The doings of the father and the deeds of my mother

The doings of the father and the deeds of my mother


The doings of the father and the deeds of my mother 
Have earned me a decree. 
Mother and father congenital crooks 
Hae transferred their karma to me. 
Growling over a grain of corn, 
Squabbling and quarrelling in every barn. 
i could get rid of it all 
Only after the corn was gone. 
What a scramble lay in store! 
It was a dubious knock at my door. 
The doings of the father and the deeds 
of my mother 
Have earned me a decree.

A lover of God! 
You'll be slandered no end. 
They'll call you Kafir, 
You should say - yes, Sir. 


Translated by: K.S.Duggal 

Who are you?

Who are you? 


Whereform have you come? 
Where do you go?
The office you are proud of 
Is not going to go with you. 
You are cruel,
You harass people,
Exploiting others is the way with you. 
Your destination is the city of silence 
Where the God of Death ferries not a few.
You may shout as much as you like 
But there alone yu will fend your way. 
And find Bulleh waiting for you.


Bulleh! You should serve the Muslim 
And sacrifice yourself for the Hindu god.
Welcome both ceremoniously, 
It is ordained by the Lord.


Translated by: K.S.Duggal 

All this confusion is our own creation.

All this confusion is our own creation



All this confusion is our own creation. 

Why must you be afraid of truth? 

Truth alone can cruise, you truth. 

Truth can make you fend and flourish.  

Truth can be strange but it's always true. . 

than the jugular vein,

Its people who have created confusion.  

Who can settle this ancient argument? 

It's wasting time chashing a solution.  

All this contuslon is of our own creation. 

Bulleh treads the path of love, 

It is an endless road. 

A blind man meets jthe blind 

Who should wield the goad? 

 

Translated by: KSDuggal 

What use loving the one without heart!

What use loving the one without heart!


What use loving the one without heart! 
My eyes pour out tears. 
With an arrow stung in my bossom, he left 
Along with the soul, my body is bereft. 
There is no trusting the heartless. 
It matters to him not. 
It's like sparrows getting shot 
For the fun of the fools. 
They see, laugh and clap in retort. 
What use loving the one with heart! 
He promised to come but is to be seen nowhere. 
To keep his word he seldom carses. 
I was misled taking fancy to him. 
What a cheat of a trader I've to endure! 
Bulleh Shah struck a poor bargain. 
It was like supping a cup of pain. 
There Was loss galore and hardly any gain, 
Suffering sheer agony on his part. 
What use loving the one without heart! 


Translated by K.S Duggal 

Look towards me, my love!

Look towards me, my love! 

You have crafted the kite yourself, 

Now you must pull the string. 

Look towards me, my love! 

There is a call to prayers in heaven I 

Mecca is all astir. 

Look towards me, my love! 

I khedas are so dear to you,  

Mother, give them another bride to woo. 

Look towards me, my love! 

Bulleh Shah won't like to die 

Let someone else cry. 

Look towards me, my love! 

 

Translated by: K. S. Duggal 

To Allah of 'Alif' I am mated

To Allah of 'Alif' I am mated


To Allah of 'Alif' I am mated
I care not for 'Bay'
Bay makes no sense for me
Alaf keeps me sated
Distinguish not between ain and 'Ghain'
'Alaf' has firmly stated
says Bulleh what 'Alaf' says is true
it keeps the heart elated.
To Allah of 'Alaf' i m mated
'Ain' and Ghain' jus loook alike
Mere difference of a dot makes us fight 
To Allah of 'Alaf' I am mated


Translated by: K.S Duggal

Enough of learning, my friend!

Enough of learning, my friend! 


To It there is never an end. 
An alphabet should do ror you, 
It's enough to help you fend. 
You've amased much learning around. 
The Quran and its commentaries profound. 
There is darkness amidst lighted ground. 
Wilhoullhe guide you remain unsound. 
Learning makes you Sheikh or his minion. 
And thus you creat problems trUlion. 
You exploit other who know not what, 
Misleading them with wild opinlon. 
You meditate and you say your prayers, 
You go and shout at the top of the stairs. 
Your cry reaching the high skies. 
It's your avarice which ever. belies. 
The day I learpl love's lesson. 
I plunged ito the river of divine passion; 
An overwhelming gale, I was 
confounded and lost 
When Shah Inaya! cutssd me across. 


Translated by K.S Duggal 

It's all in One contained

It's all in One contained 


It's all in One contained 
Understand the One and forget the rest 
Shake off your way of an apostate pest 
Leading to the grave to hell and to torture. 
Rid your mind of dreams of disaster. 
This is how Is the argument maintained. 
II's all In One contained. 
What use Is it bowing one's head? 
To what avail has prostrating led? 
Reading Kalma you make them laugh. 
Absorbing not a word while the Quran you quaff. 
The truth must be here and there 
sustained. 
It's aU In One contained. 
Some retire to the Jungles In vain. 
Others restrict their meals to a grain. 
Misled they waste away unfed 
And come back home half alive. half dead. 
Emaciated in the ascetic postures feigned. 
It's all in One contained. 
Seek your master. say your prayers 
and surrender to God. 
It will lead you to mystic abandon 
And help you to get allunecl to the Lord. 
It's the truth that BuHeh has gained. 
it's all In One contained. 


Translated by K.S Duggal 

There is a thief in the folds of my arms.

