Nenjam Undu
From En Annan · 1970
- Lyricist
- Kannadasan
- Singer
- T. M. Soundararajan
- Music director
- K. V. Mahadevan
- Details
- En Annan1970
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Hoi { nenjam | Hoi! Oh heart, |
| Undu nermai undu | You have courage, you have honesty, |
| Odu raja neram varum | Run, O king, your time will come, |
| Kaathirundhu paru raja } (2) | Wait and see, O king! |
| Male | |
| { Anji anji | Living in fear |
| Vaazhndhadhu | And apprehension |
| Bodhum raja } (2) | Is enough, O king! |
| Male | |
| Nee aatru | You, like a river's |
| Vellam polezhundhu | Surging flood, |
| Odu raja | Run forward, O king! |
| Male | |
| Hey nenjam | Hey heart, |
| Undu nermai undu | You have courage, you have honesty, |
| Odu raja neram varum | Run, O king, your time will come, |
| Kaathirundhu paru raja | Wait and see, O king! |
| Male | |
| { Adimaiyin | In a slave's |
| Udambil ratham | Body, why flow blood? |
| Edharku dhinam | Why, every day, |
| Achapatta kozhaiku | For a fearful coward, |
| Illam edharku } (2) | Is a home needed? |
| Male | |
| { Kodumaiyai | Seeing cruelty |
| Kandu kandu bayam | Again and again, why fear |
| Edharku } (2) | It at all? |
| Nee kondu vandhadhennada | What did you bring into this world when born? |
| Meesai muruku hoi | Twirl your mustache and stand bold! |
| Male | |
| Nenjam | Heart, |
| Undu nermai undu | You have courage, you have honesty, |
| Odu raja neram varum | Run, O king, your time will come, |
| Kaathirundhu paru raja | Wait and see, O king! |
| Male | |
| { Annaandhu | Building a tall |
| Paarkindra maaligai | Mansion to look up at, |
| Katti adhan aruginil | And right beside it, |
| Olai kudisai katti } (2) | Building a humble thatched hut, |
| Male | |
| { Ponnana | And calling this |
| Ulagendru peyarumittal } (2) | A golden world, |
| Indha boomi sirikum andha | This earth will laugh, and that |
| Saami sirikum hoi | God will laugh! Hoi! |
| Male | |
| Nenjam | Heart, |
| Undu nermai undu | You have courage, you have honesty, |
| Odu raja neram varum | Run, O king, your time will come, |
| Kaathirundhu paru raja | Wait and see, O king! |
| Male | |
| ………………… | |
| Male | |
| { Undu undu | Believing that good exists, |
| Endru nambi kaalai | Take a step forward; |
| Edu ingu unnai vitaal | If not you, then who else |
| Boomiyedhu kavalai vidu } (2) | Does this earth belong to? Drop your worry! |
| Male | |
| { Rendil ondru | To face one of two outcomes, |
| Paarpadharku tholainimirthu } (2) | Hold your shoulders high and proud! |
| Adhil needhi unnai thedi | In doing so, justice seeking you |
| Varum maalai thoduthu | Will arrive to place a garland on you! |
| Male | |
| Hoi nenjam | Hoi! Oh heart, |
| Undu nermai undu | You have courage, you have honesty, |
| Odu raja neram varum | Run, O king, your time will come, |
| Kaathirundhu paru raja | Wait and see, O king! |
| Male | |
| Anji anji | Living in fear |
| Vaazhndhadhu | And apprehension |
| Bodhum raja | Is enough, O king! |
| Male | |
| Nee aatru | You, like a river's |
| Vellam polezhundhu | Surging flood, |
| Odu raja | Run forward, O king! |
| Male | |
| Hoi nenjam | Hoi! Oh heart, |
| Undu nermai undu | You have courage, you have honesty, |
| Odu raja neram varum | Run, O king, your time will come, |
| Kaathirundhu paru raja | Wait and see, O king! |
ஹோய் { நெஞ்சம்
உண்டு நேர்மை உண்டு
ஓடு ராஜா நேரம் வரும்
காத்திருந்து பாரு ராஜா } (2)
Hoi! Oh heart,
You have courage, you have honesty,
Run, O king, your time will come,
Wait and see, O king!
