Nee Enge En Anbe
From Chinna Thambi · 1991
- Lyricists
- Not listed
- Singer
- Swarnalatha
- Music director
- Ilayaraja
- Details
- Chinna Thambi1991
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Female | |
| Nee engae … en anbae | Where are you… my love? |
| Meendum … meendum … meendum | Again… and again… and again |
| Nee dhaan ingu vendum | It is you that I need here |
| Female | |
| Nee engae … en anbae | Where are you… my love? |
| Nee indri naan engae | Without you, where am I? |
| Meendum … meendum … meendum | Again… and again… and again |
| Nee dhaan ingu vendum | It is you that I need here |
| Female | |
| Undhan anbu illaadhu endhan jeevan nillaadhu | Without your love, my life cannot survive |
| Nee engae … en anbae | Where are you… my love? |
| Nee indri naan engae | Without you, where am I? |
| Female | |
| Vidigira varaiyinil kadhaigalai padithadhai | Having read stories until dawn breaks |
| Ninaithadhae … ninaithadhae | Reminiscing… reminiscing… |
| Mudigira kadhaiyinai thodarndhida manam | My heart yearns to continue |
| Ingu thudikudhae … thudikudhae | This ending story… beating anxiously… beating anxiously… |
| Female | |
| Kadhaiyilae kanavilae uravugal | In stories and in dreams, relationships |
| Unarvugal urugudhae … urugudhae | And feelings melt away… melt away… |
| Pizhai illai vazhi illai aruvigal | There is no fault, no way out; waterfalls |
| Vizhigalil perugudhae … perugudhae | Are overflowing in my eyes… overflowing… |
| Female | |
| Vaazhum pothu ondraga | While living, together |
| Vaazha vendum vaa … vaa | We must live, come… come… |
| Vidiyum podhu ellorkum vidiyum ingu vaa … vaa | When dawn breaks, it breaks for everyone, come here… come… |
| Undhan anbu illaadhu endhan jeevan nillaathu | Without your love, my life cannot survive |
| Female | |
| Nee engae … en anbae | Where are you… my love? |
| Nee indri naan engae | Without you, where am I? |
| Female | |
| Aaaa …. aaaaa ….. aaaaaa …. aaaaa … aaaa aaaa | Aaaa …. aaaaa ….. aaaaaa …. aaaaa … aaaa aaaa |
| Aaaa …. aaaa ….. aaaa ….. aaaa ….. aaaaa …. aaaaaa … | Aaaa …. aaaa ….. aaaa ….. aaaa ….. aaaaa …. aaaaaa … |
| Female | |
| Veedhi endrum vetta veli pothalendrum | Whether it is a street or an open desolate space |
| Vennilavu paarkuma … paarkuma | Does the silver moonlight discriminate… discriminate? |
| Veedu endrum mottai sudukaadu endrum | Whether it is a house or a bare cremation ground |
| Thendral ingu paarkuma … paarkuma | Does the gentle breeze discriminate here… discriminate? |
| Female | |
| Ethanendrum ezhai panakaran endrum | Whether one is a rogue, poor, or rich |
| Odum ratham paarkuma … paarkuma | Does the running blood discriminate… discriminate? |
| Pithan endrum pichai podum bakthan endrum | Whether one is a madman or a devout donor of alms |
| Unmai deivam paarkuma … paarkuma | Does the true God discriminate… discriminate? |
| Female | |
| Kaadhal kondu vaazhadha kathaigal endrendrum undu | There will always be stories that live through love |
| Kadhaigal ingu mudiyaadhu meendum thodarattum ingu | Stories do not end here, let them continue again here |
| Undhan anbu illaadhu endhan jeevan nillaadhu | Without your love, my life cannot survive |
| Female | |
| Nee engae … en anbae | Where are you… my love? |
| Nee indri naan engae | Without you, where am I? |
| Meendum … meendum … meendum | Again… and again… and again |
| Nee dhaan ingu vendum | It is you that I need here |
| Female | |
| Undhan anbu illaadhu endhan jeevan nillaadhu | Without your love, my life cannot survive |
| Nee engae … en anbae | Where are you… my love? |
| Nee indri naan engae | Without you, where am I? |
நீ எங்கே என்
அன்பே மீண்டும் மீண்டும்
மீண்டும் நீ தான் இங்கு
வேண்டும்
Where are you… my love?
Again… and again… and again
It is you that I need here
நீ எங்கே என்
அன்பே நீ இன்றி நான்
எங்கே மீண்டும் மீண்டும்
மீண்டும் நீ தான் இங்கு
வேண்டும்
Where are you… my love?
Without you, where am I?
