Classical Kashmiri

Habba-Khatoon (1554 - 1609) was a 16th-century Kashmiri mystic-poet and ascetic, who is also known as 'Nightingale of Kashmir'. She was born in the small village Chandrahar (Chandhaur) just outside Samboora in present Jammu and Kashmir state, and was known under the name Zoon (the Moon) because of her immense beauty until her marriage with Yusuf Shah Chak, who later became ruler of Kashmir, after which she was called Habba Khatoon. When her husband was captured by Mughal emperor Akbar taken away to Bengal never to return, she became an ascetic
مے کٔرۍ ژے کِتۍ پوشہٕ دسوانٔے
مے کٔرۍ ژے کِتۍ پوشہٕ دسوانٔے چھاو میٛٲنۍ دٲنٔے پوش بہ چھسے زٔمیٖن، ژٕ چُھکھ اسمانے سیٖرس ژٕ چُھکھ سرپوش بہ چھسے نعمت، ژٕ چُھکھ میزمانے چھاو میٛٲنۍ دٲنٔے پوش لٲلے گَٹہِ منٛز ژونٛگ زاجاے بٲلے روٗدُس نہٕ ہوش ژٕ چھِہم شمع بہ چھس پروانٔے
I have wrists with flower bracelets decked
Delight in the bloom before it goes
I am earth and you sky over me rest
And my mysteries beneath you repose
I am the feast and you the guest
Delight in the bloom before it goes
Leila in the dark night lighted a light
And her poor mind lost its repose
You are the lamp my soul can’t fight

چھاو میٛٲنۍ دٲنٔے پوش
رَژِھ رَژِھ رٮ۪تہٕ کول چُھم سورانَے
بَرٕ ما گژھن اَچھِ پوش
کُنہِ حِتہٕ بُلبُلہٕ یِتہٕ اَکہِ آنَے
چھاو میٛٲنۍ دٲنٔے پوش
بٔرٛگہٕ تیٖر ٲسٕس پٮ۪ٹھ دریٖچہِ جانَے
روٗدُم تہِ نا زر جوش
اَدٕ یِکھٕ ییٚلہِ بال سورپانہٕ ہانَے
چھاو میٛٲنۍ دٲنٔے پوش
بَم تَے زِلہٕ چھِس سوز وایانَے
Delight in the bloom before it goes
Bit by bit my summer is passing away
The bloom may wither that lately rose
Find some reason to come my way
Delight in the bloom before it goes
A delicate beauty kept from mundane fray
My treasure of zest has met its close
You will be here ;and my youth, away
Delight in the bloom before it goes

دِلہٕ نٕے تھووتھم نہٕ گوش
کَم کیٛا گویو ییٚمہِ میٛانہِ وانے
چھاو میٛٲنۍ دٲنٔے پوش
رَنٛگہٕ رَنٛگہٕ تھُرۍ أمۍ کرٛالن بانے
بیوٚن بیوٚن کوٚرنکھ نقوش
کیٚنٛہہ درٛایہِ ۂلۍ کٔلۍ کیٚنٛہہ جانانے
چھاو میٛٲنۍ دٲنٔے پوش
ژٲرِتھ أنۍ مےٚ پھمبہٕ مویانے
جانانہٕ مےٚ مو روش
حبہٕ خوتوٗنہِ روٗدُم اَرمانَے
چھاو میٛٲنۍ دٲنٔے پوش
For him, there is all the music now
Ever my complaints have made you doze
What has been there not in my love
Delight in the bloom before it goes
Of varied hues the potter makes pots
Each pot with a different pattern goes
Some come comely and some in knots
Delight in the bloom before it goes
The finest cotton for you I chose
Do not be angry, o my bonny rose
Unblessed, Habba Khatoon has come to a close
Delight in the bloom before it goes


Translated by Shaad Dasil

Lalleshwari (Lal Ded) (1320–1392) was a mystic of the Kashmiri Shaivite sect.She was a creator of the mystic poetry called vatsun or Vakhs, literally "speech". Known as Lal Vakhs, her verses are the earliest compositions in the Kashmiri language and are an important part in history of Kashmiri literature.[2][3] She inspired some of the later Sufis of Kashmir. She is also known by various other names, including Lal Ded, Lalla, Lal Diddi, Laleshwari, Lalla Yogishwari and Lalishri