{ அஞ்சி அஞ்சி
வாழ்ந்தது போதும்
ராஜா } (2)
Living in fear
And apprehension
Is enough, O king!
நீ ஆற்று
வெள்ளம் போலெழுந்து
ஓடு ராஜா
You, like a river's
Surging flood,
Run forward, O king!
ஹே நெஞ்சம்
உண்டு நேர்மை உண்டு
ஓடு ராஜா நேரம் வரும்
காத்திருந்து பாரு ராஜா
Hey heart,
You have courage, you have honesty,
Run, O king, your time will come,
Wait and see, O king!
{ அடிமையின்
உடம்பில் ரத்தம் எதற்கு
தினம் அச்சப்பட்ட கோழைக்கு
இல்லம் எதற்கு } (2)
In a slave's
Body, why flow blood?
Why, every day,
For a fearful coward,
Is a home needed?
{ கொடுமையை
கண்டு கண்டு பயம்
எதற்கு } (2)
நீ கொண்டு வந்ததென்னடா
மீசை முறுக்கு ஹோய்
Seeing cruelty
Again and again, why fear
It at all?
What did you bring into this world when born?
Twirl your mustache and stand bold!
நெஞ்சம்
உண்டு நேர்மை உண்டு
ஓடு ராஜா நேரம் வரும்
காத்திருந்து பாரு ராஜா
Heart,
You have courage, you have honesty,
Run, O king, your time will come,
Wait and see, O king!
{ அண்ணாந்து
பார்கின்ற மாளிகை
கட்டி அதன் அருகினில்
ஓலை குடிசை கட்டி } (2)
Building a tall
Mansion to look up at,
And right beside it,
Building a humble thatched hut,
{ பொன்னான
உலகென்று பெயருமிட்டால் } (2)
இந்த பூமி சிரிக்கும் அந்த
சாமி சிரிக்கும் ஹோய்
And calling this
A golden world,
This earth will laugh, and that
God will laugh! Hoi!
நெஞ்சம்
உண்டு நேர்மை உண்டு
ஓடு ராஜா நேரம் வரும்
காத்திருந்து பாரு ராஜா
Heart,
You have courage, you have honesty,
Run, O king, your time will come,
Wait and see, O king!
.........................
{ உண்டு உண்டு
என்று நம்பி காலை எடு
இங்கு உன்னை விட்டால்
பூமியேது கவலை விடு } (2)
Believing that good exists,
Take a step forward;
If not you, then who else
Does this earth belong to? Drop your worry!
{ ரெண்டில் ஒன்று
பார்பதற்கு தோளை
நிமிர்த்து } (2)
அதில் நீதி உன்னை தேடி
வரும் மாலை தொடுத்து
To face one of two outcomes,
Hold your shoulders high and proud!
In doing so, justice seeking you
Will arrive to place a garland on you!
ஹோய் நெஞ்சம்
உண்டு நேர்மை உண்டு
ஓடு ராஜா நேரம் வரும்
காத்திருந்து பாரு ராஜா
Hoi! Oh heart,
You have courage, you have honesty,
Run, O king, your time will come,
Wait and see, O king!
அஞ்சி அஞ்சி
வாழ்ந்தது போதும்
ராஜா
Living in fear
And apprehension
Is enough, O king!
நீ ஆற்று
வெள்ளம் போலெழுந்து
ஓடு ராஜா
You, like a river's
Surging flood,
Run forward, O king!
ஹோய் நெஞ்சம்
உண்டு நேர்மை உண்டு
ஓடு ராஜா நேரம் வரும்
காத்திருந்து பாரு ராஜா
Hoi! Oh heart,
You have courage, you have honesty,
Run, O king, your time will come,
Wait and see, O king!
Hoi { nenjam
Hoi! Oh heart,
Undu nermai undu
You have courage, you have honesty,
Odu raja neram varum
Run, O king, your time will come,
Kaathirundhu paru raja } (2)
Wait and see, O king!
{ Anji anji
Living in fear
Vaazhndhadhu
And apprehension
Bodhum raja } (2)
Is enough, O king!