Again… and again… and again
It is you that I need here
உந்தன் அன்பு
இல்லாது எந்தன் ஜீவன்
நில்லாது நீ எங்கே என்
அன்பே நீ இன்றி நான்
எங்கே
Without your love, my life cannot survive
Where are you… my love?
Without you, where am I?
விடிகிற வரையினில்
கதைகளைப் படித்ததை
நினைத்ததே நினைத்ததே
முடிகிற கதையினை
தொடர்ந்திட மனம்
இங்கு துடிக்குதே துடிக்குதே
Having read stories until dawn breaks
Reminiscing… reminiscing…
My heart yearns to continue
This ending story… beating anxiously… beating anxiously…
கதையிலே
கனவிலே உறவுகள்
உணர்வுகள் உருகுதே
உருகுதே பிழை இல்லை
வழி இல்லை அருவிகள்
விழிகளில் பெருகுதே
பெருகுதே
In stories and in dreams, relationships
And feelings melt away… melt away…
There is no fault, no way out; waterfalls
Are overflowing in my eyes… overflowing…
வாழும் போது
ஒன்றாக வாழ வேண்டும்
வா வா விடியும் போது
எல்லோர்க்கும் விடியும்
இங்கு வாவா உந்தன் அன்பு
இல்லாது எந்தன் ஜீவன்
நில்லாது
While living, together
We must live, come… come…
When dawn breaks, it breaks for everyone, come here… come…
Without your love, my life cannot survive
நீ எங்கே
என் அன்பே நீ இன்றி
நான் எங்கே
Where are you… my love?
Without you, where am I?
ஆ ஆ ஆ ஆ ஆ ஆ
ஆ ஆ ஆ ஆ ஆ ஆ ஆ ஆ
ஆ ஆ ஆ ஆ ஆ ஆ ஆ ஆ
ஆ ஆ ஆ ஆ ஆ ஆ ஆ ஆ
Aaaa …. aaaaa ….. aaaaaa …. aaaaa … aaaa aaaa
Aaaa …. aaaa ….. aaaa ….. aaaa ….. aaaaa …. aaaaaa …
வீதி என்றும்
வெட்ட வெளி பொத்தலென்றும்
வெண்ணிலவு பார்க்குமா
பார்க்குமா வீடு என்றும்
மொட்டை சுடுக்காடு என்றும்
தென்றல் இங்கு பார்க்குமா
பார்க்குமா
Whether it is a street or an open desolate space
Does the silver moonlight discriminate… discriminate?
Whether it is a house or a bare cremation ground
Does the gentle breeze discriminate here… discriminate?
எத்தனென்றும்
ஏழை பணக்காரன் என்றும்
ஓடும் ரத்தம் பார்க்குமா
பார்க்குமா பித்தன் என்றும்
பிச்சை போடும் பக்தன் என்றும்
உண்மை தெய்வம் பார்க்குமா
பார்க்குமா
Whether one is a rogue, poor, or rich
Does the running blood discriminate… discriminate?
Whether one is a madman or a devout donor of alms
Does the true God discriminate… discriminate?
காதல் கொண்டு
வாழாத கதைகள் என்றென்றும்
உண்டு கதைகள் இங்கு முடியாது
மீண்டும் தொடரட்டும் இங்கு
உந்தன் அன்பு இல்லாது எந்தன்
ஜீவன் நில்லாது
There will always be stories that live through love
Stories do not end here, let them continue again here
Without your love, my life cannot survive
நீ எங்கே என்
அன்பே நீ இன்றி நான்
எங்கே மீண்டும் மீண்டும்
மீண்டும் நீ தான் இங்கு
வேண்டும்
Where are you… my love?
Without you, where am I?
Again… and again… and again
It is you that I need here
உந்தன் அன்பு
இல்லாது எந்தன் ஜீவன்
நில்லாது நீ எங்கே என்
அன்பே நீ இன்றி நான்
எங்கே
Without your love, my life cannot survive
Where are you… my love?
Without you, where am I?
Nee engae … en anbae
Where are you… my love?
Meendum … meendum … meendum
Again… and again… and again
Nee dhaan ingu vendum
It is you that I need here
Nee engae … en anbae
Where are you… my love?
Nee indri naan engae
Without you, where am I?
Meendum … meendum … meendum
Again… and again… and again
Nee dhaan ingu vendum
It is you that I need here
Undhan anbu illaadhu endhan jeevan nillaadhu
Without your love, my life cannot survive
Nee engae … en anbae
Where are you… my love?
Nee indri naan engae
Without you, where am I?
