tujhe jab bhi koi dukh de
is dukh ka nam beti rakhna

jab mere safed baal
tere galon pe aan hansen ro lena

mere khwab ke dukh pe so lena
jin kheton ko abhi ugna hai

in kheton mein
main dekhti hun teri angiya bhi

for sheli, my daughter
bas pahli bar dari beti

main kitni bar dari beti
abhi pedon mein chhupe tere kaman hain beti

mera janm to hai beti
aur tera janm teri beti

whenever anyone causes you sorrow,
name that sorrow-daughter.

when my white hair
falls over your cheeks

and laughs at you,
cry.

sleep on the sorrow of my dream.
there are fields that have yet to grow--

in those fields
i see

your underthings too.
well, i fear

for the first time, daughter
how many times

did i know fear, daughter
right now among the trees lurk

arrows for you, daughter
you are my birth, daughter

and your birth—your daughter.
in my longing to bathe you

my fingers oozed blood.
tujhe nahlane ki khwahish mein

meri poren khun thokti hain