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Chinna Thambi album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Nee Enge En Anbe

From Chinna Thambi · 1991

Lyricists
Not listed
Singer
Swarnalatha
Music director
Ilayaraja
Movie name
Chinna Thambi
Movie release year
1991
Lyrics added on
31 Jan 2017

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Nee engae … en anbae
Meendum … meendum … meendum
Nee dhaan ingu vendum
Nee engae … en anbae
Nee indri naan engae
Meendum … meendum … meendum
Nee dhaan ingu vendum
Undhan anbu illaadhu endhan jeevan nillaadhu
Nee engae … en anbae
Nee indri naan engae
Vidigira varaiyinil kadhaigalai padithadhai
Ninaithadhae … ninaithadhae
Mudigira kadhaiyinai thodarndhida manam
Ingu thudikudhae … thudikudhae
Kadhaiyilae kanavilae uravugal
Unarvugal urugudhae … urugudhae
Pizhai illai vazhi illai aruvigal
Vizhigalil perugudhae … perugudhae
Vaazhum pothu ondraga
Vaazha vendum vaa … vaa
Vidiyum podhu ellorkum vidiyum ingu vaa … vaa
Undhan anbu illaadhu endhan jeevan nillaathu
Nee engae … en anbae
Nee indri naan engae
Aaaa …. aaaaa ….. aaaaaa …. aaaaa … aaaa aaaa
Aaaa …. aaaa ….. aaaa ….. aaaa ….. aaaaa …. aaaaaa …
Veedhi endrum vetta veli pothalendrum
Vennilavu paarkuma … paarkuma
Veedu endrum mottai sudukaadu endrum
Thendral ingu paarkuma … paarkuma
Ethanendrum ezhai panakaran endrum
Odum ratham paarkuma … paarkuma
Pithan endrum pichai podum bakthan endrum
Unmai deivam paarkuma … paarkuma
Kaadhal kondu vaazhadha kathaigal endrendrum undu
Kadhaigal ingu mudiyaadhu meendum thodarattum ingu
Undhan anbu illaadhu endhan jeevan nillaadhu
Nee engae … en anbae
Nee indri naan engae
Meendum … meendum … meendum
Nee dhaan ingu vendum
Undhan anbu illaadhu endhan jeevan nillaadhu
Nee engae … en anbae
Nee indri naan engae
Where are you, my love?
Again, and again, and again,
it is only you that I need.
Where are you, my love?
Where would I be without you?
Again, and again, and again,
it is only you that I need.
Without your love, my life cannot go on.
Where are you, my love?
Where would I be without you?
Remembering how we read stories until dawn,
my heart remembers... it remembers.
To keep going with a story that is ending,
my heart aches here... it aches.
In stories and in dreams, our bonds
and feelings melt away... they melt away.
There is no fault, yet no way out, and tears
surge like waterfalls in my eyes... they surge.
In this life,
we must live together—come, please come!
When dawn breaks, hope dawns for everyone—come, please come!
Without your love, my life cannot go on.
Where are you, my love?
Where would I be without you?
Aaa... Aaaa... Aaaaa... Aaa... Aa aa
Aaa... Aa... Aa... Aa... Aaa... Aaaa...
Between a street and an open field,
does the bright moon discriminate? Does it?
Between a home and a barren cremation ground,
does the gentle breeze discriminate? Does it?
Between a rogue, a poor person, and a rich one,
does the flowing blood discriminate? Does it?
Between a madman and a generous devotee,
does the true God discriminate? Does He?
There have always been stories of love left unlived,
but our story will not end here—let it continue!
Without your love, my life cannot go on.
Where are you, my love?
Where would I be without you?
Again, and again, and again,
it is only you that I need.
Without your love, my life cannot go on.
Where are you, my love?
Where would I be without you?
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Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

'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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