Translation: Souris, encore...

I haven't posted here in a while. Here's why:

Baby Bird was born December 22 and it's been a wild ride. I actually had a list of songs I wanted to translate, but I knew they'd be put on the back burner for a while, probably until she turns seven. 

Then just a few nights ago I was browsing the news section of the Booska-P app during one of those "baby is still sleeping but I'm waking up every two hours" moments and noticed that Akhenaton had released a new video. I am a huge fan of his accent and his laid back flow so of course I had to go listen to it. The song is dedicated to his daughter and there I was at 3 am crying all kinds of sentimental tears. I sent it to A. with the promise that I would translate it the next day, and I did, but it's taken a bit of time to post it here. And it seems I'm the first to translate it to English :)

So here is this song, dedicated to my baby bird. :) 

Souris, encore... - Akhenaton
Smile again...

Si tu regardes dans le miroir, ne sois pas sévère
Cherche dans les tiroirs ce qui sublime ces lèvres
Dis rien du style "J'traîne pas avec ces laides
J'suis trop bien pour elles et moi j'vais être célèbre"
Allez viens faire un tour dans le monde
Y a tant de choses à voir, loin des phares, des couv' de la mode
Loin d'ces clichés qui racontent
Qui t'es con si t'es blonde et moche si t'es noir
If you look in the mirror, don't be so hard on yourself
And look through the drawers for something to perfect your lips
Don't say things like "I won't hang out with those ugly girls
I'm too good for them, I'm gonna be famous one day"
Go travel the world
There's so many things to see, far from the lights and covers of fashion magazines
Far from these cliches that say
That you're stupid if you're blonde and ugly if you're black

Y a une vie, ce n'est pas la télé
Ce n'est pas à 16 ans qu'on accouche et qu'on pleure à maman pour garder l'bébé
Indépendante, tu sais ce que c'est
Ta life c'est la tienne et pas un mec ne va la guider
J'ai cette angoisse, c'est la crise, l'ère du temps a comme solution
Le strip-tease: quel superbe avenir!
Puis c'est loin de tes dessins
T'est pas une fille de la nuit qui porte un blaze américain
There's life outside the TV
And it's not found at 16, pregnant, begging mom to watch the baby
You're independent, you know what's what
Your life is your own, and no guy is going to guide you
I'm deeply anxious, it's a crisis, these days it seems the way out
Is stripping - what a superb future!
But it's so far from your plans
You're not a lady of the night using some fake foreign name

Vois celui qui va te ravir
Ne laisse personne te dire "ce gars-là sera l'amour de ta vie"
Le fric ne protège pas de l'insipide
Un mec c'est un mec et un mec c'est pas une infinite
Si tu promènes en ville, ne cache pas ces beaux cheveux
Pour que ces p'tits branleurs te laissent tranquille
Comme disait le poète en somme:
"Sois femme, ma fille, car la femme et l'avenir de l'homme"
Find a guy who delights you
Don't let anyone else tell you "that dude, he'll be the love of your life"
Cash won't protect you from utter boredom
A guy's a guy, and a guy's not a visa
If you go out in the city, don't hide your lovely hair
Just so those jerks might leave you alone
As the poet said,
"Be a woman, my daughter, for woman is the future of Man"

Souris encore, n'aie crainte
Aussi forte que l'amour que j'te porte
Regarde-moi avec des yeux d'biche
Reste loin d'eux, leur haine est si grande
Car les femmes leurs font peur
Du coup ils les appellent "bitch"
Rest auprès de moi, une journée
Album photo, cette page non j'veux pas la tourner
Souris encore, Dieu que t'es belle
Il a sûrement dû oublier tes ailes
Smile again, the love I have for you
Should be stronger than your fear
Look at me with those wide eyes
Stay away from them, they have so much hate in them
Because women scare them, so they call them "bitch"
Stay near me, one day,
A photo album - no, I don't want to turn this page
Smile again, God you're beautiful
Surely He forgot to give you wings

Souris-moi encore
Non ne change pas
Reste auprès de moi
Smile for me again
No, don't change
Stay near me

