Translation of a Punjabi ghazal by Ghulam Ali
Surya
The following lovely Punjabi ghazal is on the Youtube, beautifully
sung by Ghulam Ali Sahib.
Can some Punjabi friend be please kind enough to translate the song
for me? I cannot understand any word. I know Hindi and some Urdu also.
But that does not help at all for this. The song will become much more
sweeter still, once I know the meaning.
Hope you won't mind the trouble.
Thanks a lot in advance!
Cheers.
Surya
----------------------
ni cha.nbay diyay ba.nd kaliyay tenuu.n
a punjabi geet - live performance
lyrics:
ni cha.nbay diyay ba.nd kaliyay tenuu.n
jeh.ray wailay rab ne banaayaa
te sochaa.n wich aap pe gaya duuja,
chan kidro.n cha.rh aaya
tenuu.n hor ma.ndaa kiih kehnaa
ja tera kitay niyuu.n lag jaa'ye
ni cha.nbay diyay ba.nd kaliyay tenuu.n
jeh.ray wailay rab ne banaayaa
te sochaa.n ...
akhiyaa.n ne.n yaa, phull ka.nwal day
bulliyaa.n ne.n jive.n do sher ghazal day
tay haasaa wicho.n enj, Duldaa jiwe.n, jaam kisay chhalkaaya
te sochaa.n ...
tenuu.n kisay naal, jaan na'ii.n denaa
gheraa.n nuu.n, hath laan na'iin denaa
nii guddiyay husn diyay pechaa ekho jeya paaya
te sochaa.n ...
dhak terii enj gorii, gall uto.n tilkay
japhhii jiwe.n paaway, subha shaam naal milkay
te beh ga'y asii dil pha.r kay teray lak nuu.n hularaa jado.n aaya
te sochaa.n ...
surjit singh
> Friends:
>
> The following lovely Punjabi ghazal is on the Youtube, beautifully
> sung by Ghulam Ali Sahib.
>
> Can some Punjabi friend be please kind enough to translate the song
> for me? I cannot understand any word. I know Hindi and some Urdu also.
If nobody else does, I will do it after I reach San Diego this
weekend.
By listening you have put down the words mostly correctly. Great job!
However, I am puzzled by your remark that you cannot understand any
word. I counted almost 20 words that have almost the same
pronunciation and meanning in Panjabi as in Hindi, e.g. band, rab,
banaayaa, gayaa, dujaa etc.
guzoon
> Friends:
>
> The following lovely Punjabi ghazal is on the Youtube, beautifully
> sung by Ghulam Ali Sahib.
>
> Can some Punjabi friend be please kind enough to translate the song
> for me? I cannot understand any word. I know Hindi and some Urdu also.
> But that does not help at all for this. The song will become much more
> sweeter still, once I know the meaning.
>
> Hope you won't mind the trouble.
>
> Thanks a lot in advance!
Hi, here is an attempt at a very literal and prosaic translation. I
have attempted some corrections in the transliteration also. I can
only assume that you have transcribed the this geet 'by ear' and not
have any knowledge of Urdu, Panjabi or Hindi, otherwise, as Professor
sahib has said, you would have made out at least a few of the words.
If there are any errors of omission or commission, I am sure Professor
sahib will kindly come to the rescue.
So here goes:
> ni cha.nbay diyay ba.nd kaliyay tenuu.n
> jeh.ray wailay rab ne banaayaa
> te sochaa.n wich aap pai gaya duuja,
> chand kidro.n cha.Rh aaya
O budding flower (youthful beauty )of Chamba*
after god made you, he himself became pensive
that from where has this second moon arisen!
>
> tenuu.n hor ma.ndaa kiih kehnaa
> ja tera kitay niyuu.n lag jaa'ye
(This is a filler and not from the original giit )
No need to call you 'bad' (names) anymore, but I (do) wish you also
fall in love with someone.! (the word niyuN has the same root as neh,
neha, sneh etc., all meaning love)
> ni cha.nbay diyay ba.nd kaliyay tenuu.n
> jeh.ray wailay rab ne banaayaa
> te sochaa.n ...
>
> akhiyaa.n ne.n yaa, phull ka.nwal day
Are these eyes or the lotus flowers?
> bulliyaa.n ne.n jive.n do sher ghazal day
And the lips as two verses from a ghazal
> tay haasaa wicho.n enj, Duldaa jiwe.n, jaam kisay chhalkaaya
> te sochaa.n ...
And the laughter pours out from these as someone has spilled wine from
a (wine) glass. (better translation of 'jaam chhalkaana' doesn't
readily come to mind, hope SS improves upon my take)
> tenuu.n kisay naal, jaan na'ii.n denaa
I won't let you go with anyone (else)
> ghairaa.n nuu.n, hath laan na'iin denaa
I won't allow others to touch you (with their hands) (word ghair can
mean 'other' or 'enemy' but in poetry often implies 'rival')
> nii guddiyay husn diyay pechaa ekho jeya paaya
O my 'doll' of (who personifies) beauty, I have entangled you in my
love so...
