For my second attempt at translation, I had picked one of my favourite songs. This one is about a lost love, and how sometimes its better to leave some stories unfinished. I was going to attempt my own translation, but I feel like I will not be able to better the one found in this link, so am not going to attempt this song after all. However, I would be grateful for any feedback in general, and dare I hope, any requests.
Sunday, 30 December 2012
Na tum humein jaano
I have resisted the blog writing bug for some time now. Then a few days ago, inspiration struck. I love listening to Hindustani (or Hindi-Urdu) film songs and for me, the lyrics of a song are as important to my enjoyment of it as the tune and the ability of the singer to give meaning to the words. I have also been trying to improve my spoken Hindustani, and thought that translations of the songs that I love into English would help in a small way towards this. Hopefully I will be able to convey the spirit of the poetry in my translations, and that at least a few people will enjoy them!
So here is the first instalment. While I like this song a lot, its not one of my favourites. However, I find myself humming it a lot without even realising I am doing it, so thought it might be appropriate to start my new project with it. And that it has an ethereal Waheeda Rehman and Dev Anand at his peak makes it a clincher.
Na tum humein jaano
Na tum humein jaano
You do not know me
Na hum tumhein jaanen
Nor I you...
Magar lagta hai kuchh aisa
I have a fleeting feeling however
Mera humdum mil gaya
That I have found my soulmate
Yeh mausum yeh raat chup hai
The night and air are silent
Yeh hothon ki baat chup hai
Even my lips hold silent
Khamoshi sunaane lagi hai daastaan
The silence tells its own tale
Nazar ban gayi hai dil ki zubaan...
And the eyes speak for the heart
Na tum humein jaano...
You do not know me...
Mohabbat ke mod pe hum
At the turn where love awaits
Mile sub ko chhod ke hum
We meet leaving the world behind
Dhadakte dilon ka leke yeh kaarvan
Taking with us only a caravan of heartbeats
Chale aaj donon jaane kahaan
We go today we know not where
Na tum humein jaano...
You do not know me...
So here is the first instalment. While I like this song a lot, its not one of my favourites. However, I find myself humming it a lot without even realising I am doing it, so thought it might be appropriate to start my new project with it. And that it has an ethereal Waheeda Rehman and Dev Anand at his peak makes it a clincher.
Na tum humein jaano
Na tum humein jaano
You do not know me
Na hum tumhein jaanen
Nor I you...
Magar lagta hai kuchh aisa
I have a fleeting feeling however
Mera humdum mil gaya
That I have found my soulmate
Yeh mausum yeh raat chup hai
The night and air are silent
Yeh hothon ki baat chup hai
Even my lips hold silent
Khamoshi sunaane lagi hai daastaan
The silence tells its own tale
Nazar ban gayi hai dil ki zubaan...
And the eyes speak for the heart
Na tum humein jaano...
You do not know me...
Mohabbat ke mod pe hum
At the turn where love awaits
Mile sub ko chhod ke hum
We meet leaving the world behind
Dhadakte dilon ka leke yeh kaarvan
Taking with us only a caravan of heartbeats
Chale aaj donon jaane kahaan
We go today we know not where
Na tum humein jaano...
You do not know me...
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