Lost in Translation

Not only do I LOVE this song, I love Rekha in this movie! She is a legendary Bollywood actress and indescribably captivating in this film. One of her best roles no doubt. There is no movie like the original Umrao Jaan. :) Sorry, Aishwarya fans.

BUT the subtitles to the song in this YouTube video are for a lack of better words...A Disappointment!! Who translates this stuff!?! Puleassee! You are ruining one of my favorite songs!!

Understandably, there are no words in the English language that can fully capture the meaning and nuances of many Hindi words like Dil or Jaan but the subtitles here do NOOO justice to my song.

It makes me ponder on how words capture meanings. What if a language does not have a word to describe an intangible verb? Does that mean the speaker cannot fully comprehend the feelings that other languages have came up with terms for? Perhaps, but I'm open to opposing views.

When I hear the Hindi word Dil, I scan for words in the English language and the first word that comes to mind is desire, then longing. Even still, neither of those words fully capture the essence of Dil. Even more difficult to translate is the word Jaan. Jaan is just jaan, to me, but it provokes a feeling that can only be described by the word Jaan. It cannot be described by words such as lifeline, soul or heart. It's simply necessary to have listened to these words and have used them in its proper context to appreciate its true meaning.

I am fortunate and thankful that my mother tongue is Hindi. I have an appreciation for the language like only a mother-tongue speaker would. I get offended when words from the language I know and love are obliterated and translated to represent a meaning that does not capture the true essence.

My disapproval to the subtitles led to research. I found a website offering a more approving translation to the lyrics. I hope that non-Hindi speakers too can appreciate this melody and the meaning behind the lyrics even a fraction of what I do.

Aa aa aa aa, aa aa aa
Dil cheez kya hai aap meri jaan lijiye - 2
What is the heart; take my life
Bas ek baar mera kaha
Just one time, what I say
Bas ek baar mera kaha maan lijiye - 2
Just one time, heed what I say
Dil cheez kya hai aap meri jaan lijiye
What is the heart; take my life

Is anjuman mein aap ko
In this gathering
Is anjuman mein, aah, aah aah aah
In this gathering
Is anjuman mein aap ko
In this gathering
Is anjuman mein aap ko aana hai baar baar
In this gathering, you have to come time and time again
Aana hai baar baar
You have to come time and time again
Deevaar-o-dar ko gaur se
The walls and doors, with concentration
Deevaar-o-dar ko gaur se pehchaan lijiye - 2
You recognize the walls and doors with concentration
Dil cheez kya hai aap meri jaan lijiye
What is the heart; take my life

Maana ke doston ko nahin
I understand that friends don't
Doston, doston ko nahin
Friends, friends don't
Maana ke doston ko nahin dosti ka paas
I understand that friends don't supervise one another
Lekin yeh kya ke gair ka

But is it so that
Lekin yeh kya ke gair ka ehsaan lijiye - 2
But is it so that you take favors from a stranger?
Dil cheez kya hai aap meri jaan lijiye
What is the heart; take my life

Kahiye to
If you say so
Kahiye to aasmaan ko
If you say so
Kahiye to aasmaan ko zameen par utaar laaye
If you say so, I will bring the sky down to the ground
Mushkil nahin hai kuch bhi
Nothing is difficult
Mushkil nahin hai kuch bhi agar thaan lijiye - 2
Nothing is difficult if you firmly pursue it
Dil cheez kya hai aap meri jaan lijiye
What is the heart; take my life
Bas ek baar, bas ek baar
Just one time, just one time
Bas ek baar mera kaha maan lijiye
Just one time, heed what I say
Maan lijiye, maan lijiye
Heed it, heed it