There is a thief in the folds of my arms. 

There is a thief in the folds of my arms, 

Whom shall I tell? 

There is thief in the folds of my arms. 

He has, of late, escaped on the sly, 

No wonder there is a stir in the sky, 

And in the world there is a hue and cry. 

Whom shall I tell? 

The Muslims are afaid of fire 

And the Hindus dread the grave. Both 

of them have their fears 

And keep on sharpening their staves. 

Whom shall I tell? 

Ramdas here and Fateh Mohammad 

there, 

This has kept them emitting spleen; 

Suddenly their quarrel came to an end 

When someone else emergerd on the scene, 

Whom shall I tell? 

There was furore in the flushed sky, 

It reached Lahore, the capital town. 

It was Shah Inayat who crafted the kite. 

It's he who moves it up and down. 

Whom shall I tell? 

He who believes, he alone has known, 

Everyone else is floundering. 

All the warngling came to an end 

When Bulleh came to town. 

Whom shall I tell? 

Translated by K.S.Duggal 

I am emancipated,

I am emancipated, 

I am emancipated, emancipated I am. 

I am neither a patient nor a physician. 

Neither a believer nor a non - believer. 

I am no prisoner of being born a Syed. 

All the fourteen heavens are my 

territory. 

I am a slave of none. 

A liberated creature, 

I am above good and evil. 

why ask Bulleh's caste? 

No mortal, he was not even born. 

I am emancipated, emancipated I am. 

Pour not on prayers, forget the fasts 

Wipe off Kalma from your sight; 

Bulleh has found his lover within 

Others groupe in the pitch - dark night. 

Translated by: K. S. Duggal 

Remembering Ranjha day and

Remembering Ranjha day and

Remembering Ranjha day and

I've become Ranjha myself. night 

Remembering Ranjha day and night 

I've become Ranjha myself. 

Call me Dhido Ranjha, 

No more I be addressed as heer. 

I am in Ranjha and Ranjha is in me 

There is no distinction left. 

I am nowhere: he himself is there, 

Himself he has empathy for me. 

A staff in hand, he has a blanket on his shoulder, . 

What company Sleti has chosen for her! 

Remembering Ranjha day and night 

I've become Ranjha myself. 

Bulleh, it's all an expression of temperament 

you must face the truth; 

He who arrives at his place 

He forgets even to salute ulleh Shah 

Translated by: K.S.Duggal 

Your Love has Made me Dansce like Mad

Your love has made me dance like mad.

Your love has made me dance like mad. 
Falling in love With you 
Was like taking a sip of polson 
Come my healer, forsakenk, I am sad 
Your love has made me dance like mad. 
The sun has set, its flUsh only Is left. 
i'll gIVe my life for a glimpse of you 
My faUI!, I came not When you bade 
Your love has made me dance like mad. 
DIssuade me not from the path of love, 
Who can hOld the boats on the mOve? 
Stupid I Jomed the boatmen's squad 
Your love has made me dance like mad. 
A peacock calls In grove of paSSion. 
It's Qibla, it's Kaaba Where lives my love, 
You asked not once aner your stabbed 
Your love has made me dance like made. 
BUlleh sits at Inayars door 
Who has dressed me in green and red 
And caught me the instant I flew from the pad.
Your loves has made me dance like mad. 


Translated by: S.K Daggal

Strange are the Times!

Strange are the Times!


Crows swoop on hawks
sparrows do eagle stalk
Strange are the Times!


the iraqis are despised
while the donkeys are prized
Strange are the Times!


those with coarse blankets are king;
the eastwhile kings watch them from the ring
Strange are the Times!


says Bulleh, kill your go
and throw away your pride
you need to forget yourself
to find him by your side 


Translated by: K.S Duggal

There goes my Love!

There goes my Love!


There goes my Love!
what do i do , my lord?


He's already made a move
his staying back is hard
with his wayfarers all packed
what do i do , my lord?


my love having gone
i am in the midstream hauled
what do i do , my lord?


Translated by: K.S Duggal

A bewildering streak of love!

A bewildering streak of love! 


A bewildering streak of love! 
I shout from the top of my house, 
NObody should fall in love's snare. 
Don't you ever be deceived by it, 
You'll find shelter neither here nor there. 
HeaVing given a glimpse he goes his way, 
It'll be like noose and no more, 
He is always found too callous to care 
I met my thug in the town of Lahore. ' 
The lover remains quiet. 
Lost, as if drunk with elixir. 
Entaingled in the sweetheart's 
tressesNone can help him there. 
Asks Sulleh, who has seen the Lord? 
He Who has seen Him, bears no record. 
He has no colour, features or complexion 
He must be the thief.if! mistake not. 
A beWildering streak of lovel 


Translated by: S.K Daggal

Get up and snore no more

Get up and snore no more


Get up and snore no more
Us this slumber doesn't behove
Where on earth is Alexander the great?
Prophet and pirs must share their fate
Their vast belonging they left them there
nothing sustain forever here
do take care whatever you sow
lest in the end you rue in woe
you,ll cry like the folorn fowl,
with out the wings you sit and scowl
(says Bulleh) no one help except the master
neither here nor hereafter
put your steps with utmost care
maybe agab there is no coming here
get up and snore no more
us this slumber doesn't behove


Translate by: K.S Duggal