A self-respecting poor man was saying this to God:
I cannot complain about the pain of poverty.
But tell me this, with your permission do angels
Grant chieftainship to a vile man?
This poignant quatrain embodies a common theme in Urdu poetry: a direct, yet respectful, questioning of divine justice in the face of human suffering and social inequality. A self-respecting pauper addresses God, not to lament his own destitution, but to challenge why those deemed 'contemptible' (mard-e faromaya) are bestowed with power and leadership (miri) while the virtuous remain in hardship. It reflects a profound introspection on the moral order of the world and the perceived disparity between merit and worldly success, a recurring motif that critiques societal values through a spiritual lens.
the world's unfairness (shikwa) · faith & the divine · wit & rebuke