Je t'en prie, ne m'fais pas la tête
Quand je dis "Ne sors pas s'te-plaît"
Il va pas s'envoler, je sais, ce petit gars te plaît
On veut respirer à ton âge
Tu es ma lune douce sûrement pas un oiseau en cage
Mais j'dois t'protéger, t'éviter les coups
C'est pour ça que certains jours j'ai l'air si relou
Alors tu dis que j'ai pas l'auréole, t'as raison
Mais je m'en fous d'avoir le mauvais rôle
I ask you, don't make faces when I say "please don't go out"
He's not going to soar, I know, this little guy you like
At your age, you gotta breathe
You are my shining star, surely not a caged bird
But I have to protect you, to deflect the punches
That's why some days I seem so irritating
Then, you tell me that I don't have a halo either ... you're right
But I don't give a damn, I'll be the bad guy

Hey le petit copain, quoi d'neuf?
Je vais te faire une entrevue style Jack Byrnes
C'que tu gagnes? Peu importe, sois correct
Pas d'bluff, pas d'bol, la famille est nombreuse
Tu vas oublier pétard et Gin Fizz
Et passer vite de bad boy à militant d'Greenpeace
Inutile de la couvrir de cadeaux
Emmene-la voir combien le monde est beau
Combien c'est important qu'on discute
On perd tant de temps dans les petites disputes
Ma fille garde raison, croque cette vie
Comme une pomme de saison
Tu seras toujours prêt où le vent te porte
J'espère que t'auras une petite place pour ton vieux père dans ton appart à New York
Comme disait le poète en somme:
"Sois femme ma fille car la femme est l'avenir de l'homme"
Hey little man, what's up?
I'm gonna interview you Jack Byrnes style
What do you earn? Doesn't matter; you better behave
I'm not bluffing, you're out of luck, she's got lots of family
You will forget about joints and Gin Fizz
And go quickly from bad boy to Greenpeace activist
It's useless to shower her with gifts
Show her how beautiful the world is
How important it is to communicate
We lose so much time in little fights
My daughter, keep your wits about you, bite into life
Like an apple in season
You'll always be ready to go where the wind takes you
I hope that you'll have a little room for your old dad in your New York apartment
As the poet said,
"Be a woman, my daughter, for woman is the future of Man"

Souris encore, n'aie crainte
Aussi forte que l'amour que j'te porte
Regarde-moi avec des yeux d'biche
Reste loin d'eux, leur haine est si grande
Car les femmes leurs font peur
Du coup ils les appellent "bitch"
Rest auprès de moi, une journée
Album photo, cette page non j'veux pas la tourner
Souris encore, Dieu que t'es belle
Il a sûrement dû oublier tes ailes
Smile again, the love I have for you
Should be stronger than your fear
Look at me with those wide eyes
Stay away from them, they have so much hate in them
Because women scare them, so they call them "bitch"
Stay near me, one day,
A photo album - no, I don't want to turn this page
Smile again, God you're beautiful
Surely He forgot to give you wings

Souris-moi encore
Non ne change pas
Reste auprès de moi
Smile for me again
No, don't change
Stay near me

Translation: Maître Gims - J'me tire

Leave it to my non-French-speaking husband to find me the next song I like enough to bother translating! He plugged in his phone the other night when coming back from the lab and played this for me and I haven't been able to get it out of my head since then.

Like all my translations, I tried my best to keep the spirit of the song alive, even if I veered away from a word-for-word translation at parts... hip-hop is sometimes difficult because of slang and allusions and I tried to keep that in as much as I was able (especially with my rusty French).

(The name Meugui at the end of the song is his name - Gims - in verlan which is French slang that flips the syllables of words.)

