Shah Inat: Classical Sindhi Poet

[Gul Agha <agha@CS.UIUC.EDU>]

I will be posting Dr. G. A. Allana's translations of selections from
Classic Sindhi Poets.  Adii Sandhya Panjwani in London has kindly
scanned them in and I will post as I edit the poems.  The four poets
are: Shah Inat, Shah Latif, Sachal Sarmast and Chenrai Sami.
Dr. Allana's book is published by the Institute of Sindhology,
Jamshoro which holds the copyright.  Eventually, I will put them on
the web together with the original Sindhi verses.

MINYOON SHAH INAT
Shah Inat was born circa 1613 C.E. and circa 1701 C.E.

I beg of you with hands folded,
O Beloved, let my wishes be fulfilled.
With your munificence and blessing,
Your bounty on me be bestowing.

If you wish the Beloved to meet,
Why beg at the physician's feet?
Inayat says, "Do not your ailment
Show to the foolish for medicament."

It is only by the
Beloved's hand
The pain of my heart will end.
I shall not ask for medicament
From the physicians for my ailment.

My pulse he will touch and feel,
And give me powder to end my weal.
If my Beloved were on me to smile,
My sorrows and tears could end in a while.

With a cup of wine that was brimful
The Beloved made me plentiful.
O Beloved, another cup fill,
My wishes and desires fulfill,
So that in intoxicated ecstasy,
I come to your door in expectancy.

The moth has flown and is here
To set ablaze the flame without a tear.
It knows to fly and laugh in glee,
To fly as a bird, happy and free.
The moth comprehends the mystery
Of the tongues of fire, far and near.