Nee aatru
You, like a river's
Vellam polezhundhu
Surging flood,
Odu raja
Run forward, O king!
Hey nenjam
Hey heart,
Undu nermai undu
You have courage, you have honesty,
Odu raja neram varum
Run, O king, your time will come,
Kaathirundhu paru raja
Wait and see, O king!
{ Adimaiyin
In a slave's
Udambil ratham
Body, why flow blood?
Edharku dhinam
Why, every day,
Achapatta kozhaiku
For a fearful coward,
Illam edharku } (2)
Is a home needed?
{ Kodumaiyai
Seeing cruelty
Kandu kandu bayam
Again and again, why fear
Edharku } (2)
It at all?
Nee kondu vandhadhennada
What did you bring into this world when born?
Meesai muruku hoi
Twirl your mustache and stand bold!
Nenjam
Heart,
Undu nermai undu
You have courage, you have honesty,
Odu raja neram varum
Run, O king, your time will come,
Kaathirundhu paru raja
Wait and see, O king!
{ Annaandhu
Building a tall
Paarkindra maaligai
Mansion to look up at,
Katti adhan aruginil
And right beside it,
Olai kudisai katti } (2)
Building a humble thatched hut,
{ Ponnana
And calling this
Ulagendru peyarumittal } (2)
A golden world,
Indha boomi sirikum andha
This earth will laugh, and that
Saami sirikum hoi
God will laugh! Hoi!
Nenjam
Heart,
Undu nermai undu
You have courage, you have honesty,
Odu raja neram varum
Run, O king, your time will come,
Kaathirundhu paru raja
Wait and see, O king!
…………………
{ Undu undu
Believing that good exists,
Endru nambi kaalai
Take a step forward;
Edu ingu unnai vitaal
If not you, then who else
Boomiyedhu kavalai vidu } (2)
Does this earth belong to? Drop your worry!
{ Rendil ondru
To face one of two outcomes,
Paarpadharku tholainimirthu } (2)
Hold your shoulders high and proud!
Adhil needhi unnai thedi
In doing so, justice seeking you
Varum maalai thoduthu
Will arrive to place a garland on you!
Hoi nenjam
Hoi! Oh heart,
Undu nermai undu
You have courage, you have honesty,
Odu raja neram varum
Run, O king, your time will come,
Kaathirundhu paru raja
Wait and see, O king!
Anji anji
Living in fear
Vaazhndhadhu
And apprehension
Bodhum raja
Is enough, O king!
Nee aatru
You, like a river's
Vellam polezhundhu
Surging flood,
Odu raja
Run forward, O king!
Hoi nenjam
Hoi! Oh heart,
Undu nermai undu
You have courage, you have honesty,
Odu raja neram varum
Run, O king, your time will come,
Kaathirundhu paru raja
Wait and see, O king!
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
Nenjam Undu Nermai Undu is an iconic motivational and political song from the 1970 movie En Annan, starring M. G. Ramachandran (MGR). The song serves as a powerful call to action, urging the common man to shed fear, overcome social inequality, and fight for justice with self-respect and honesty.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Upamai (Simile)
“Nee aatru / Vellam polezhundhu / Odu raja”
Comparing the hero's rising courage and movement to a surging river flood ('aatru vellam polezhundhu').
Edhugai (Second-letter Rhyme)
“Undu nermai undu”
Matching of the second consonant 'ndu' in 'Nenjam', 'Undu', and 'Undu nermai undu'.
Rhetorical Question
“Adimaiyin Udambil ratham Edharku dhinam”
Using questions to challenge cowardice and servitude ('Adimaiyin udambil ratham edharku').
Personification
“Indha boomi sirikum andha Saami sirikum hoi”
Attributing human actions of laughing to the earth ('boomi sirikum') and God ('saami sirikum') upon seeing societal hypocrisy.
Did you know?
Trivia
This legendary song from En Annan (1970) was written by Kavignar Kannadasan and sung by T. M. Soundararajan with music composed by K. V. Mahadevan. The song was a major political anthem for M. G. Ramachandran during his political rise, and the title line 'Nenjam Undu Nermai Undu' was later used as the title for a 2019 Tamil movie produced by Sivakarthikeyan.
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