‘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. I believe that one of the most influential work 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.  Here is my translation of this poem based on the meanings I have derived from it.

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

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

The most horrifying act is not a torture by the police,

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

To be trapped while asleep is surely miserable,

To be buried under the silence is surely miserable,

But it is still not the most dangerous.

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

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

But it is still not the most dangerous.

The most dangerous deed is to be filled with a 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 a 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 in order 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 an everlasting darkness covering all the doors and windows of existence.

The most dangerous is the direction where 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 a 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

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Jasz Gill

Jasz Gill is a contemporary writer and poet who writes about emotional intelligence, mindfulness, and compassion. She started writing a blog with Rose Colored Glasses in 2010, a self-help blog to encourage individuals in their journey towards mindfulness. Her writing style is based on turning big ideas into practical wisdom.

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