The remarkable Mayowa Adeyemo performs a powerful poem in praise of Olodumare, the Supreme Deity. Original: Odíderé ayékòótá máa wolè máràba Odéderé ayébòútó máa wolè máràba oò ri’ báyé nwá doríto dò tó dobúépo ọmọ ò gbọ́ tí baba mo, baba ò gbó dimọ má, aya ò gbọ́ lọkọ mo gbogbo rè wá polúkúrámusu…
Your face like the moon
Translation: May your charming face ever shine like the full moon; May you hold eternal sway over the domains of beauty. By your amorous glance you have killed a poor man like me; How magnanimous of you? May God give you a long life. Pray do not be cruel lest you should feel ashamed of…
I stole a glance from Niẓam
Translation: Let the housewife say what she will, I stole a glance from the eyes of Nizam. His darling face and his charming form I have hidden in the depths of my heart. Let Khusrao perish at the feet of Nizam, I have just sold him a priceless maid [Khusrau himself] Khusrau! It…
Favorite Verses of Amir Khusro
Translation: Love of you brings news of a world beyond consciousness and brings the pious to down goblets of wine Your cheek broke the repentant vows of dozens of ascetic devotees and nearly had them wearing black Yearning for you is the sheriff who seizes sultan reason by the hair …
Bulleh Shah-My Beloved Reveals Untold Secrets
Behad Ramzan Dasda Mera Dholan Mahi (My beloved reveals untold secrets) Transliteration and Translation Ve Di??? Bhena Dus Mullah Ouh Alif Seedha Kam Khat Aaya O Yaar ??? Hun Des Vataa Hun Ik Wat Aaya Sohna Meem Da Ghunghat Pa Ke Dekh… Ali Haidera Pehle Ahad Si Hun Ahmad Bun…
The Wisdom of Khusrau
Translation: Poverty is more pleasant than majesty; depravity, more pleasant than piety. Majesty has its headaches, and when last I looked beggary was more pleasant. Since kings let no one approach them, being indigent among the poor is more pleasant When pride gets into someone’s…
Amir Khusro in Love
Main To Piya Se Naina Laga Aayi Re Translation: Hey, I’ve just had an affair with my darling, Don’t care what the neighbourhood girls say; Just had an affair with my darling. Oh, his beautiful face, charming like an idol, I’ve just made a place in the bottom of his heart. I, Khusrau, give…
It’s Spring Again!
Amir Khusro wrote several poems about Basant, a pre-Islamic Panjabi/South Asian/Hindu festival celebrating the arrival of spring by flying kites, wearing yellow, carrying yellow flowers. A legend goes that Amir Khusro’s shaykh, Nizamuddin, was mourning the death of his nephew when Amir Khusro came with a whole Basant procession to cheer him up. Chisti Sufis have…
Hazrat ‘Alī in Nusrat’s Qawwals
Many of Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan’s greatest qawwal performances feature lyrics about ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib, probably originally deriving from the song, “Man Kuntu Mawla,” attributed to Amir Khusrow (d. 1325). Bulleh Shah (d. 1757) is said to have modified this song to create the popular qawwal “Mast Qalandar” in honor of the Sufi saint…
How many nights…
Translation: By God, how many nights I have spent in the sweetness of life, apart from the watchman Drinking my wine with the beloved as my companion as the glasses of love’s joys go ’round I reached by goal, beyond whatever I had hoped Longing, though it be perfect, for this pleasure to stay…