Lyrics to Afghanistan

Latif Nangarharay's song, Afghanistan, has been a hit inside and outside the country. The lyrics were written by the Pashto poet Babarzai, who says the song represents Afghanistan's sad affiliation with war.

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Afghanistan is not meant to be destroyed

No-one is meant to be killed here

This town of mine is full of the impoverished people

It is not meant to be hit by bombs

Where there is wedding procession, and funeral taking place

It is not time for pulling the trigger

Afghanistan is not meant to be destroyed

No-one is meant to be killed here

People as ugly as the smoke of the war

As undignified as their weapons

Don't bring fire to the beauty of my city

Don't bring further external wars here

Don't let my sisters become brotherless

And don't become homeless like yesterday

And don't become homeless like yesterday

Afghanistan is not meant to be destroyed

No-one is meant to be killed here

Don't let my fields become ugly

Or the tip of our raised turbans fall down again

Don't let the cries come to our streets again

And my meadows catch fire again

Let's make a united Afghanistan

So that we don't burn in our own fire

Afghanistan is not meant to be destroyed

No-one is meant to be killed here

------Allah----------

May it not happen, it goes away

May not the old beauty go away from Kabul

May not these beauties become ugly

And cities and villages get separated from each other

They died of thirst even though there were rivers

And we lose our copper mountains

Afghanistan is not meant to be destroyed

No-one is meant to be killed here

Listen young man, how could you possibly pull the trigger?

We are destroying our grandfather's house

How could the sword not break in your hand?

While destroying the Paktia turban (Paktia pride)

For God's sake recognise your brothers

Call Afghanistan your holy land

Call Afghanistan your holy land

Afghanistan is not meant to be destroyed

No-one is meant to be killed here

Don't bring fire to the beauty of my city

Don't bring further external wars here

Don't let my sisters become brotherless

And don't become homeless like yesterday

And don't become homeless like yesterday