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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Engade Nee Ponae

From Dev · 2018

Lyricist
Kabilan
Singer
S. P. Balasubrahmanyam
Music director
Harris Jayaraj
Details
Dev2018

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Male
Enna vittu engadi nee ponaWhere did you go, leaving me behind?
Kaadhal illa kaadhalana aanenI became a lover without love.
Enna vittu engadi nee ponaWhere did you go, leaving me behind?
Kaadhal illa kaadhalana aanenI became a lover without love.
Male
Thanneer illamalWithout water,
Naanal illaiyaeThere are no reeds.
Kanneer illaamalWithout tears,
Kaadhal illaiyaeThere is no love.
Male
Enna vittu…aaa..haa…aa…Leaving me... ah... haa... aa...
Unnai vittu…aaahaa…aaa…..Leaving you... aahaa... aaa...
Male
Enna vittu engadi nee ponaWhere did you go, leaving me behind?
Kaadhal illa kaadhalana aanenI became a lover without love.
Female
Huuu uuu uuu uuuHuuu uuu uuu uuu
Huu uu uu uuHuu uu uu uu
Huuu uuu uuu uuuHuuu uuu uuu uuu
Huu uu uu uuHuu uu uu uu
Huuu uuu uuu uuuHuuu uuu uuu uuu
Huu uu uu uuHuu uu uu uu
Huuu uuu uuu uuuHuuu uuu uuu uuu
Huu uu uu uuHuu uu uu uu
Male
Andha vaanamThat sky,
Paarthathu unnaalaeI saw it because of you.
Naan paartha vaanavil engaeWhere is the rainbow I once saw?
Adi neril vandhu nee ninnaalaeHey girl, if you come and stand before me,
En ennam vannamaagumMy thoughts will turn colorful.
Male
Perum paavam enbathuWhat is considered a great sin?
Yaar endraalIf you ask who or what it is,
Pala kaalam kaalamaai kaadhalIt is love that has existed for ages and ages.
Idhu aanum pennukkumThis clash between a man and a woman,
EndrendrumForever,
Oru moondram ulagam modhalIs like a collision in a third world.
Male
Naan enna thappuWhat wrong did I do,
Senjen pullaMy girl,
Un kaadhal vittu enna kollaFor your love to leave and kill me?
Nee unna thaandi vaadi mellaCross your boundaries and come to me slowly,
Enakku endrum un mel kovam illaI am never angry with you.
Male
Enna vittu engadi nee ponaWhere did you go, leaving me behind?
Kaadhal illa kaadhalana aanenI became a lover without love.
Enna vittu engadi nee ponaWhere did you go, leaving me behind?
Kaadhal illa kaadhalana aanenI became a lover without love.
Female
Hoo oo aa aaa aa aaaHoo oo aa aaa aa aaa
Hoo oo aa aaa aa aaaHoo oo aa aaa aa aaa
Hoo oo aaa..aaa…aa…aaa…Hoo oo aaa..aaa…aa…aaa…
Haa…aaa….aaa…haa…aa…aaa…aaa…Haa…aaa….aaa…haa…aa…aaa…aaa…
Chorus
Mm…mmm..mm…mm…mm..Mm…mmm..mm…mm…mm..
Mm…mmm..mm…mm…mm..Mm…mmm..mm…mm…mm..
Mm…mmm..mm…Mm…mmm..mm…
Male
En vaththikuchiyinOn the tip of my matchstick head,
Thala melaeYou set the fire of love.
Nee kaadhal theeyai veithaaiyaeAnd the one who got burned in it,
Athil vendhu ponathuWas only me.
NaanthaanaeOh my loveless darling,
En kaadhal illa kannaeLike a page on a daily calendar,
Male
Enai thedhi polaeEven if you tear me away,
Nee kilithaalumI am the text that still wishes you well,
Dhinam vaazhthumEvery single day.
Vaasagam naanaeBecause of you, my seven days of the week,
En vaaram ezhu naal unnaalaeHave felt like a whole year, darling.
Oru varusham aachu darlingWhat can I say about my love?
Male
En kaadhal paththi enna sollaFemale: Na na na na na
Female :Na na na na naMale: It doesn't listen to anything in its ears.
Male :Athu kaadhil onnum keppathillaFemale: Na na na na na
Female :Na na na na naMale: Before I go into the earth (die),
Male :Naan mannukulla pogum munnaeFemale: Na na na na na
Female :Na na na na naMale: Tell me that you are my love, girl.
Male :En kaadhal neethan sollu pennaeFemale: Haa…aa…aaa
Female :Haa…aa…aaaWhere did you go, leaving me behind?
Male
Enna vittu engadi nee ponaI became a lover without love.
Kaadhal illa kaadhalana aanenWithout water,
Male
Thanneer illamalThere are no reeds.
Naanal illaiyaeWithout tears,
Kanneer illaamalThere is no love.
Kaadhal illaiyaeLeaving me...
Male
Enna vittu…Female: Hmm mm mm
Female :Hmm mm mmMale: Aaaa..haa…aa…
Male :Aaaa..haa…aa…Leaving me...
Enna vittu…Female: Hmm mm
Female :Hmm mmMale: Oh oo oo oo
Male :Oh oo oo ooLeaving me...
Enna vittu…Female: Hmm mm mm
Female :Hmm mm mmMale: Hmm mmm
Male :Hmm mmmWhere did you go...
Engadi nee pona…Where did you go...
Engadi nee pona…Leaving me...
Enna vittu…Huuu uuu uuu uuu
Female
Huuu uuu uuu uuuHuu uu uu uu
Huu uu uu uuHuuu uuu uuu uuu
Huuu uuu uuu uuuHuu uu uu uu
Huu uu uu uuHuuu uuu uuu uuu
Huuu uuu uuu uuuHuu uu uu uu
Huu uu uu uuHuuu uuu uuu uuu
Huuu uuu uuu uuuHuu uu uu uu
Huu uu uu uu

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

The song 'Enna Vittu Engadi Nee Pona' portrays the intense grief and vulnerability of a heartbroken lover who feels completely abandoned. Reeling from separation, the protagonist laments how he has become a 'lover without love,' finding a poetic parallel between tears and true love, just as reeds cannot thrive without water. Throughout the track, he uses poignant imagery—comparing himself to a matchstick consumed by the fire of love, and to a daily calendar page that gets torn off each day yet continues to wish her well. Despite the pain and longing that make each week feel like an agonizing year, he harbors no anger towards her, desperately hoping for a sign of affection before his days are over.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Iyaipu (End Rhyme)

Thanneer illamal / Kanneer illaamal

The words 'illamal' and 'illaamal' create a rhythmic end rhyme across parallel lines.

Metaphor

En vaththikuchiyin / Thala melae / Nee kaadhal theeyai veithaaiyae / Athil vendhu ponathu / Naanthaanae

The protagonist compares himself to a matchstick head that was lit by the flame of love, symbolizing how his love completely burned and consumed him.

Metaphor & Personification

Enai thedhi polae / Nee kilithaalum / Dhinam vaazhthum / Vaasagam naanae

The speaker compares himself to a tear-off daily calendar. Even when torn away by her, he personifies himself as the daily positive quote printed on the calendar page that wishes her well every day.

Did you know?

Trivia

The track is composed by veteran music director Harris Jayaraj for the 2018 action-adventure film 'Dev', starring Karthi and Rakul Preet Singh. Sung eloquently by legendary vocalist Hariharan, the lyrics penned by Kabilan vividly capture emotional agony using simple yet deeply metaphorical everyday objects like matchsticks and wall calendars.

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