Poyum Poyum
From Thaai Sollai Thattadhe · 1961
- Lyricist
- Kannadasan
- Singer
- T. M. Soundararajan
- Music director
- K. V. Mahadevan
- Details
- Thaai Sollai Thattadhe1961
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Poyum poyum manidhanukkindha | Of all creatures, to man alone |
| Buthiyai koduthaanae | Did God give this intellect? |
| Iraivan buthiyai koduthaanae | God gave him this intellect, |
| Adhil poiyum purattum thiruttum kalandhu | But mixing it with lies, deceit, and theft, |
| Boomiyai keduthaanae | He ruined the earth! |
| Manidhan boomiyai keduthaanae | Man ruined this earth! |
| Male | |
| Poyum poyum manidhanukkindha | Of all creatures, to man alone |
| Buthiyai koduthaanae | Did God give this intellect? |
| Male | |
| Kangal irandil arul irukkum | Grace appears in his two eyes, |
| Sollum karuthinil aayiram porul irukkum | A thousand subtle meanings lie in his spoken words, |
| Ullathil poiyae niraindhirukkum | Yet his heart is completely filled with falsehood, |
| Adhu udan pirandhoraiyum karuvarukkum | Which destroys even his own siblings. |
| Male | |
| Paayum puliyin kodumaiyai | The ferocity of a pouncing tiger, |
| Iraivan paarvaiyil vaithaanae | God placed right in its gaze, |
| Puliyin paarvaiyil vaithaanae | He placed it right in the tiger's gaze! |
| Indha paazhum manidhan | But this wretched man |
| Gunangalai mattum | Concealed his true nature alone |
| Porvaiyil maraithaanae | Under a cloak of pretense, |
| Idhaya porvaiyil maraithaanae | He hid it under the cloak of his heart! |
| Male | |
| Poyum poyum manidhanukkindha | Of all creatures, to man alone |
| Buthiyai koduthaanae | Did God give this intellect? |
| Male | |
| Kaigalai tholil podugiraan | He places his hands around one's shoulders, |
| Adhai karunai endravan koorugiraan | And claims it to be an act of compassion, |
| Kaigalai tholil podugiraan | He places his hands around one's shoulders, |
| Adhai karunai endravan koorugiraan | And claims it to be an act of compassion, |
| Paigalil edhaiyo thaedugiraan | But searches for something in their pockets, |
| Kaiyil pattadhai eduthu odugiraan | And runs away with whatever he grabs! |
| Male | |
| Poyum poyum manidhanukkindha | Of all creatures, to man alone |
| Buthiyai koduthaanae | Did God give this intellect? |
| Iraivan buthiyai koduthaanae | God gave him this intellect, |
| Adhil poiyum purattum thiruttum kalandhu | But mixing it with lies, deceit, and theft, |
| Boomiyai keduthaanae | He ruined the earth! |
| Manidhan boomiyai keduthaanae | Man ruined this earth! |
| Male | |
| Poyum poyum manidhanukkindha | Of all creatures, to man alone |
| Buthiyai koduthaanae | Did God give this intellect? |
விசில் :
..............................................
Of all creatures, to man alone
Did God give this intellect?
God gave him this intellect,
But mixing it with lies, deceit, and theft,
He ruined the earth!
Man ruined this earth!
ஆண்
: போயும் போயும் மனிதனுக்கிந்த
புத்தியைக் கொடுத்தானே
இறைவன் புத்தியை கொடுத்தானே
அதில் பொய்யும் புரட்டும் திருட்டும் கலந்து
பூமியைக் கெடுத்தானே
மனிதன் பூமியை கெடுத்தானே
Of all creatures, to man alone
Did God give this intellect?
போயும் போயும் மனிதனுக்கிந்த
புத்தியைக் கொடுத்தானே
Grace appears in his two eyes,
A thousand subtle meanings lie in his spoken words,
Yet his heart is completely filled with falsehood,
Which destroys even his own siblings.
கண்கள் இரண்டில் அருள் இருக்கும்
சொல்லும் கருத்தினில் ஆயிரம் பொருள் இருக்கும்
கண்கள் இரண்டில் அருள் இருக்கும்
சொல்லும் கருத்தினில் ஆயிரம் பொருள் இருக்கும்
உள்ளத்தில் பொய்யே நிறைந்திருக்கும்
அது உடன் பிறந்தோரையும் கரு அறுக்கும்
The ferocity of a pouncing tiger,
God placed right in its gaze,
He placed it right in the tiger's gaze!
But this wretched man
Concealed his true nature alone
Under a cloak of pretense,
He hid it under the cloak of his heart!
பாயும் புலியின் கொடுமையை
இறைவன் பார்வையில் வைத்தானே
புலியின் பார்வையில் வைத்தானே
இந்த பாழும் மனிதன்
குணங்களை மட்டும்
போர்வையில் மறைத்தானே
இதய போர்வையில் மறைத்தானே
Of all creatures, to man alone
Did God give this intellect?
