Iravum Oru Naal
From Maduraikkara Thambi · 1988
- Lyricist
- Mu. Metha
- Singer
- K. J. Jesudass
- Music director
- Chandrabose
- Details
- Maduraikkara Thambi1988
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Aaa….aa….aa….aa…. | Aaa....aa....aa....aa.... |
| Aaa….aa….aa….aa…. | Aaa....aa....aa....aa.... |
| Male | |
| Iravum oru naal vidiyum adhanaal | Night too will dawn one day, therefore |
| Ezhunthiduvaai thozhaa | Arise, my comrade! |
| Puyallum puliyum azhuvathu illai | Storms and tigers do not weep |
| Purappaduvaai thozhaa | Set forth, my comrade! |
| Male | |
| Iravum oru naal vidiyum adhanaal | Night too will dawn one day, therefore |
| Ezhunthiduvaai thozhaa | Arise, my comrade! |
| Chorus :Aa….aa….aa…. | Chorus: Aa....aa....aa.... |
| Female :Puyallum puliyum azhuvathu illai | Female: Storms and tigers do not weep |
| Purappaduvaai thozhaa | Set forth, my comrade! |
| Chorus :Aa….aa….aa…. | Chorus: Aa....aa....aa.... |
| Male | |
| Saavinai enni thairiyam izhanthaal | If we lose courage fearing death |
| Thaayagam namakethu | What motherland will remain for us? |
| Chorus :Aa….aa….aa…. | Chorus: Aa....aa....aa.... |
| Male :Ulaginai jeyikkum naal varai namathu | Male: Until the day we conquer the world, our |
| Uraivaal urangaathu | Sheathed sword shall not sleep |
| Male | |
| Iravum oru naal vidiyum adhanaal | Night too will dawn one day, therefore |
| Ezhunthiduvaai thozhaa | Arise, my comrade! |
| Chorus :Aa….aa….aa…. | Chorus: Aa....aa....aa.... |
| Female :Puyallum puliyum azhuvathu illai | Female: Storms and tigers do not weep |
| Purappaduvaai thozhaa | Set forth, my comrade! |
| Chorus :Aa….aa….aa…. | Chorus: Aa....aa....aa.... |
| Male | |
| Aaa….aa….aa….aa…. | Aaa....aa....aa....aa.... |
| Aa….aa….aa…. | Aa....aa....aa.... |
| Male | |
| Thegamum oru naal oointhida koodum | The body may weary and perish one day |
| Thaagangal ooyaathu….aa… | But our deep thirsts will never cease....aa... |
| Thalaimurai vaazha thalai tharuvorai | Those who give their lives so future generations may live |
| Sariththiram marakkaathu | History will never forget them |
| Chorus | |
| Kalaththinil sontham paarppathillai | On the battlefield, one does not look at kinship |
| Latchiya veeran thorpathillai | A warrior driven by ideal never loses |
| Male :Kalaththinil sontham paarppathillai | Male: On the battlefield, one does not look at kinship |
| Latchiya veeran thorpathillai | A warrior driven by ideal never loses |
| Male | |
| Yaezhaigal ingae kozhaigalaanaal | If the poor here turn into cowards |
| Urimaigal kidaikkaathu | Rights will never be attained |
| Chorus :Aa….aa….aa…. | Chorus: Aa....aa....aa.... |
| Male :Uzhaippavar ondraai saernthidumpothu | Male: When the working people unite as one |
| Jeiththida aalaethu | Who is there left to defeat them? |
| Chorus | |
| Oomaigal pesum kaalam varum | A time will come when the mute shall speak |
| Uyarththiya kaigal vetri perum | Raised hands will achieve ultimate victory |
| Male :Oomaigal pesum kaalam varum | Male: A time will come when the mute shall speak |
| Uyarththiya kaigal vetri perum | Raised hands will achieve ultimate victory |
| Chorus | |
| Iravum oru naal vidiyum adhanaal | Night too will dawn one day, therefore |
| Ezhunthiduvaai thozhaa….aa….aa….aa…. | Arise, my comrade!....aa....aa....aa.... |
| Puyallum puliyum azhuvathu illai | Storms and tigers do not weep |
| Purappaduvaai thozhaa…aa….aa….aa…. | Set forth, my comrade!....aa....aa....aa.... |
ஆஅ.....ஆ.....ஆ.....ஆ....
ஆஅ.....ஆ.....ஆ.....ஆ....
Aaa....aa....aa....aa....
Aaa....aa....aa....aa....
