"Water of Life"
Mirza Ghalib, page 176 (one ghazal comprised of multiple
verses)
Background: Al-Khidr,
a servant of Alexander the Great, who gains eternal life after successfully discovering
the Water of Life, the fountain spring of youth and vigor. Alexander, however,
gets separated and lost but when found by his entourage, al-Khidr is unable to
redirect his master to the Water of Life a second time. Therefore the servant
lives on through many centuries of cultures in numerous religions of the world,
while his master is preserved in historical texts in mythical proportions. Who
exactly is in servitude to whom then?
Where is the savior? Son of Mary?
Who will remedy my pain?
As if His beliefs depended on either religious or common
law!
How must this deathly, deadly mankind be dealt?
Their parading postures so stiff, as if an arrow ready for
release from an arched bow!
That very same arrow takes target at the heart and strikes
it perfectly.
Over there where they drivel, talk gets interrupted repeatedly,
relentlessly!
They keep babbling and insist upon everybody listening to
their chatter intently.
I am loquacious sometimes, long-winded by fits of Frenzy’s
passion.
By God’s graciousness, goodwill, nobody discerns, detects
this feverishness.
First, do not eavesdrop! But foremost, never listen to and
indulge in worthless talk.
Especially when those being talked about are absent and have
done no wrong.
Stop and redirect them if they take the wrong turn.
Forgive them if they make errors mistakenly.
Who on this earth has no discriminating needs?
Which individuals’ needs do you choose to fulfill?
Look what al-Khidr did to Alexander!
Now how can someone trust anybody to be his or her guide?
When there is no trust left, Ghalib…
Why does anybody complain about somebody?
Mirza Asadullah Baig Khan Ghalib (27
December 1797 – 15 February 1869) translated from the Urdu by Manfred Spencer
Alverston & Associates.
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