Neengal athanai perum

Neengal athanai perum

By

Kannadasan

Translated by

P.R.Ramachander

1. Neengal athanai perum,

Uthamar  thaanaa chollungal-ungal,

AAsai nenjai   thottu  parthu kollungal,

Ullavanellam   nallavanaavaan ,

Illathavane pollathavanaam  bhoomiyile –

Nanmai theemai   yenpathu yenna,

Pava punniyam yenpathu yenna ,

Pathayile    azhagaga thondrum karunagam kanden,

Aniyayayam  cheipavarukkum   mariyaadhai kanden.

2,.PLease tell whether  all of you are guiltless great people,

Please touch your   dear heart and see,

All those    who have are good people,

And all those who do not have are   dangerous people in this world,

What is the thing called “good” and “bad”,

What  are blessed deeds and sin,

I saw a pretty black snake  on my way ,

And also say that those who do injustice are   respected.

2.Chathikara kootam ondru sabai year kanden,

THavarendru   yennai chollum parithapam kanden,

Kollai adippon vallalai pola,

KOvilai idippon   samiyai pola  vaazhgindran,

OOzhal cheipavan   yokkiyan pola  ,

OOrai yeippavan   Uthaman pola kangindran.

2,I saw a group of cheaters   occupying the stage  ,

And I saw that people where pitying me saying I am wrong.

The man who robs    was like the philanthropist  ,

And the one who breaks the temple was looking like God.

The one who is corrupt was  looking like a honest one ,

And the  one who cheats  the country was looking like just man.

3.Chattathin pinnal chathir aadum kootam,

THala maari aadum   indru athikara kootam,

 Endarikkum   mel idathil  ivar meethu nottam,

Ippothu puriyathu, yethir kalam  kattum,

Nataka vesham kooda varathu  ,

Nalaya ulagam ivarai vidathu chollkindren,

Pala naal thirudan  oru naal chirayil –pavam,

Chipavan  thalai murai varayil  Parkkindreen,

3.The crowd that dances   behind the law  ,

This  crowd which governs which dances to the wrong beats,

And   at all times the power people would look at them ,

Now we will not understand, the future will show  ,

The dramatic part     would not come with us,

And tomorrows world would not leave them,

I am telling the thief of many   years would be one day be in prison,

For I see several generations of people who do sin.

Film :En Magan (1974)