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ham kyaa karte kis raah chalte
har raah meN kaaNTe bikhre the
un rishtoN ke jo chhuuT gaye
un sadiiyoN ke yaaraanoN ke
jo ik-ik kar ke TuuT gaye

jis raah chale jis simt gaye
yuuN paaNv lahuu-luhaan hu’e
sab dekhne vaale kahte the
ye kaisii riit rachaa’ii hai
ye mehNdii kyuuN lagvaa’ii hai
vo kahte the, kyuuN qaht-e-vafaa
kaa naahak charchaa karte ho
paaNv se lahuu ko dho Daalo

ye raateN jab kaT jaayeNgii
sau raste in se phuuTeNge
tum dil ko sambhaalo jismeN abhi
sau tarah ke nashtar TuuTeNge

Wash the blood from your feet

Where should we go and what should we do
When every road is scattered
With the thorns of our fallen loves?
When the friendships of centuries
Have broken, one by one?

Whatever path we take, whatever direction we choose
Our feet come away bathed in blood.

And the onlookers say:
What is this ritual you have devised?
Why have you tattooed yourself with these wounds?
Who are you to question
The barrenness of faith?

Wash the blood from your feet.

When the night has passed
A hundred new roads will blossom.
You must steady your heart,
For it has to break many, many times.

Translation by Falstaff.

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