बोल, कि थोड़ा वक्त बहुत है

बोल, कि लब आज़ाद हैं तेरे
बोल, ज़बां अब तक तेरी है
तेरा सुतवां जिस्म है तेरा
बोल, कि जाँ अब तक तेरी है
देख कि आहन-गर की दुकां में
तुन्द हैं शोले, सुर्ख हैं आहन
खुलने लगे कुफ्लों के दहाने
फैला हर इक ज़ंजीर का दामन
बोल, कि थोड़ा वक्त बहुत है
ज़िस्मों ज़ुबां की मौत से पहले
बोल, कि सच ज़िन्दा है अब तक
बोल, जो कुछ कहना है कह ले


_ फैज़ अहमद फैज़

English Transliteration:

Bol, ki lab aazad hain tere
bol, zaban ab tak teri hai
tera sutwan jism hai tera
bol, ki jaan ab tak teri hai
dekh ki aahan-gar ki dukan mein
tund hain sholay, surkh hai aahan
khulne lage kuflon ke dahane
faila har zanjeer ka daman
bol, ki thoda waqt bahut hai
jism-o-zuban ki maut se pehle
bol, ki sach zinda hai ab tak
bol, jo kuch kehna hai kehle

-- Faiz Ahmed Faiz


Speak up, while your lips (thoughts) are (still) free
speak up, (while) your tongue is still yours
Speak, for your strong body is your own
Speak, (while) your soul is still yours
Look at blacksmith's shop
hot flames make the iron red hot
opening the (jaws of) locks
every chain opens up and begins to break
Speak, for this brief time is long enough
before your body and words die
Speak, for the truth still prevails
Speak up, say what you must.

Such strong and powerful urdu words of Faiz Ahmed Faiz, translating them into English does not bring out the power the verse contains.
Source Link: Swati Sani

Faiz Ahmed Faiz(فيض احمد فيض), (1984 - 1911) was a Pakistani poet considered to be one of the most famous modern Urdu poets. He was born in Sialkot, in the Punjab during British rule (now Pakistan). After the partition of 1947, he decided to live in Pakistan, and died in Lahore. Faiz was a member of the Anjuman Tarraqi Pasand Mussanafin-e-Hind (Progressive Writers' Movement), and an avowed Marxist. In 1962 he was awarded the Lenin Peace Prize by the Soviet Union.

In the 1930s Faiz Ahmed Faiz married Alys Faiz, a British woman. They had two daughters. Alys Faiz's influence on Faiz's life and poetry is reputed to have been great.

Source: Wikipedia