J'me tire
I'm out

J'me tire, me demande pas pourquoi j'suis parti sans motif
Parfois je sens mon cœur qui s'endurcit
C'est triste à dire mais plus rien n'm'attriste
Laisse-moi partir loin d'ici
Pour garder l'sourire, je me disais qu'y'a pire
Si c'est comme ça, bah fuck la vie d'artiste
Je sais qu'ça fait cliché d'dire qu'on est pris pour cible
Mais j'veux l'dire juste pour la rime

I'm out
Don't ask me why I just left like that
Sometimes I feel my heart hardening
It's sad to say but nothing makes me sad anymore
Let me go far away from here
To keep smiling, I tell myself it could be worse
But if it's like this, well then fuck the artist's life
I know it's cliche to say they want me clapped in chrome
But I've gotta say it for the sake of this song

J'me tire dans un endroit où j'serai pas l'suspect
Après j'vais changer d'nom comme Cassius Clay
Un endroit où j'aurai plus besoin d'prendre le mic'
Un endroit où tout l'monde s'en tape de ma life

I'm leaving for a place they'll never find me
Then I'll change my name like Cassius Clay
To a place where I will never need a mic
To a place where no one cares about my life

Si j'reste, les gens me fuiront sûrement comme la peste
Vos interviews m'ont donné trop d'maux d'tête
La vérité c'est que j'm'auto-déteste
Faut qu'j'préserve tout c'qu'il me reste
Et tous ces gens qui voudraient prendre mon tél'
Allez leur dire que j'suis pas leur modèle
Merci à ceux qui disent "Meu-gui on t'aime
Malgré ta couleur ébène"

If I stay, one day they'll avoid me like the plague
Your interviews have given me too many headaches
The truth is, I hate myself
I've got to preserve what's left of me
And all these people who want my number
Tell them I'm not their role model
Thanks to those who said "Meugui, we love you
Even though you're black" 

J'suis parti sans mentir, sans me dire
"Qu'est-ce que j'vais devenir ?"
Stop ! Ne réfléchis plus, Meu-gui
Stop ! Ne réfléchis plus, vas-y !
Parti sans mentir, sans me dire
"Qu'est ce que j'vais devenir ?"
Stop ! Ne réfléchis plus, Meu-gui
Stop ! Ne réfléchis plus, vas-y !

I've left, without lying, didn't ask myself
What will become of me?
Stop, don't think more about it Meugui
Stop, don't think, just go!
Left without lying, didn't ask myself
What will become of me?
Stop, don't think more about it Meugui
Stop, don't think, just go!

Translation: Taara Jala by Junoon

This one is actually... not a Bengali song. It's a song by Junoon, a Pakistani band I first heard in college. But I did not hear this song until Holi of 2007, when a friend gave me a CD of songs to listen to upon my arrival in Delhi. My Hindi was really at the beginner level at this point, and considering this is Urdu, I barely understood much other than the chorus but knew the song had something to say.

The more I sang it, the more I understood - both the words of the song and the limitations on my voice that kept me from singing it. But it wasn't until many years later I was able to fully understand the song, and in understanding, was able to break through those limits as well.

Thanks as always to those who helped me understand it better - Sanjay for going back and forth with me on that one confusing line, and Ankur for the CD. It may not be word for word perfect, but it encompasses the way I feel when I hear it.

Taara Jala - Junoon
Blazing Star

Tere vaaste main...
For you, I...

In lamhon ke peeche
Koi to hai lamha aisa bhi
Jo begaana bhi hai apna bhi
After these moments, another moment like this will come
Even the unknown belongs to us

Jahaan thehere yeh lamha
Wahin se to aage jaana hai
Jise socha hai usko paana hai
Where this moment stops
From there, then, we go forward
He who thinks this will achieve 

Jaaoon main...
Jaate pal se aage jaaoon
Jaoon main, aage jaake usko paaon, chahoon, aage hi jaaoon main
And I go on...
From this moment, I go on
And from there, I'll attain, desire, and go ever forward

Taara, taara jala
Kehkeshan ki tarah
Tere vaaste main
I am a blazing star
Shining like a galaxy
For you...

Jahaan manzil hai meri
Kabhi to vo duniya dekhoonga
Mujhe kaise hai jeena dekhoonga
Perhaps i will see that world of my destiny--
How will that life appear to me?

Kabhi dekhoonga jaake,
Chuda ke main peecha kaamon se
Kabhi nikloonga subho shaamon se
Perhaps I will catch a glimpse, my work left behind me,
Perhaps I will emerge from my quotidian

Jaaoon main...
Jaate pal se aage jaaoon
Jaoon main, aage jaake usko paaon, chahoon, aage hi jaaoon main
And I go on...
From this moment, I go on
And from there, I'll attain, desire, and go ever forward

Taara, taara jala
Kehkeshan ki tarah
Tere vaaste main
I am a blazing star
Shining like a galaxy
For you...