Vidigira varaiyinil kadhaigalai padithadhai
Having read stories until dawn breaks
Ninaithadhae … ninaithadhae
Reminiscing… reminiscing…
Mudigira kadhaiyinai thodarndhida manam
My heart yearns to continue
Ingu thudikudhae … thudikudhae
This ending story… beating anxiously… beating anxiously…
Kadhaiyilae kanavilae uravugal
In stories and in dreams, relationships
Unarvugal urugudhae … urugudhae
And feelings melt away… melt away…
Pizhai illai vazhi illai aruvigal
There is no fault, no way out; waterfalls
Vizhigalil perugudhae … perugudhae
Are overflowing in my eyes… overflowing…
Vaazhum pothu ondraga
While living, together
Vaazha vendum vaa … vaa
We must live, come… come…
Vidiyum podhu ellorkum vidiyum ingu vaa … vaa
When dawn breaks, it breaks for everyone, come here… come…
Undhan anbu illaadhu endhan jeevan nillaathu
Without your love, my life cannot survive
Nee engae … en anbae
Where are you… my love?
Nee indri naan engae
Without you, where am I?
Aaaa …. aaaaa ….. aaaaaa …. aaaaa … aaaa aaaa
Aaaa …. aaaaa ….. aaaaaa …. aaaaa … aaaa aaaa
Aaaa …. aaaa ….. aaaa ….. aaaa ….. aaaaa …. aaaaaa …
Aaaa …. aaaa ….. aaaa ….. aaaa ….. aaaaa …. aaaaaa …
Veedhi endrum vetta veli pothalendrum
Whether it is a street or an open desolate space
Vennilavu paarkuma … paarkuma
Does the silver moonlight discriminate… discriminate?
Veedu endrum mottai sudukaadu endrum
Whether it is a house or a bare cremation ground
Thendral ingu paarkuma … paarkuma
Does the gentle breeze discriminate here… discriminate?
Ethanendrum ezhai panakaran endrum
Whether one is a rogue, poor, or rich
Odum ratham paarkuma … paarkuma
Does the running blood discriminate… discriminate?
Pithan endrum pichai podum bakthan endrum
Whether one is a madman or a devout donor of alms
Unmai deivam paarkuma … paarkuma
Does the true God discriminate… discriminate?
Kaadhal kondu vaazhadha kathaigal endrendrum undu
There will always be stories that live through love
Kadhaigal ingu mudiyaadhu meendum thodarattum ingu
Stories do not end here, let them continue again here
Undhan anbu illaadhu endhan jeevan nillaadhu
Without your love, my life cannot survive
Nee engae … en anbae
Where are you… my love?
Nee indri naan engae
Without you, where am I?
Meendum … meendum … meendum
Again… and again… and again
Nee dhaan ingu vendum
It is you that I need here
Undhan anbu illaadhu endhan jeevan nillaadhu
Without your love, my life cannot survive
Nee engae … en anbae
Where are you… my love?
Nee indri naan engae
Without you, where am I?
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
'Nee Engae En Anbae' is a deeply emotional song of grief, yearning, and separation. The protagonist calls out in despair for their missing beloved, expressing that life loses all vitality and purpose without their love. The lyrics reflect on how relationships and feelings linger like unfinished stories read until dawn, causing tears to flow like overflowing waterfalls. In the second verse, the song delivers a powerful philosophical message comparing love and divinity to nature. Just as the moonlight, gentle breeze, running blood, and God do not discriminate between the rich, poor, streets, or cremation grounds, true love transcends all human-made boundaries and societal divides, pleading for love to prevail and continue.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Repetition (Anaphora / Epanalepsis)
“Meendum … meendum … meendum”
The repetition of 'Meendum… meendum… meendum' and 'Nee engae… en anbae' emphasizes intense yearning and emotional desperation.
Hyperbole / Metaphor
“Pizhai illai vazhi illai aruvigal Vizhigalil perugudhae … perugudhae”
Tears streaming down eyes are poetically exaggerated as 'aruvigal' (waterfalls) overflowing.
Rhetorical Questioning
“Vennilavu paarkuma … paarkuma”
Uses rhetorical questions involving nature (moonlight, breeze, blood, God) to point out that true forces of nature and divinity do not discriminate.
Ethukai (Second Letter Rhyme)
“Veedhi endrum vetta veli pothalendrum”
Traditional Tamil poetic rhyme scheme where the second letter of consecutive or alternating lines match (Veedhi / Veedu / Ethan / Pithan).
Did you know?
Trivia
'Chinna Thambi' (1991), directed by P. Vasu and starring Prabhu and Kushboo, features iconic music composed by Maestro Ilaiyaraaja with lyrics written by Vaali. This emotional track remains one of Tamil cinema's most memorable tear-jerkers, contributing significantly to the film running for over 356 days in theaters.
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