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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Sathiyam Idhu Sathiyam

From Idhu Sathiyam · 1963

Lyricist
Kannadasan
Singer
T. M. