“If” Poem
IfIf you can keep your head when all about you Are losing theirs and blaming it on you, If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you, But make allowance for their doubting too; If you can wait and not be tired by waiting, Or being lied about, don’t deal in lies, Or being hated, don’t give way to hating, And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise: If you can think-and not make thoughts your aim; If you can dream-and not make dreams your master; If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster And treat those two impostors just the same; If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools, Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken, And stoop and build ’em up with worn-out tools: |
If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss, And lose, and start again at your beginnings And never breathe a word about your loss; If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew To serve your turn long after they are gone, And so hold on when there is nothing in you Except the Will which says to them: ‘Hold on!’ If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue, Or walk with Kings-nor lose the common touch, If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you, If all men count with you, but none too much; If you can fill the unforgiving minute With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run, Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it, And-which is more-you’ll be a Man, my son!
-Rudyard Kipling |
यदि
यदि तिमी शान्त रहन सक्छ्यौ जब वरिपरि सबैले
आफ्नो होस गुमाउँछन् र दोष तिमीलाई दिन्छन्,
यदि तिमी आफैंमा विश्वास गर्न सक्छ्यौ जब सबैले शंका गर्छन्,
तर तिनीहरूको शंका बुझेर सहन सक्छ्यौ;
यदि तिमी पर्खन सक्छ्यौ र पर्खाइले थाक्दैनौ,
वा तिमीमाथि झूट बोले पनि झूट नबोल,
वा तिमीलाई घृणा गरियो भने पनि घृणामा नफस,
तर न त धेरै राम्रा देख, न त धेरै ज्ञानी बोल;
यदि तिमी सोच्न सक्छ्यौ– तर सोचलाई मात्र लक्ष्य नबनाउ,
यदि तिमी सपना देख्न सक्छ्यौ– तर सपनालाई मालिक नबनाउ;
यदि तिमी विजय र हारसँग भेट्न सक्छ्यौ
र यी दुई धोकेबाजलाई समान रूपमा लिन सक्छ्यौ;
यदि तिमीले भनेका सत्य वाक्यहरू सुन्न सक्छ्यौ
धोकेबाजहरूले मूर्खलाई फसाउन बिगारेर,
वा तिमीले जीवनभरि बनाएको कुरा चकनाचुर देख्दा,
पुराना औजार लिएर फेरि उठाउन सक्छ्यौ;
यदि तिमीले आफ्ना सबै जितहरू एक ढेरमा राखेर
एकैपटक जुवामा लगाउन सक्छ्यौ,
र हारेर पनि सुरुबाट फेरि आरम्भ गर्छ्यौ,
तर आफ्नो हारबारे शब्द नफुकाल;
यदि तिमी आफ्नो हृदय, स्नायु र शक्ति
सबै सकिएपछि पनि चलाउन सक्छ्यौ,
र त्यही इच्छाशक्ति मात्र बाँकी हुँदा पनि
भन्छन्– “अझै अघि बढ!”
यदि तिमी भीडसँग बोल्दा पनि आफ्नो गुण नहराउ,
वा राजासँग हिँड्दा पनि साधारणपन नबिर्स,
यदि शत्रु वा साथी कसैले पनि तिमीलाई चोट नदेओस्,
यदि सबैलाई महत्व दिउ, तर कसैलाई धेरै नभनोस्;
यदि तिमी कठोर एक मिनेटलाई भरिदिन सक्छ्यौ
साठ्ठी सेकेन्डको दौडले,
त्यो बेला– तिमी नै धनी हौ, तिमीलाई पृथ्वीका सम्पत्ति मिल्नेछ,
र सबैभन्दा ठूलो कुरा– तिमी “मान्छे” हुनेछौ, मेरो छोरा!
–– रडयार्ड किप्लिङ
Analysis/Summary of the poem
“If” by Rudyard Kipling is a bundle of suggestions from father to his son. The poet tells his son how to cope with different situations in the life ahead. The poem is divided into four stanzas having eight lines each. The rhyme scheme of the poem is ABAB.
According to stanza one, the poet tells his son that he should keep calm and patient when others do fail and put the blame on him. He should trust himself when all others doubt him. However, he should also make room for their doubts and try understanding what made them doubt him. In the fifth line, the poet says that one should wait patiently for success and should never be tired by waiting because success comes to those who work hard and remain patient.
Next, the poet tells his son that other people will often tell him lies. However, he should never lie in his life and always remain truthful. Others will hate him. But he should never hate them back but spread love. In the last line, the poet advises him to neither look too good, nor talk too wise because if he acts upon all the devices the poet gave above, he (his son) will look too good and wise among the common people.
According to stanza two, the poet says that he should dream big but never make the dreams his master. Similarly, he should think good (about goals, future, etc) but never make thoughts his aim because in order to succeed in life one has to work hard.
Only dreaming and thinking will never lead a person to the path of success. Therefore, one should dream of goals and think of a better future and at the same time should work hard to achieve them. In the 3rd line, the poet says that one should meet with Triumph and Disaster and treat those two impostors just the same. Note that the first letters “triumph and disaster” have been capitalized. These are the two extremes of life. The poet calls them impostors i.e. fake. They either make one extremely happy or miserable. However, they are not long-lasting and hence one should not take them seriously.
In the fifth line, the poet says that one should only speak the truth and should also have the courage to face it when it is misused by others to mislead others. He should also have the courage to see the things build by him in broken conditions and try rebuilding them with worn-out tools i.e. with what energy or skills you have.
According to stanza three, the poet says that one should make one heap of all the achievements one has made and then take big risks. In other words, one should never be afraid of doing things that can either make one successful or ruin everything (pitch-and-toss). If one fails after taking big risks, he should start again from the beginning without thinking or saying anything about the loss to others. One should try again and again until one succeeds. In the fifth line, the poet says that one should use his heart and nerve and sinew i.e. courage when one becomes tired or fails. When nothing is left in life, one should have strong will power which may encourage one to “Hold on!”
According to stanza four, the poet says that while among the common people one must keep his virtues (and never behave like them) while among the kings (i.e. big personalities) one should never have pride and ego. In other words, the poet is saying that when one is poor, he should keep his virtues and when he becomes rich, he should never have ego.
Next, the poet says that neither foes (enemies) nor loving friends can hurt one because of what principles and ideals one holds. One should never give up them. People will often remain dependent on him but he should never allow them to remain completely dependent on him. The poet may also be saying that one should never give other too much importance or else he will get emotionally attached to them which will hurt him in the future. In the next line, the poet talks about the importance of time. According to him, time is precious and will never come back. Hence one should start utilising each and every second of life. In the final two lines, the poet tells his son if he (his son) acts upon all the advice he gave above, he will be able to achieve whatever he likes and he will be a Man i.e. a true human.
Book Exercise
A. Match the following words/phrases with their correct meanings.
Answer 👉
a. unforgiving – h. not giving a second chance; not happening again
b. virtue – iii. behaviour showing high moral standards
c. sinew – vi. a strong band of tissues in the body
d. pitch-and-toss – v. a game of skill and chance
e. worn-out – ii. badly damaged and no longer useful
f. stoop – ix. to bend the body forwards and downwards
g. knave – viii. a person who cheats by pretending to be somebody else
h. triumph – iv. a great success, achievement or victory
i. impostor – i. a dishonest person
B. Complete the summary of the poem using the given words/ phrases.
Answer : In ‘IF, Rudyard Kipling provides inspirational Insights into life. In the first stanza, the poet suggests us to keep calm, have self- trust and bear virtue. According to the poet, it is important to be thoughtful about an action before undertaking it. Similarly, balancing between success and failure is another important quality of a successful person. In the third stanza, the poet suggests us to value our winnings. We must devote our intellect, heart and muscle in the work we do and we should always have a strong will to achieve success. In the final stanza, the poet suggests us to maintain our truthfulness no matter who we are with. Most importantly, we must realize the importance of time.
C. Answer the following questions.
a. What does the poet suggest about dealing with lies?
Answer : The poet suggests that we should not deal in lies and should not be affected or influenced by lies spoken about us. We should remain truthful and not allow lies to define us.
b. What do you mean by ‘not be tired by waiting’?
Answer : “Not be tired by waiting” means that we should have patience and perseverance even in situations where we have to wait for something. We should not become weary or impatient but remain steadfast in our waiting.
c. Why should we not aim only to dream in life?
Answer : The poet suggests that we should not only dream but also take action. Merely dreaming without taking steps towards achieving those dreams will not lead to success. We should not make dreams our sole focus, but rather combine dreaming with practical thinking and actions.
d. How do you think we can achieve our dream?
Answer : We can achieve our dreams by having a strong will, perseverance, and dedication. Taking consistent action towards our goals, staying motivated, and learning from failures are important steps towards achieving our dreams.
e. What can knaves do to us?
Answer : Knaves can twist the truth we have spoken to make traps for fools. They can manipulate and deceive, using our words against us for their own malicious purposes.
f. Why should we forget our failures in life?
Answer : Forgetting our failures in life is important because dwelling on them can hinder our progress and hold us back from moving forward. By letting go of our failures, we can focus on learning from them and making improvements for future endeavours.
g. What should we do if we lose the ‘pitch-and-toss’?
Answer : If we lose in the ‘pitch-and-toss,’ which refers to taking risks or gambling, we should not be disheartened. Instead, we should start again from the beginning without dwelling on the loss. The poet encourages us to be resilient and not let losses discourage us from taking further risks or pursuing our goals.
Extra 25 Question For Exam view
A. Answer the following questions:
1. Who has composed this poem?
Ans:- The poem “If-” was composed by Rudyard Kipling.
