Kandari Hushiyar ( Captain, Stand Guard)

Kazi Nazrul Islam

Impregnable mountains, endless deserts, mighty seas to fare,

must be overcome in the darkness of the night, travellers beware!

A rocking boat, swelling waters, a boatman losing his way,

sails torn asunder- who will take the helm, who has the courage to stay?

The youth! Take the lead, the future calls you to the fore!

We must persevere through this fierce storm and take the boat ashore.

The night is dark, sentries of the motherland take heart!

The collected pain of centuries has announced this road we chart

The hearts of the disinherited rage for what is their due,

On this momentous journey, they must be taken along too.

The helpless people are drowning, they cannot swim against the tide!

Captain, today is the test of your pledge to free the motherland's pride.

Someone asks, are those who drown Hindu or Muslim or some other?

Captain, remind him that they are human, the children of your mother.

Inscrutable mountains, the raging thunder, lightening's deafening crack

Strike fear and doubt in people's hearts, they make to turn back.

Captain, will you forget your path midway, will you abandon them here?

Through struggle and strife, keep going on, you have a heavy load to bear.

Captain, there, in front of you the grounds of Plassey loom

It was here that Clive's bloody dagger etched the Bengali people's doom

Here on the Ganges, the blazing sun of Bharat (India) set

Here it will rise again, red and glowing with our blood's debt.

The martyrs who on the gallows sang of victory to life,

have come today to witness your sacrifice in strife.

Today is the test, will you save only a few or all?

Á rocking boat, swelling waters - Captain, stand tall.