Tere saath hum nahin
Gham ki tarah gham nahin
Teri mohabbat kam nahin
I am not with you
There is no sadness like this
There is no love greater than yours

Main taara, taara jala
Kehkeshan ki tarah
Tere vaaste main
I am a blazing star
Shining like a galaxy
For you...

Translation: Sunset by Nitin Sawhney

I first heard this song on a compilation CD one of my students gave me nearly a decade ago. This was the first song, and the music and voice gripped me from the first second. I didn't know who was singing, what he was singing, but that didn't matter. The English vocals were no less enticing; I must have listened to this song hundreds of times, if not thousands, over the last ten years.

Over that time, I learned that the singer in English was Eska. That the beginning lyrics were in Bengali. That the singer's name was Pandit Jayanta Bose. That I would eventually meet people who had learned to sing from him. And I would learn how to read and write those lyrics that at first listen were nothing but beautiful music, and today I am able to translate these four lines for you.

Bengali: 
হঠাৎ যদি আমি থেমে যেতাম
শেষ বিকেলের মতো অস্ত যেতাম
অসীম রাতের শেষে শয়নে
সূর্যের সাথে আমি ঘুমিয়ে যেতাম

Transliteration:
Hothat jodi ami theme jetam
Shesh bikeler moto osto jetam
Ashim raater sheshe shoyone
Surjer saathe ami ghumiye jetam

Translation:
If I were suddenly to pause; to set beyond the horizon as dusk arrives,
At last, in the bed of boundless night, I would fall asleep with the sun.

(Special thanks go to Abhik Ray for discussing compound verbs with me at length, and Shumon Sengupta for his translations of Tagore that inspired me to do this.)

Translation: Hawa from the film Damadol

Every December, or perhaps October, a song comes along that just captivates me. This year I was lucky to have encountered such songs in both October and December; this is the December one. (October was St. Lucia's "Elevate" which needs no English translation!)

Any corrections to lyrics or comments on how I can improve the translation would be welcomed. I am really just a beginner at this.

Thanks to Supriyo S. Daisy P. Sangeeta D. Rajlakshmi R. Anabil P., Anirban M., Rakesh S., and all other wonderful people who have given their input and entertained my obsessive discussions :)


হাওয়া - ডামাডোল
Hawa - Damadol
Wind (from the film Damadol - "Chaos")

chup chap kichu kotha
ure beray
emni kichu kotha
ghure beray
silently some thoughts fly away
and like that, other thoughts wander about

bolte gelei bhul ekrash uro chul
pathore photena holud buno phool
misunderstood words fly around 
like your hair in the wind
yellow wildflowers don't bloom on stone

sudhu hawa... eshe songe niye jay
kichu kotha hariye jay
only the wind comes to take them away;
these details get lost

purono chithi, notun ekta kham
paltaina kichui tobu rakhi daknam
an old letter in a new envelope
nothing has changed, but still i give it a new name

thonter kone hashi, bhetore jokhon
aajkal shob kichui khub onnorokom
i'm laughing on the outside,
but inside i feel very different these days

tai hawa... eshe songe niye jay
kichu kotha hariye jay
so the wind comes to take them away,
these details get lost

teen char te mon kharap
ekta bhanga din
baloonwalar beshe dukhi aladin
restless at three or four in the morning; a ruined day
sad Aladin in balloon-seller guise*
*(balloon-seller is someone who gives happiness to others)

bondhur pocket-e ochena ticket
mitthe ashwashe kobita likhi
in my friend's pocket hides an unknown ticket...
but it is in false hope that i write this song

aaj hawa... eshe songe niye jay
kichu kotha hariye jay
today the wind comes to take me away
these details get lost

Translation: Eka by Lakkhichhara

I have written about this song before (in yet-to-be-published-if-ever vignettes), but now I am translating it to share with you. The guitar tells you everything you need to know though; the translation is simply a bonus.