2. Who has this poem been addressed to?
Ans:- The poem is addressed to Kipling’s son.
3. Why should his son wait patiently for success?
Ans :- The poet suggests that his son should wait patiently for success because it is important to be persistent and not give up on your goals.
4. What should he do when someone hates him?
Ans :- When someone hates him, the poet suggests that his son should not hate back. Instead, he should try to understand why the person hates him and see if there is anything he can do to resolve the situation.
5. What does the poet suggest about dealing with lies?
Ans :- The poet suggests that we should not deal in lies, even if we are being lied to. It is important to be truthful and honest, even if it is difficult.
6. Why should he not be tired by waiting?
Ans :- The poet suggests that we should not be tired by waiting because it is important to be patient and persistent in life. Good things take time, and we should not give up on our dreams just because they do not happen overnight.
7. Why should we not aim only to dream in life?
Ans :- The poet suggests that we should not aim only to dream in life. It is important to take action and work hard to achieve our dreams.
8. Why should we forget our failures in life?
Ans :- The poet suggests that we should forget our failures in life because everyone makes mistakes. It is important to learn from our mistakes and move on.
9. How do you think we can achieve our dream?
Ans :- The poet suggests that we can achieve our dreams by being persistent, working hard, and never giving up.
10. What can knave do to us?
Ans :- Knaves can twist the truth to make a trap for fools. They can also spread lies and rumours about us.
11. What is the overall message of the poem?
Ans :- The overall message of the poem is that it is important to be strong, courageous, and resilient in life. We should not let setbacks or the opinions of others deter us from our goals.
12. What is the tone of the poem?
Ans :- The tone of the poem is inspirational and encouraging. The poet is confident that his son can achieve anything he sets his mind to.
13. What is the significance of the poem’s title?
Ans :- The title of the poem, “If-“, suggests that there are certain conditions that must be met in order to achieve success in life. The poem then goes on to outline those conditions.
14. What is the role of the speaker in the poem?
Ans :- The speaker in the poem is a father who is offering advice to his son. He is sharing his wisdom and experience with his son in the hope that it will help him succeed in life.
15. What is the relationship between the speaker and the audience?
Ans:- The speaker is addressing his son directly, but the poem is also relevant to anyone who is striving for success in life.
16. What is the significance of the poem’s setting?
Ans :- There is no specific setting mentioned in the poem, but it is likely that the speaker is addressing his son in a private setting, such as their home.
17. What is the significance of the poem’s symbolism?
Ans :- The poem uses a number of symbols, such as the “impostors” of Triumph and Disaster, to represent the challenges and obstacles that we face in life.
18. What is the significance of the poem’s imagery?
Ans :- The poem uses vivid imagery to create a sense of urgency and excitement.
19. What is the significance of the poem’s rhyme scheme?
Ans :- The poem uses a regular rhyme scheme to make it more memorable and easier to read.
20. What is the significance of the poem’s metre?
Ans :- The poem uses a regular metre to create a sense of rhythm and flow.
21. What should he do when he loses the pitch-and-toss?
Ans :- When he loses the pitch-and-toss, the poet suggests that his son should start again at his beginnings. He should not give up on his dreams, just because he experiences a setback.
22. What are the three main stanzas of the poem about?
Ans :- The first stanza is about staying calm and level-headed in difficult situations. The second stanza is about being confident in yourself and not being swayed by the opinions of others. The third stanza is about being able to persevere through setbacks and failures.
23. What are some of the specific qualities that the poem describes as being essential to a man?
Ans :- Some of the specific qualities that the poem describes as being essential to a man include:
- Calmness and composure
- Self-confidence
- Integrity
- Humility
- Perseverance
- Courage
- Empathy
- Resilience
24. What is the speaker’s purpose in writing the poem?
Ans :- The speaker’s purpose in writing the poem is to provide a guide for young men on how to live their lives. He wants them to know that it is possible to be a man of integrity, strength, and compassion, and he offers them advice on how to achieve this goal.
25. What is the significance of the poem’s ending?
Ans:-The poem’s ending is significant because it restates the main theme of the poem: that the qualities described in the poem are essential to a man. The speaker tells his son, “Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it, / And-which is more-you’ll be a Man, my son!” This suggests that the qualities of a true man are not only valuable but also essential for a fulfilling life.
26. What is the main theme of the poem?
Ans :- The main theme of the poem is the qualities of a “man” as defined by the speaker, Rudyard Kipling’s father. These qualities include self-reliance, composure, integrity, humility, and resilience.
27. What is the poem’s legacy?
Ans :- The poem “If” is one of Rudyard Kipling’s most famous and beloved works. It has been praised for its timeless message of self-reliance and perseverance. The poem continues to be read and recited by people of all ages and backgrounds, and it is a reminder that we all have the potential to be great.
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