> te sochaa.n ...
>
> dhak terii iNj gorii, gall uto.n tilkay
dhak (I don't understand this word, help Professor sahib) slips thus
from your fair face (literally cheek)
> japhhii jiwe.n paaway, subha shaam naal milkay
as if dawn is embracing the dusk
> te beh ga'y asii dil pha.r kay teray lak nuu.n hularaa jado.n aaya
and I had to sit down with my heart in my hand when you swung your
waist!
> te sochaa.n ...
Literal translation doesn't quite do justice to these songs or poems
as many a phrase and expression is 'culture' and language centred.
e.g.' lakk nuN hulaaraa aanaa' has no English equivalent as this '
girls walking with a swinging waist' is considered exquisite only in
the Indian subcontinent and is evoked often in poetry and prose.
*Chamba is a village in Himachal, a beautiful valley in Kullu. It was
used in the movie Taal as the backdrop.
Vijay
Naseer
> *Chamba is a village in Himachal, a beautiful valley in Kullu. It was
> used in the movie Taal as the backdrop.
I am not sure if this is correct. "chaNbaa" is used quite often in
Punjabi poetry, e.g.
Alif Allah chaNbe dii buuTii , mere man vich murshad laaii huu...
(Sultan Baahuu).
I wonder if it is "chaNbelii" or "chaNpaa". In one of my books, there
is a somewhat unhelpful translation; "ek KHushbuu-daar paudaa".
Naseer
surjit singh
My dictionary gives the first meaning of chambaa as the same as
champaa, which is defined as a specific flower (genus and species are
listed in English). In all my life of knowing Panjabi I have never
heard anybody associate chambe dii kalii to be associated with the
city chambaa in Himachal Pradesh. I would say that this this
association of the city with the flower is incorrect. Also see
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Champaca
>
> Naseer
vij...@gmail.com
I thought (instinctively) that 'chambe di kalii' was akin to 'kashmiir
kii kalii'; hence the geographic interpretation!
guzoon
I am following up on my own post but wanted to point put that Chamba
is known better as a region, a valley (more than a city) and is known
for its scenic beauty.
Surya
>
> - Show quoted text -
Thanks a million for the beautiful excellent, exhaustive translation.
I appreciate it very much. Now I can enjoy the song so much more!
Yes. As Professor Sahib and Vijay Ji mentioned, I could figure out and
guess a few Hindi words such as sochaa, guddie, rab ne banaaya, duuja
etc here and there mostly from the context. But they were all
scattered that I could not figure out the whole song except that the
girl was like a lovely Champaka flower bud. Now that you have given
an excellent translation, I can fit each word with the correct meaning
and the whole poem is beautiful. It was sort of mystery guessing most
of the words. Now I understand how the words and phrases are
connected in the poem. Now all make sense, thanks to you.
Punjabi is a beautiful, romantic language I realize.
What is the meaning of tenuu as in tenuu.n kisay naal, jaan na'ii.n
denaa etc.?
Thanks for the discussion and analysis of Champa Kali - the flower ,
Chamba valley etc. I personally love the Champaka flower very much
for its beauty and exotic fragrance. Feel already nostalgic about the
Champaka trees back home!
I am glad that I asked you experts for the meaning. Otherwise, I would
have missed out so much!
Thank you again for your time and patience.
Regards.
Surya
guzoon
tenuuN--> (to) you! e.g. tenuuN(to you) maNda (bad) kyuN (why) aakhaaN
({shall I} call)---> why call (to) you 'bad'!
Hope it helps!
Regards,
Vijay
Surya
>
> - Show quoted text -
Thanks a lot, Vijay Ji. That makes it perfect! Shukriya tenuuN ?
(thanks to you?)
Regards.
Cheers
Surya
irfan
Surya ji, it is interesting to note that Punjabi is such an informal
language which does not have a substitute word for 'Shukriya'.
So invariably it borrows Urdu words 'Shukriya' or 'Mehrbani' to
express such feelings.
Regards,
Irfan
guzoon
I will reluctantly accept 'shukrya tenuuN' in the spirit it is
offered, but I am afraid it is not quite correct. In Punjabi (and
Hindi, Urdu) for 'thanks' it is not 'to' you but 'of' you. 'Your
thanks' so to speak. So correct phrase will be 'teraa
shukriia' (Iinformal) and 'tuhaaDa shukriia' (informal, and in keeping
with decorum of a public forum)!
Irfan sahib, punjabi word for shukriia is 'dhannvaad'. (It may too
have its roots in other languages)
Vijay
Naseer
> Irfan sahib, punjabi word for shukriia is 'dhannvaad'. (It may too
> have its roots in other languages)
Vijay jii, just an observation and there is no intention of any debate
or argument on this topic.
IMHO, both shukriyah and dhanyavaad sit on the same pedestal,so to
speak. I have never heard my elders use either of these words. I think
the nearest equivalent which would express the "thank you" sentiment
in Punjabi would be "teraa/tuhaaDaa bhalaa hove".
Naseer