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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Nenjukku Theriyum

From Amma Enge · 1964

Lyricist
Kannadasan
Singer
P. Susheela
Music director
S. Vedhachalam
Movie name
Amma Enge
Movie release year
1964
Lyrics added on
6 May 2022

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Nenjukku theriyum nilavukku theriyum
Nee yaar naan yaar enbadhu
Oorukkul irukkum yaarukkum theriyum
Unnai en manam ninaippadhu
Nenjukku theriyum nilavukku theriyum
Nee yaar naan yaar enbadhu
Oorukkul irukkum yaarukkum theriyum
Unnai en manam ninaippadhu
Nenjukku theriyum..
Androru naal nee sonnadhu polae
Anbudan irundhen vaazhvilae
Androru naal nee sonnadhu polae
Anbudan irundhen vaazhvilae
Anbin thandanai ennavendrae naan
Arindhu konden indru naerilae
Nenjukku theriyum..
Irundhadhu podhum
vaazhndhadhu podhum
Iraivaa enakkoru vazhikkattu
Irundhadhu podhum
vaazhndhadhu podhum
Iraivaa enakkoru vazhikkattu
Un arumai magalum unnidam varuven
Un arumai magalum unnidam varuven
Aiyaa unniru kai neettu..
Aiyaa… unniru kai neettu..
The heart knows, the moon knows,
Who you are and who I am.
Everyone in this town knows
That my heart thinks of you.
The heart knows, the moon knows,
Who you are and who I am.
Everyone in this town knows
That my heart thinks of you.
The heart knows...
Just as you told me that day,
I lived my life with love.
Just as you told me that day,
I lived my life with love.
What the punishment for love is,
I have learned firsthand today.
The heart knows...
I have stayed long enough,
I have lived long enough,
O God, show me the way!
I have stayed long enough,
I have lived long enough,
O God, show me the way!
I, your dear daughter, will come to you,
I, your dear daughter, will come to you,
Lord, reach out your hands to me...
Lord... reach out your hands to me...
Female
Female
Female
Female

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

This poignant song expresses deep sorrow, unspoken love, and ultimate resignation to divine will. The protagonist reflects on a love that was pure, witness to which was kept by her own heart and the moon above. Despite following the beloved's guidance and pouring boundless affection into her life, she finds herself suffering the agony that love often inflicts as a harsh punishment. Overwhelmed by grief and weary of her earthly existence, the singer turns to God, pleading for a way out. Viewing herself as a child returning to her heavenly creator, she prays for divine embrace and release from her earthly sorrows, signaling a heartbroken surrender to her fate.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Moonaal (Tamil Initial Alliteration / Monai)

Nenjukku theriyum nilavukku theriyum

Matching initial consonants in adjacent words creates a melodious rhythm ('Nenjukku' - 'Nilavukku').

Personification

Nenjukku theriyum nilavukku theriyum

Attributing human consciousness and knowledge to inanimate concepts and celestial bodies ('the heart knows, the moon knows').

Anaphora / Parallelism

Irundhadhu podhum vaazhndhadhu podhum

Repetition of identical sentence structures to emphasize extreme weariness and despair.

Aetukai (Second-letter Rhyme)

Anbudan irundhen vaazhvilae / Anbin thandanai ennavendrae naan

The second consonant sound matches across consecutive lines ('Anbudan' / 'Anbin').

Did you know?

Trivia

Featured in the 1964 Tamil film 'Amma Enge', this song highlights the poetic depth of Kannadasan and the soulful vocal performance of P. Susheela. Composed by S. Vedhachalam, the track is renowned for its tragic emotional resonance and remains a memorable classic depicting emotional despair and divine appeal.

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