இரவும் ஒரு நாள் விடியும் அதனால்
எழுந்திடுவாய் தோழா
புயலும் புலியும் அழுவது இல்லை
புறப்படுவாய் தோழா
Night too will dawn one day, therefore
Arise, my comrade!
Storms and tigers do not weep
Set forth, my comrade!
இரவும் ஒரு நாள் விடியும் அதனால்
எழுந்திடுவாய் தோழா....
குழு :
ஆ.....ஆ.....ஆ....
புயலும் புலியும் அழுவது இல்லை
புறப்படுவாய் தோழா.......
குழு :
ஆ.....ஆ.....ஆ....
Night too will dawn one day, therefore
Arise, my comrade!
Chorus: Aa....aa....aa....
Female: Storms and tigers do not weep
Set forth, my comrade!
Chorus: Aa....aa....aa....
சாவினை எண்ணி தைரியம் இழந்தால்
தாயகம் நமக்கேது.......
குழு :
ஆ.....ஆ.....ஆ....
உலகினை ஜெயிக்கும் நாள் வரை நமது
உறைவாள் உறங்காது...
If we lose courage fearing death
What motherland will remain for us?
Chorus: Aa....aa....aa....
Male: Until the day we conquer the world, our
Sheathed sword shall not sleep
இரவும் ஒரு நாள் விடியும் அதனால்
எழுந்திடுவாய் தோழா.......
குழு :
ஆ.....ஆ.....ஆ....
புயலும் புலியும் அழுவது இல்லை
புறப்படுவாய் தோழா....
குழு :
ஆ.....ஆ.....ஆ..........
Night too will dawn one day, therefore
Arise, my comrade!
Chorus: Aa....aa....aa....
Female: Storms and tigers do not weep
Set forth, my comrade!
Chorus: Aa....aa....aa....
ஆஅ.....ஆ.....ஆ.....ஆ....
ஆ.....ஆ.....ஆ....
Aaa....aa....aa....aa....
Aa....aa....aa....
தேகமும் ஒரு நாள் ஓய்ந்திட கூடும்
தாகங்கள் ஓயாது......ஆ...
தலைமுறை வாழ தலை தருவோரை
சரித்திரம் மறக்காது
The body may weary and perish one day
But our deep thirsts will never cease....aa...
Those who give their lives so future generations may live
History will never forget them
களத்தினில் சொந்தம் பார்ப்பதில்லை
லட்சிய வீரன் தோற்பதில்லை
களத்தினில் சொந்தம் பார்ப்பதில்லை
லட்சிய வீரன் தோற்பதில்லை
On the battlefield, one does not look at kinship
A warrior driven by ideal never loses
Male: On the battlefield, one does not look at kinship
A warrior driven by ideal never loses
ஏழைகள் இங்கே கோழைகளானால்
உரிமைகள் கிடைக்காது..
குழு :
ஆ.....ஆ.....ஆ....
உழைப்பவர் ஒன்றாய் சேர்ந்திடும்போது
ஜெயித்திட ஆளேது
If the poor here turn into cowards
Rights will never be attained
Chorus: Aa....aa....aa....
Male: When the working people unite as one
Who is there left to defeat them?
ஊமைகள் பேசும் காலம் வரும்
உயர்த்திய கைகள் வெற்றி பெறும்
ஊமைகள் பேசும் காலம் வரும்
உயர்த்திய கைகள் வெற்றி பெறும்
A time will come when the mute shall speak
Raised hands will achieve ultimate victory
Male: A time will come when the mute shall speak
Raised hands will achieve ultimate victory
இரவும் ஒரு நாள் விடியும் அதனால்
எழுந்திடுவாய் தோழா....ஆ.....ஆ.....ஆ....
புயலும் புலியும் அழுவது இல்லை
புறப்படுவாய் தோழா....ஆ.....ஆ.....ஆ....
Night too will dawn one day, therefore
Arise, my comrade!....aa....aa....aa....
Storms and tigers do not weep
Set forth, my comrade!....aa....aa....aa....
Aaa….aa….aa….aa….
Aaa....aa....aa....aa....
Aaa….aa….aa….aa….
Aaa....aa....aa....aa....
Iravum oru naal vidiyum adhanaal
Night too will dawn one day, therefore
Ezhunthiduvaai thozhaa
Arise, my comrade!
Puyallum puliyum azhuvathu illai
Storms and tigers do not weep
Purappaduvaai thozhaa
Set forth, my comrade!
Iravum oru naal vidiyum adhanaal
Night too will dawn one day, therefore
Ezhunthiduvaai thozhaa
Arise, my comrade!
