Pashto song performed at University of Wisconsin's South Asia Summer Language Institute, All-Language Day, July 2010. Performed by Brian Tilley and Ted Watter. Recorded by SASLI program staff.
Lyrics (in both Pashto and English translation)
I accept that there are many beautiful cities in the world
But this surely surpasses them all
Every place has its own beauty and fun
But Peshawar is Peshawar!
The name is as beautiful as the city itself
When you enter the city it seems as soothing as if you are with your own beloved
Here the old men are as beautiful as the children
Here the women are as honorable as the young men
Like Malakand, the women's necks are long
Like Khyber, the men's hearts are wide open
Every place has its own beauty and fun
But Peshawar is Peshawar!
When Pashtun women want to beautiful themselves
They want a black shirt from Peshawar!
When they want a gift from their beloved
They want a few flowers from the city
Fairies are the most beautiful creatures,
But Peshawar, like a magician, increases even their beauty
Every place has its own beauty and fun
But Peshawar is Peshawar!
Like seeing many flowers
can't replace the sight of your beloved
Seeing many cities
can't replace the sight of Peshawar
Every morning bears flowers
And the evenings are incomparable
Every place has its own beauty and fun
But Peshawar is Peshawar!
This is not only my city
It is my beloved's city too!
Living in a foreign city cannot mitigate
The house of our desires!
It may be full of smoke and noise
But even then it is our heart
Every place has its own beauty and fun
But Peshawar is Peshawar!
It is the sign of Pashtun culture
May it never see bad days!
It is the sign of Pashtun culture
May it never see bad days!
The great Pashtun poet Sahil has expressed his love for Peshawar
The poet Abid's heart breathes in the city as well!
Every place has its own beauty and fun
But Peshawar is Peshawar!