“We Sinful Women” which is the translation of Yeh Hum Gunahgar Aurtain Hain, is a beautiful poem written by poet Kishwar Naheed. Kishwar (born 1940) is a feminist Urdu poet from Pakistan. She has written several poetry books.
Given below is the poem with its translation.
Yeh Hum Gunahgar Aurtain Hain
yeh hum gunahgar aurtain hain
jo ahl-e-jubba ki tamkanat se na roab khaen
na jaan bechen
na sar jhukaen
na haath joden
yeh hum gunahgar aurtain hai
ki jin ke jismon ki fasl bechen jo log
vo sarfaraz thahren
niyabat-e-imtiya thahren
vo davar-e-ahl-e-saaz thahren
yeh hum gunahgar aurtain hai
ki sach ka parcham utha ke niklen
to jhuut se shahrahen ati mile hain
har ek dahliz pe sazaon ki dastanen rakhi mile hain
jo bol sakti thi vo zabanen katti mile hain
yeh hum gunahgar aurtain hai
ki ab taaqub mein raat bi aaye
toh yeh aankhen nahi bujhegi
ki ab jo devar gir chuki hain
use uthane ki zid na kare
yeh hum gunahgar aurtain hai
jo ahl-e-jubba ki tamkanat se na roab khaen
na jaan bechen
na sar jhukaen na haath joden
Translation
It is we sinful women
who are not awed by the grandeur of those who wear gowns
who don’t sell our lives
who don’t bow our heads
who don’t fold our hands together.
It is we sinful women
while those who sell the harvests of our bodies
become exalted
become distinguished
become the just princes of the material world.
It is we sinful women
who come out raising the banner of truth
up against barricades of lies on the highways
who find stories of persecution piled on each threshold
who find that tongues which could speak have been severed.
It is we sinful women.
Now, even if the night gives chase
these eyes shall not be put out.
For the wall which has been razed
don’t insist now on raising it again.
It is we sinful women
who are not awed by the grandeur of those who wear gowns
who don’t sell our bodies
who don’t bow our heads
who don’t fold our hands together.
By Kishwar Naheed (Pakistan, 1940) translated from Urdu to English by Rukhsana Ahmed
urduwallahs 