‘The Most Dangerous’ – An English Translation of ‘Sab ton Khatarnak – Paash’

Repost: Paash was a revolutionary poet and an activist from Punjab, India (September 9, 1950 – March 23, 1988). His poetry reflects the state of suppression and immorality of his times. One of the most influential works of Paash is his poem Sab ton Khatarnak (The Most Dangerous).  In this poem, he rejected the ideas of things we fear versus the realities of life.

‘The Most Dangerous’ – A Translation of  ‘Sab ton Khatarnak – Paash’  

The most dangerous occurrence is not a robbery of hard work,

The most horrifying act is not torture by the police,

A merger of betrayal and greed is not the most dangerous.

To be trapped while asleep is undoubtedly miserable,

To be buried under the silence is undoubtedly miserable,

But it is still not the most dangerous.

To remain silent in the noise of corruption is undoubtedly miserable,

Reading covertly under the light of a firefly is undoubtedly miserable,

But it is still not the most dangerous.

The most dangerous deed is to be filled with dead silence,

Not feeling any agony against the unjust and bearing it all.

Getting trapped in the routine of running from home to work and from work to home,

The most dangerous accident is the death of our dreams.

The most dangerous thing is that watch which runs on your wrist, but stands still for your eyes,

The most dangerous is that eye; which witnesses it all but remains frozen,

The eye that forgets to kiss the world with a passion,

The eye lost in the blinding haze of a materialistic world,

The eye captivated in the aimless monotony of life.

The most dangerous is the moon which rises in the numb yards after each homicide,

But it still does not bother your eyes.

The most dangerous is the song which mourns to reach your ears,

And sounds like a knock of a goon at the door of the frightened people.

The most dangerous is a night which covers the sky of living souls,

In which only owls scream and wolves growl,

With everlasting darkness covering all the doors and windows of existence.

The most dangerous is the direction where the sun of soul sets,

And a ray of dying sunlight pierces the east of your body,

The most treacherous is not the robbery of hard work,

The most horrifying act is not torture by the police,

A merger of treachery and greed is not the most dangerous.

If you wish to read the original poem of Paash  http://www.punjabi-kavita.com/KhilreHoeyVarkeyPash.php#Varkey5