SATURDAY, JULY 30, 2005

Bulla Ki Jaana - Rabbi Shergill (Lyrics)

Na maen momin vich maseet aanNa maen vich kufar diyan reet aanNa maen paakaan vich paleet aanNa maen moosa na pharaun.

Bulleh! ki jaana maen kaun

Na maen andar ved kitaab aan,Na vich bhangaan na sharaab aanNa vich rindaan masat kharaab aanNa vich jaagan na vich saun.

Bulleh! ki jaana maen kaun.

Na vich shaadi na ghamnaakiNa maen vich paleeti paakiNa maen aabi na maen khakiNa maen aatish na maen paun

Bulleh!, ki jaana maen kaun

Na maen arabi na lahoriNa maen hindi shehar nagauriNa hindu na turak peshawriNa maen rehnda vich nadaun

Bulla, ki jaana maen kaun

Na maen bheth mazhab da paayaNe maen aadam havva jaayaNa maen apna naam dharaayaNa vich baitthan na vich bhaun

Bulleh , ki jaana maen kaun

Avval aakhir aap nu jaanaNa koi dooja hor pehchaanaMaethon hor na koi siyaana

Not a believer inside the mosque, am INor a pagan disciple of false ritesNot the pure amongst the impureNeither Moses, nor the Pharoh

Bulleh! to me, I am not known

Not in the holy Vedas, am INor in opium, neither in wineNot in the drunkard`s crazeNiether awake, nor in a sleeping daze

Bulleh! to me, I am not known

In happiness nor in sorrow, am INeither clean, nor a filthy mireNot from water, nor from earthNeither fire, nor from air, is my birth

Bulleh! to me, I am not known

Not an Arab, nor LahoriNeither Hindi, nor NagauriHindu, Turk (Muslim), nor PeshawariNor do I live in Nadaun

Bulleh! to me, I am not known

Secrets of religion, I have not knownFrom Adam and Eve, I am not bornI am not the name I assumeNot in stillness, nor on the move

Bulleh! to me, I am not known

I am the first, I am the lastNone other, have I ever knownI am the wisest of them all

Bulla! ooh khadda hai kaun

Bulla, ki jaana maen kaun

Bulleh! do I stand alone?

Bulleh! to me, I am not known

"Bulla ki jaana" - orginally sung by Baba Bulleh Shah, new rendition byRabbi Shergill

Bullah Ki Janna – I know not who I am

September 13, 2006Haroon Saeed Leave a comment Go to comments

Bulla Ki Janna, a kafi written by Sufi Saint Bulleh Shah (1680 to 1758), from Kasur, (now in Pakistan), is a great aesthetic, spiritual and metaphysical composition.This is a great, inspirational kafi which has always indulged a divine thought in me. I have always looked for it’s good translation and tried to translate it, but could not do it better. Recently I found it and I am pasting it after a bit of pruning.

Bulla ki jaana main kaun[Bulla! I know not who I am]Bulla ki jaana main kaun[Bulla! I know not who I am]Na main moman vich maseetan[Nor am I the believer in mosque]Na main vich kufar dian reetan[Nor am I in the rituals of the infidel]Na main pakan vich paleetan[Nor am I the pure in the impure]Na main andar bed kitaban[Nor am I inherent in the Vedas]Na main rehnda phaang sharaban[Nor am I present in intoxicants]Na main rehnda mast kharaban[Nor am I lost nor the corrupt]Na main shadi na ghamnaki[Nor am I union nor grief]Na main vich paleetan pakeen[Nor am I intrinsic in the pure/impure]

Na main aaabi na main khaki[Nor am I of the water nor of the land]Na main aatish na main paun[Nor am I fire nor air]Bulla ki jaana main kaun[Bulla! I know not what I am]Na main arabi na lahori[Nor am I Arabic nor from Lahore]Na main hindi shehar Nagaori[Nor am I the Indian City of Nagaur]Na hindu na turk pashauri[Nor a Hindu nor a Peshawri turk]Na main bhet mazhab de paya[Nor did I create the difference of faith]Na main aadam hawwa jaya[Nor did I create adam-eve]Na koi apna naam dharaya[Nor did I name myself]Avval aakhar aap nu jana[Beginning or end I know just the self]Na koi dooja hor pacchana[Do not acknowledge duality]Mai ton na koi hor syana[There’s none wiser than I]Bulle shah kharha hai kaun[Who is this Bulla Shah]Bulla ki jaana main kaun[Bulla! I know not who I am]Bulla ki jaana main kaun[Bulla! I know not who I am]Na main moosa na pharoah[Nor am I Moses nor Pharoah]Na main aatish na main paun[Nor am I fire nor wind]Na main rahnda vich Nadaun[I do not stay in Nadaun (city of innocents)]Bulle shah kharha hai kaun[Bullashah, who is this man standing?]Bulla ki jaana main kaun[Bulla! I know not who I am]Bulla ki jaana main kaun[Bulla! I know not who I am]