More Beautiful, in Translation

The nineteen seventies featured some wonderful Hindi films, one of which was Gaman. Starring the intense (late) Smita Patil and Farooq Sheikh, it featured wonderful compositions by the Late Jaidev and lyrics by Shahryar. The most popular of this movie's songs, is the following:

सीने में जलन आँखों में तूफ़ान सा क्यों हैं ?
इस शहर में हार शख्स परेशान सा क्यों हैं ?

दिल हैं तो, धड़कने का बहाना कोइ ढूंढें
पत्थर की तरह बेहीसा-ओ-बेजान सा क्यों हैं ?

तनहाई की ये कौनसी, मंजिल हैं रफीकों
टा-हद्द-ये-नजर एक बयाबान सा क्यों हैं ?

क्या कोइ नयी बात नजर आती हैं हम में
आईना हमे देख के हैरान सा क्यों हैं ?

This poem's beauty and intricacy and meaning are lost when translated literally. My brother, a wonderful multi-lingual poet and a writing genius, wrote this free interpretation of the above poem last night.

Heart racing and monsoonal eyes
A city all enclosed in sighs

People alive, yet without purpose to living
Alive, and yet like pebbles, unliving

A city bustling, yet a post of isolation
Denizens, each sheathed in desolation

Today my reflection stares at me askance
Is it rebellion in my eyes – or resignation?

----Thank you to the great lyricists--