Chorus :Aa….aa….aa….
Chorus: Aa....aa....aa....
Female :Puyallum puliyum azhuvathu illai
Female: Storms and tigers do not weep
Purappaduvaai thozhaa
Set forth, my comrade!
Chorus :Aa….aa….aa….
Chorus: Aa....aa....aa....
Saavinai enni thairiyam izhanthaal
If we lose courage fearing death
Thaayagam namakethu
What motherland will remain for us?
Chorus :Aa….aa….aa….
Chorus: Aa....aa....aa....
Male :Ulaginai jeyikkum naal varai namathu
Male: Until the day we conquer the world, our
Uraivaal urangaathu
Sheathed sword shall not sleep
Iravum oru naal vidiyum adhanaal
Night too will dawn one day, therefore
Ezhunthiduvaai thozhaa
Arise, my comrade!
Chorus :Aa….aa….aa….
Chorus: Aa....aa....aa....
Female :Puyallum puliyum azhuvathu illai
Female: Storms and tigers do not weep
Purappaduvaai thozhaa
Set forth, my comrade!
Chorus :Aa….aa….aa….
Chorus: Aa....aa....aa....
Aaa….aa….aa….aa….
Aaa....aa....aa....aa....
Aa….aa….aa….
Aa....aa....aa....
Thegamum oru naal oointhida koodum
The body may weary and perish one day
Thaagangal ooyaathu….aa…
But our deep thirsts will never cease....aa...
Thalaimurai vaazha thalai tharuvorai
Those who give their lives so future generations may live
Sariththiram marakkaathu
History will never forget them
Kalaththinil sontham paarppathillai
On the battlefield, one does not look at kinship
Latchiya veeran thorpathillai
A warrior driven by ideal never loses
Male :Kalaththinil sontham paarppathillai
Male: On the battlefield, one does not look at kinship
Latchiya veeran thorpathillai
A warrior driven by ideal never loses
Yaezhaigal ingae kozhaigalaanaal
If the poor here turn into cowards
Urimaigal kidaikkaathu
Rights will never be attained
Chorus :Aa….aa….aa….
Chorus: Aa....aa....aa....
Male :Uzhaippavar ondraai saernthidumpothu
Male: When the working people unite as one
Jeiththida aalaethu
Who is there left to defeat them?
Oomaigal pesum kaalam varum
A time will come when the mute shall speak
Uyarththiya kaigal vetri perum
Raised hands will achieve ultimate victory
Male :Oomaigal pesum kaalam varum
Male: A time will come when the mute shall speak
Uyarththiya kaigal vetri perum
Raised hands will achieve ultimate victory
Iravum oru naal vidiyum adhanaal
Night too will dawn one day, therefore
Ezhunthiduvaai thozhaa….aa….aa….aa….
Arise, my comrade!....aa....aa....aa....
Puyallum puliyum azhuvathu illai
Storms and tigers do not weep
Purappaduvaai thozhaa…aa….aa….aa….
Set forth, my comrade!....aa....aa....aa....
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
'Iravum Oru Naal Vidiyum' is a powerful revolutionary and motivational song penned by the renowned Tamil poet Mu. Metha for the movie Maduraikkara Thambi (1988). The song functions as a clarion call to the oppressed and working-class people, exhorting them to cast away cowardice, unite, and march forward to reclaim their rights. By contrasting human fear with the unyielding strength of natural forces like storms and tigers, the lyrics instill fearlessness in the face of death and hardship.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Metaphor (Uruvagam)
“Iravum oru naal vidiyum adhanaal”
Night ('Iravum') is used as a metaphor for dark periods of oppression, while dawn ('Vidiyum') represents freedom and justice.
Personification / Natural Imagery
“Puyallum puliyum azhuvathu illai”
Attributes fearlessness to inanimate natural forces (storms) and fierce animals (tigers) to inspire human courage.
Monaai (Initial Rhyme / Alliteration)
“Thegamum oru naal oointhida koodum / Thaagangal ooyaathu”
Matching initial consonant sounds across words in lines, such as 'Thegamum' and 'Thaagangal'.
Contrast / Antithesis
“Thegamum oru naal oointhida koodum / Thaagangal ooyaathu”
Contrasts physical mortality ('body perishing') with immortal ideological determination ('thirst never ceasing').
Did you know?
Trivia
Written by Mu. Metha, a prominent figure in the 'Vaanambadi' modern poetry movement in Tamil literature, the song's lyrics reflect socialist and humanistic themes characteristic of his literary style.
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