போயும் போயும் மனிதனுக்கிந்த
புத்தியைக் கொடுத்தானே
He places his hands around one's shoulders,
And claims it to be an act of compassion,
He places his hands around one's shoulders,
And claims it to be an act of compassion,
But searches for something in their pockets,
And runs away with whatever he grabs!
விசில் :
..............................................
Of all creatures, to man alone
Did God give this intellect?
God gave him this intellect,
But mixing it with lies, deceit, and theft,
He ruined the earth!
Man ruined this earth!
கைகளை தோளில் போடுகிறான்
அதை கருணை என்றவன் கூறுகிறான்
கைகளை தோளில் போடுகிறான்
அதை கருணை என்றவன் கூறுகிறான்
பைகளில் எதையோ தேடுகிறான்
கையில் பட்டதை எடுத்து ஓடுகிறான்
Of all creatures, to man alone
Did God give this intellect?
போயும் போயும் மனிதனுக்கிந்த
புத்தியைக் கொடுத்தானே
இறைவன் புத்தியை கொடுத்தானே
அதில் பொய்யும் புரட்டும் திருட்டும் கலந்து
பூமியைக் கெடுத்தானே
மனிதன் பூமியை கெடுத்தானே
போயும் போயும் மனிதனுக்கிந்த
புத்தியைக் கொடுத்தானே
Poyum poyum manidhanukkindha
Of all creatures, to man alone
Buthiyai koduthaanae
Did God give this intellect?
Iraivan buthiyai koduthaanae
God gave him this intellect,
Adhil poiyum purattum thiruttum kalandhu
But mixing it with lies, deceit, and theft,
Boomiyai keduthaanae
He ruined the earth!
Manidhan boomiyai keduthaanae
Man ruined this earth!
Poyum poyum manidhanukkindha
Of all creatures, to man alone
Buthiyai koduthaanae
Did God give this intellect?
Kangal irandil arul irukkum
Grace appears in his two eyes,
Sollum karuthinil aayiram porul irukkum
A thousand subtle meanings lie in his spoken words,
Ullathil poiyae niraindhirukkum
Yet his heart is completely filled with falsehood,
Adhu udan pirandhoraiyum karuvarukkum
Which destroys even his own siblings.
Paayum puliyin kodumaiyai
The ferocity of a pouncing tiger,
Iraivan paarvaiyil vaithaanae
God placed right in its gaze,
Puliyin paarvaiyil vaithaanae
He placed it right in the tiger's gaze!
Indha paazhum manidhan
But this wretched man
Gunangalai mattum
Concealed his true nature alone
Porvaiyil maraithaanae
Under a cloak of pretense,
Idhaya porvaiyil maraithaanae
He hid it under the cloak of his heart!
Poyum poyum manidhanukkindha
Of all creatures, to man alone
Buthiyai koduthaanae
Did God give this intellect?
Kaigalai tholil podugiraan
He places his hands around one's shoulders,
Adhai karunai endravan koorugiraan
And claims it to be an act of compassion,
Kaigalai tholil podugiraan
He places his hands around one's shoulders,
Adhai karunai endravan koorugiraan
And claims it to be an act of compassion,
Paigalil edhaiyo thaedugiraan
But searches for something in their pockets,
Kaiyil pattadhai eduthu odugiraan
And runs away with whatever he grabs!
Poyum poyum manidhanukkindha
Of all creatures, to man alone
Buthiyai koduthaanae
Did God give this intellect?
Iraivan buthiyai koduthaanae
God gave him this intellect,
Adhil poiyum purattum thiruttum kalandhu
But mixing it with lies, deceit, and theft,
Boomiyai keduthaanae
He ruined the earth!
Manidhan boomiyai keduthaanae
Man ruined this earth!
Poyum poyum manidhanukkindha
Of all creatures, to man alone
Buthiyai koduthaanae
Did God give this intellect?
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This classic philosophical song written by Kannadasan expresses deep distress at how humanity has misused the unique intellect granted by God. Instead of using reason for moral goodness and harmony, mankind has corrupted the world with deceit, lies, betrayal, and greed, going so far as to harm even their own kin.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Emonai (Head Alliteration)
“Adhil poiyum purattum thiruttum kalandhu”
Repetition of consonant sounds at the beginning of words in a line, such as 'Poyum poyum' and 'poiyum purattum thiruttum'.
Etukai (Second-Letter Rhyming)
“Kangal irandil arul irukkum”
Rhyming of the second letter across consecutive lines, seen in 'Kangal', 'Sollum', and 'Ullathil'.
Contrast / Imagery
“Paayum puliyin kodumaiyai”
Sharp juxtaposition between a wild beast like a tiger (whose danger is honest and visible in its gaze) and a human being (who hides malice behind a cloak of friendliness).
Did you know?
Trivia
This song from the 1961 M.G. Ramachandran starrer 'Thaai Sollai Thattadhe' was composed by K.V. Mahadevan and sung by T.M. Soundararajan. Kannadasan's lyrics in this film were celebrated for embedding deep moral philosophy into mainstream commercial cinema.
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