Thursday, December 04, 2008

The Song of the soul - Jodi tor dak shune keu na ashe tôbe êkla chôlo re - Rabindranath Tagore

Perhaps one of the greatest piece of Tagore ( I love this more than his geetanjali) I do seriously doubt if anyone else in this world can describe the feelings and cryings of the soul like these... Truly a masterpiece of his own kind...

Jodi tor dak shune keu na ashe tôbe êkla chôlo re,
Êkla chôlo, êkla chôlo, êkla chôlo, êkla chôlo re.


Jodi keu kôtha na kôe, ore ore o ôbhaga,
Jodi shôbai thake mukh firaee shôbai kôre bhôe---
Tôbe pôran khule
O tui mukh fute tor moner kôtha êkla bôlo re.


Jodi shôbai fire jae, ore ore o ôbhaga,
Jodi gôhon pôthe jabar kale keu fire na chae---
Tôbe pôther kãta
O tui rôktomakha chôrontôle êkla dôlo re.


Jodi alo na dhôre, ore ore o ôbhaga,
Jodi jhôr-badole ãdhar rate duar dêe ghôre---
Tôbe bojranôle
Apon buker pãjor jalie nie êkla jôlo re.


Tagore's English translation

If they answer not to thy call walk alone,
If they are afraid and cower mutely facing the wall,
O thou of evil luck,
open thy mind and speak out alone.


If they turn away, and desert you when crossing the wilderness,
O thou of evil luck,
trample the thorns under thy tread,
and along the blood-lined track travel alone.


If they do not hold up the light when the night is troubled with storm,
O thou of evil luck,
with the thunder flame of pain ignite thy own heart
and let it burn alone.

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