“Buriyan Buriyan Buriyan Way Aseen Buriyaan Way Loka” is a profound Kaafi by Shah Hussain that explores the “Malamati” (reproachful) tradition of Sufism. In this poem, the poet openly admits to being “bad” or “evil” in the eyes of society to highlight the insignificance of public opinion compared to Divine connection. Through the famous metaphors of Heer and Ranjha (Siyals and Takht Hazara), Hussain illustrates the agonizing “knives of separation” and the singular focus required to find the True Beloved.
بُریاں،بُریاں،بُریاں وے
اَسیں بُریاں وے لوکا
بُریاں کول نہ بَہو وے
Buriyan, buriyan, buriyan way,
aseen buriyaan way loka
Buriyan kol na baho way
We are bad, we are bad, we are bad,
O people!
Do not sit near those who are considered bad.
تِیراں تے تلواراں کُولوں
تِکھیاں برہوں دیاں چُھریاں وے لوکا
لَد سجن پردیس سدھائے
اَسیں ودیاع کرکے مڑیاں وے لوکا
Teeraan te talwaaraan kolon,
tikhiyan birhon diyan churiyan way loka
Ladd sajan pardes sidhaye,
aseen vidya karke muriyan way loka
Sharper than arrows and swords are
the knives of separation, O people!
The Beloved has departed for a distant land;
we have returned after bidding Him farewell.
جے تُوں تخت ہزارے دا سائیں
اسیں سیالاں دیاں کُڑیاں وے لوکا
سانجھ پات کاہوں سَوں ناہیں
سَاجن کھوجن اَسِیں ٹَریاں وے لوکا
Je tu Takht Hazare da saeen,
aseen Siyalaan diyan kuriyan way loka
Sanjh paat kahoon saon naahin,
sajan khojan aseen tariyaan way loka
If you are the master of Takht Hazara,
we are the girls of Siyal, O people!
We recognize no kinship or worldly ties;
we have set out only to seek the Beloved.
جنہاں سائیں دا ناؤں نہ لِتّا
اوڑک نوں اوہ جُھریاں وے لوکا
اَساں اَوگن ہاریاں جیہے
کہے حسین فقیر سائیں دا
صاحب سیوں اَسیں جُڑیاں وے لوکا
Jinhan saeen da naon na litta,
orak nu oh jhuriyan way loka
Asaan augan-haariyan jihe,
kahe Hussain faqir saeen da
Sahib siyon aseen juriyan way loka
Those who did not invoke the Name of the Lord
will surely grieve in the end.
For us sinners, says Hussain,
the faqir of the Lord,
We have finally found our union with the Master, O people!
Vocabulary: Buriyan Buriyan Way Loka
- Buriyan: Bad / Evil / Sinful.
- Birhon: The pain of separation (specifically spiritual).
- Churiyan: Knives.
- Vidya: Farewell / Adieu.
- Takht Hazara: The hometown of Ranjha (symbol of the Divine/True Home).
- Siyalaan: The tribe/hometown of Heer (symbol of the soul in this world).
- Khojan: To search / To seek.
- Orak: Eventually / In the end.
- Augan-haariyan: Full of faults / Sinful.