164. Translation of Sad Songs of Rafi: Zindagi Kya Hai....

Movie: PYAR KIYA TO DARNA KYA (1963)
Lyrics: Shakeel Badayuni
Music: Ravi.



Rafi Sahaab lamenting the storm of sorrow in: Zindagi Kya Hai...

Roman Transliteration/English Translation of the original lyrics:



Zindagi kyaa hai,
WHAT’S LIFE?

gham kaa dariyaa hai,
‘TIS THE SEA OF SORROW,

na jeenaa yahaa.n bas me.n
NEITHER LIVING IS WITHIN CONTROL,

na maranaa yahaa.n bas me.n,
NOR IS DYING WITHIN CONTROL,

ajab duniyaa hai,
‘TIS A STRANGE WORLD,

zindagii kyaa hai...
WHAT’S LIFE...


haay re voh insaan ke jis ko, gham ki nazar lag jaaye,
ALAS FOR THE MAN WHO’S STRICKEN WITH SORROW’S EVIL EYE,

haay re voh insaan ke jis ko, gham ki nazar lag jaaye,
ALAS FOR THE MAN WHO’S STRICKEN WITH SORROW’S EVIL EYE,

chupke-chupke, aah bhare aur mu.nh se na kuchh keh paaye,
QUIETLY UTTERS A SIGH, AND IS UNABLE TO SPEAK OUT ANYTHING,

dil apnaa, ha.nsataa hai khud par, aur kabhee rotaa hai,
THE HEART LAUGHS AT THE SELF, AND WEEPS SOMETIMES,

aur kabhi rotaa hai.
AND WEEPS SOMETIMES.


Zindagi kyaa hai,
WHAT’S LIFE?

gham kaa dariyaa hai,
‘TIS THE SEA OF SORROW,

na jeenaa yahaa.n bas me.n
NEITHER LIVING IS WITHIN CONTROL,

na maranaa yahaa.n bas me.n,
NOR IS DYING WITHIN CONTROL,

ajab duniyaa hai,
‘TIS A STRANGE WORLD,

zindagi kyaa hai...
WHAT’S LIFE...


jhooTee hai.n duniyaa ki bahaare.n, ra.ng hai.n saare kachche,
FALSE ARE THE WORLDLY BLOSSOMS, VAPID ARE ALL THE COLOURS,

jhooTee hai.n duniyaa ki bahaare.n, ra.ng hai.n saare kachche,
FALSE ARE THE WORLDLY BLOSSOMS, VAPID ARE ALL THE COLOURS,

waqt pa.de toh thaam le.n daaman, phool se kaa.nTe achchhe,
HOLDING ON TO THE MANTLE IN TIMES OF NEED, THISTLES ARE BETTER THAN FLOWERS,

iss gulshan me.n qadam-qadam par, ek nayaa dhokaa hai
IN THIS ROSE-GARDEN, AT EVERY STEP, THERE’S BETRAYAL ANEW,

naya dhhokaa hai,
THERE’S A BETRAYAL ANEW,


Zindagi kyaa hai,
WHAT’S LIFE?

gham kaa dariyaa hai,
‘TIS THE SEA OF SORROW,

na jeenaa yahaa.n bas me.n
NEITHER LIVING IS WITHIN CONTROL,

na maranaa yahaa.n bas me.n,
NOR IS DYING WITHIN CONTROL,

ajab duniyaa hai,
‘TIS A STRANGE WORLD,

zindagii kyaa hai...
WHAT’S LIFE...


jab insaan akelaa thaa toh, dukh bhee na theh jeevan me.n,
WHEN MAN WAS ALONE, THERE WERE NO GRIEFS IN LIFE THEN,

jab insaan akelaa thaa toh, dukh bhee na theh jeevan me.n,
WHEN MAN WAS ALONE, THERE WERE NO GRIEFS IN LIFE THEN,

paayaa jab hamaraahi us ne, Doob gayaa uljhan me.n,
WHEN HE FOUND A COMPANION, HE GOT DROWNED IN CONFUSION,

yeh duniyaa hai begaano.n ki, kaun yahaa.n apnaa hai,
THIS WORLD BELONGS TO OUTSIDERS, HERE NONE IS ONE OF OUR OWN,

yahaa.n apna hai,
HERE NONE IS ONE OF OUR OWN,

Zindagi kyaa hai,
WHAT’S LIFE?

gham kaa dariyaa hai,
‘TIS THE SEA OF SORROW,

na jeenaa yahaa.n bas me.n
NEITHER LIVING IS WITHIN CONTROL,

na maranaa yahaa.n bas me.n,
NOR IS DYING WITHIN CONTROL,

ajab duniyaa hai,
‘TIS A STRANGE WORLD,

zindagi kyaa hai...
WHAT’S LIFE...


Jitna apne gham ko bhulaana, chaahta hai insaan,
HOWEVER MUCH MAN DESIRES TO FORGET HIS SORROWS,

Jitna apne gham ko bhulaana, chaahta hai insaan,
HOWEVER MUCH MAN DESIRES TO FORGET HIS SORROWS,

Utna hee ba.dhtaa hai gham ka, seene mein toofan,
THAT MUCH THE STORM OF SORROW INCREASES IN THE HEART,

Na koi, manzil hai dil ki, na koi rastaa hai.
HEART’S DESTINATION THERE IS NONE, THERE'S NO WAY,

Koi rastaa hai...
THERE'S NO WAY...


Zindagi kyaa hai,
WHAT’S LIFE?

gham kaa dariyaa hai,
‘TIS THE SEA OF SORROW,

na jeenaa yahaa.n bas me.n
NEITHER LIVING IS WITHIN CONTROL,

na maranaa yahaa.n bas me.n,
NOR IS DYING WITHIN CONTROL,

ajab duniyaa hai,
‘TIS A STRANGE WORLD,

zindagi kyaa hai...
WHAT’S LIFE...


NASIR.

“Have courage for the great sorrows of life and patience for the small ones; and when you have laboriously accomplished your daily task, go to sleep in peace. God is awake.”
Victor Hugo quotes