāñ guzre

bahut hasin sahi sohbaten gulon ki magar

wo zindagi hai jo kanTon ke darmiyan guzre

Jigar Moradabadi

phuul kar le nibāh kāñToñ se

aadmī na aadmī se mile

phul kar le nibah kanTon se

aadmi hi na aadmi se mile

Khumar Barabankavi

koī samjhegā kyā rāz-e-gulshan

jab tak uljhe na kāñToñ se dāman

koi samjhega kya raaz-e-gulshan

jab tak uljhe na kanTon se daman

Fana Nizami Kanpuri

kāñTe to ḳhair kāñTe haiñ is gila kyā

phūloñ vārdāt se ghabrā ke gayā

kanTe to KHair kanTe hain is ka gila hi kya

phulon ki wardat se ghabra ke pi gaya

Saghar Siddiqui

ārām kyā ki jis se ho taklīf aur ko

pheñko kabhī na paañv se kāñTā nikāl ke

what good relief if it may cause others any pain

let the thorn embedded in your sole remain

aaram kya ki jis se ho taklif aur ko

phenko kabhi na panw se kanTa nikal ke

what good relief if it may cause others any pain

let the thorn embedded in your sole remain

Unknown

ḳhār-e-hasrat bayān se niklā

dil kāñTā zabān se niklā

KHar-e-hasrat bayan se nikla

dil ka kanTa zaban se nikla

Dagh Dehlvi

gulshan-parast huuñ mujhe gul nahīñ aziiz

kāñToñ se bhī nibāh kiye rahā huuñ maiñ

gulshan-parast hun mujhe gul hi nahin aziz

kanTon se bhi nibah kiye ja raha hun main

Jigar Moradabadi

phūloñ tāzgī nahīñ dekhne chiiz

kāñToñ samt bhī to nigāheñ uThā ke dekh

phulon ki tazgi hi nahin dekhne ki chiz

kanTon ki samt bhi to nigahen uTha ke dekh

Asad Badayuni

kāñToñ pe chale haiñ to kahīñ phuul khile haiñ

phūloñ se mile haiñ to baḌī choT lagī hai

kanTon pe chale hain to kahin phul khile hain

phulon se mile hain to baDi choT lagi hai

Javed Vashisht

zaḳhm bigḌe to badan kaaT ke pheñk

varna kāñTā bhī mohabbat se nikāl

zaKHm bigDe to badan kaT ke phenk

warna kanTa bhi mohabbat se nikal

Mahboob Khizan

ruk gayā haath tirā kyuuñ 'bāsir'

koī kāñTā to na thā phūloñ meñ

ruk gaya hath tera kyun 'basir'

koi kanTa to na tha phulon mein

Basir Sultan Kazmi

kāñTā jo chubhā thā vo lau de gayā hai kyā

ghultā huā lahū meñ ye ḳhurshīd hai kyā

TRANSLATION

What had pricked like a thorn, has it started flaming,

What is this sun-like thing, in blood that is dissolving.

Sagar Akbarabadi

kanTa sa jo chubha tha wo lau de gaya hai kya

ghulta hua lahu mein ye KHurshid sa hai kya

TRANSLATION

What had pricked like a thorn, has it started flaming,

What is this sun-like thing, in blood that is dissolving.

Sagar Akbarabadi

Ada Jafarey

kāñTe se bhī nichoḌ ġhairoñ ne bū-e-gul

yāroñ ne bū-e-gul se bhī kāñTā banā diyā

kanTe se bhi nichoD li ghairon ne bu-e-gul

yaron ne bu-e-gul se bhi kanTa bana diya

Aslam Kolsarii

phūloñ ko gulistāñ meñ kab raas bahār aa.ī

kāñToñ ko milā jab se ejāz-e-masīhā.ī

phulon ko gulistan mein kab ras bahaar aai

kanTon ko mila jab se ejaz-e-masihai

Figar Unnavi

nahīñ kāñTe bhī kyā ujḌe chaman meñ

koī roke mujhe maiñ rahā huuñ

nahin kanTe bhi kya ujDe chaman mein

koi roke mujhe main ja raha hun

Unknown

kāñTā huā huuñ suukh ke yaañ tak ki ab sunār

kāñTe meñ taulte haiñ mire ustuḳhāñ bojh

kanTa hua hun sukh ke yan tak ki ab sunar

kanTe mein taulte hain mere ustuKHan ka bojh

Mushafi Ghulam Hamdani

ek nashtar hai ki detā hai rag-e-jāñ ko ḳharāsh

ek kāñTā hai ki pahlū meñ chubhotā hai koī

ek nashtar hai ki deta hai rag-e-jaan ko KHarash

ek kanTa hai ki pahlu mein chubhota hai koi

Mehdi Ali Khan Zaki Lakhnavi

Jashn-e-Rekhta | 13-14-15 December 2024 - Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium , Gate No. 1, New Delhi

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