O Bulla! I know not who I am...

O Bulla! I know not who I am

Bulla, I know not who I am
Bulla, I know not who I am
Neither am I believer in mosque
Nor am I in idol worship.
Neither in the pure or the impure
Nor am I in the Vedas.
Neither am I into intoxicants,
Nor am I the carefree deviant.
Neither am I union nor grief.
Neither am I the pure nor impure.
Neither am I of the water nor of the land.
Neither am I fire nor air.
Bulla, I know not who I am.
Neither am I Arabic nor from Lahore.
Neither am I from the Indian city of Nagaur.
Neither am I Hindu nor a Peshawari Turk.
Neither did I create the difference of faith,
Nor did I create Adam and Eve.
Neither did I name myself,
Beginning or end –
I know just the self.
I do not recognize ‘the other one’.
There’s none wiser than ‘me’.
Who is this Bulla Shah?
O Bulla! I know not who I am.
*****
Bulleh Shah

Once in a Lifetime

Once in a Lifetime
(English translation of lyrics of a Bengali Folk song by Bhaba Pagla)
You’ll not be back here again.
You’ll not live a human all over again.
You’ll not be back here again.

Be so very careful my dear mind – keep your guard.
Your time ticks further away and beckons the dark.
Across your heart stretches the endless sky.
Bhaba says, “Open your eyes to look onwards.”

You’ll not be back here again.
You’ll not live a human all over again.
You’ll not be back here again.

Having been here, whatever you might have done,
Chitragupt – the accountant has put on record.
Equations will be drawn by the Great One.
Before Him, to whom, none can fake.

You’ll not be back here again.
You’ll not live a human all over again.
You’ll not be back here again...
*****