آمہِ پنہٕ سٔدرس ناوِ چھس لَمان
کتہِ بوزِ دَیہِ میٛون مےٚ تہِ دی تار
آمٮ۪ن ٹاکٮ۪ن پونۍ زن شمان
زُو چُھم برٛمان گھرٕ گَژھٕہا
With a fragile thread, I pull my boat
Won’t my God listen and carry me ashore 
As water seeps through the pots of unbaked clay
My soul is anxious, I want to go home

تلہٕ چُھے زیوس تَے پٮ۪ٹھٕ چُھکھ نَژان
ونتہٕ مالہِ من کِتھٕ پَژان چُھے
سورُے سوٚمبرِتھ ییٚتہِ چُھے مۄژان
ونتہِ مالہِ ان کِتھٕ روژان چُھے
Over a swamp you are dancing
How does your soul allow you?
All your possessions would decay here
?How then do you assimilate all the food

آیس وتہِ گٔیس نہٕ وَتے 
سٮ۪منٛز سۄتھے لوٗسُم دۄہ
وُچُھم چنٛدس ہارٕ نہٕ اَتے
 اتھ ناوِ تارس دِمہٕ کیٛا بہٕ 
I returned not through the path I came from
And in the midst of the bank my day is over
I looked into my pockets and found not even a penny
?What but do I pay for the ferry fare

گورن ووٚننم کُنُے وژُن
نیٚبرٕ ووٚننم انٛدر اژُن
سُے مےٚ گوم واکھ تہٕ وژُن
تَوَے ہیوٚتُم ننٛگَے نژُن
An edification that my teacher taught 
From outside peep inside your heart 
Thence I feel that self I have found
!Uncovered and free I ramble around   


Translated by Sumaya Jehangir

Rasool Mir (Kashmiri: रसूल मीर, رسول مِر) (died 1870) was one of the leading Kashmiri poets of the 19th century. He was born at Doru Shahabad, a historic town in Anantnag district of Jammu and Kashmir.
بہٕ تہِ نو یہِ دوٗرٮ۪ر چون زَرَے بال مَرٲیو
   کیٛاہ کرٕ تھووتھم زرٕ زَرَے بال مَرٲیو
دِل خستہٕ کٔرتھس نس کیٛاہ چَھے رۄپہٕ سٕنٛز شمشیر
   کم شیر مٲرِتھ خنٛجرَے بال مَرٲیو
دِلبرٕ اژتو میٛانہِ بَرَے، دیوٕ بَرَے دٮ۪ن
   ژےٚ روٚس گُل زن گٔیسہٕ بَرَے بال مَرٲیو
شہمار زُلفو نال ووٚلہم روٗد افسانَے
   وۄنۍ ونٛتہٕ کم افسوٗن پَرَے بال مَرٲیو
عَنبَرٕنٲوِتھ پان پٲران چھس بہٕ ینبٕرزل
   بوٚنبوٗرٕ میٛانے گھمبَرَے بال مَرٲیو
روٚسلہِ گولتھس ہولہٕ حٮ۪سَے قولہٕ مسٲ ڈل
   بو لولہٕ مَسَے کھٲسۍ بَرَے، بال مَرٲیو
I will never endure this separation from you-I will die young for you
What do I do, you left pain for me-I will die young for you
You left me a torn heart, what a silver scimitar your nose is !
Oh! what lions you put to death with this dagger-I will die young for you
Come grace my door I may fill your day with interest
Without you I will wither as a flower-I will die young for you 
These serpents of hair have engulfed me, this has become the stuff of fiction
Tell me which stories I should read to you-I will die young for you 
I, Yemberzal, I am adorning my self, I will miss you, Oh! my Bombur
Oh! Rasool you have left me completely devastated-don't go back on your word
I will fill up the cups with love-I will die young for you 


Translated by Shaad Dasil

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