Thanks to Rakesh S. Tova E., and Supriyo S. for insights :)

Lyrics and Translation:

একা - লক্ষীছাড়া

Eka - Lakkhichhara

Alone

Eka eka hoyto gopone

Chupishare boroi anmone

Shunyo haate bhari ondhokar

Alone; perhaps in secret

Noiselessly; indeed unconsciously

With empty hands full of darkness

Charidhare jhapsa mukh koto

Chena kichu ochena hoyto

Eki kotha bole barongbar

So many blurred faces surrounding

Some recognizable, perhaps some unknown

Repeating only one thing, over and over

Bujhina je tar maane

Raat jaane, 'raat jaane'

Kothay, kobe, konkhane? 

I don't know what it means

The night knows

Where, at what time, in what place?

Keno mishe jachche bortoman 

Neme ase somoyer shopan

Shob kichu lagche bemanan

Why is Now becoming dark

As it descends the steps of time

Nothing seems as if it fits

Deke othe raat-jaaga pakhi

Kome ase jiboner goti

E du'haate mukh dheke rakhi.....

The nocturnal bird calls out

As life's pace winds down

I cover my face with these two hands

Amar e dike cheye

E akashe utheche chand

Bonnay aalor bhengechhe baand

In this sky the rising moon shines upon me

And the flood of light breaks through

Chole jae majh raati re

Shanto nodir tire

Hajaro bochor aager 

Sriti ase phire

Midnight retreats to the bank of the peaceful river

Memories of the distant past return

Translation: Obak Bhalobasha by Warfaze

I am going to start posting some of my translations of Bengali songs here. First, because if they were already online, I wouldn't be translating them, and second, so that if you are able, you can correct my translation and make it even better.

I'll post transliterated Bengali here in the way I understand it best, and my translation.

And of course, because the songs are so beautiful, I will post them here too.


 (Sorry Bangladeshi readers, I can't find this song/video anywhere but YouTube. :\)

Lyrics and Translation:

অবাক ভালবাসা - ওয়ারফেজ
Obak Bhalobasha - Warfaze
Astonishing Love

shob aalo nibhe jak andhare
May all the light fade to darkness

sudhu jege thak oi durer tarara
Where the only ones awake are those faraway stars

shob shobdo theme jak nistobdhotay
May all the words trail off into silence

sudhu jege thak ei shagor amar pashe
Where the only thing I hear is this ocean next to me

shob bedona muche jak sthirotay
May all the pain be erased into stillness

hridoy bhore jak ostitter anonde
May the heart be filled with the bliss of existence

hridoy gobhire obak drishtite, thomke danriyecche mohakaal ekhane
The deepest part of the heart is surprised by a sudden vision of eternity


shubhro balir shoikote
On the beach of white sand 

elomelo batashe, guitar haate
In a random breeze, guitar in hand

nistobdhota chouchir
The silence is shattered

unmaad jhonkaare kaandi obak shukher kanna
In the mad ringing of a sudden flood of tears of happiness

jeno chuni heera panna shagorer buke,
alpona enke diye jay
obak bhalobashay
Like a sacred design of precious jewels in the heart of the ocean
Created by an astonishing love 

shob aalo nibhe jak andhare
May all the light fade to darkness

sudhu jege thak oi durer tarara
Where the only ones awake are those faraway stars

shob shobdo theme jak nistobdhotay
May all the words trail off into utter silence

sudhu jege thak ei shagor amar pashe
Where the only thing I hear is this ocean next to me

shob koshto boye jak sukher jhor
May all trouble be carried off in a storm of bliss

hridoy bhore jak sahoj neel shopne
And the heart be filled with a simple azure dream

hridoy gobhire obak drishtite, thomke danriyecche mohakaal ekhane
The deepest part of the heart is surprised by a sudden vision of eternity


shubhro balir shoikote
On the beach of white sand 

elomelo batashe, guitar haate
In a random breeze, guitar in hand

nistobdhota chouchir
The silence is shattered

unmaad jhonkaare kaandi obak shukher kanna
In the mad ringing of a sudden flood of tears of happiness

jeno chuni heera panna shagorer buke,
alpona enke diye jay
obak bhalobashay
Like a sacred design of precious jewels in the heart of the ocean
Created by an astonishing love