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Muhammad Iqbal: Shakespeare (From Urdu)

Shakespeare
By Muhammad Iqbal
Translated by A.Z. Foreman

 The river's sweep is mirror to the morning's breaking light
The evening silence: mirror to the song of eventide
The rose's petal: mirror to the beauteous cheek of spring
The handsome server: mirror to the gorgeousness of wine.
Beauty is mirror to the truth and the heart mirrors beauty.
Your turned words' beauty mirrors all the heart of humankind.
Existence finds perfection in your star-bestriding thought.
Is your creation's splendor why the universe was wrought?

 The eye that wanted to behold you, when it looked to you,
Saw but the sun by its own brilliance hidden everywhere.
You kept yourself well hidden to the eyes of all the world
But with your own two eyes you saw the world laid clear and bare.
The watchful hand of Nature guards its secrets jealously.
Never again will it make one so versed in mystery.

The Original:


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