O Gentlemen -- Sahir Ludhianavi

O Gentlemen

It may be your blood or theirs,
It is the human blood after all.
War may go on in the East or the West,
It will bleed the peace of world, after all.

Bombs may fall on homes or on outskirts,
They wound the spirit of life after all.
Our crops may burn or theirs,
The famine will kill humans, after all.

Tanks may move forward or recede
They tear open the Earth after all.
Be it the victory of war or the mourning of defeat,
Life sheds tears on death after all.

So, O gentlemen!
It is better to end the war.
In the courtyards, yours and ours,
It is better to keep the candles burning.


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Original in Urdu

Ai Shareef Insano

Khoon apna ho ya paraya ho
Nasl-e-aadam ka khoon hai aakhir
Jung Maghrib mein ho ke Mashriq mein
Amn-e-aalam ka khoon hai aakhir.

Bam gharon par girey ke sarhad par
Rooh-e-taameer zakhm khaati hai
Kheit apney jalein ke auron ke
Zeest faaqon mein tilmilaati hai.

Tank aage barhen ke peeche hatein
Kokh dharti ki baanjh hoti hai
Fateh ka jashn ho ke haar ka soq
Zindgi mayyaton pe roti hai.

Is liye aye shareef insaano
Jung chalti rahe to behtar hai
Aap aur hum, sabhi ke aangan mein
Shama jalti rahe to behtar hai.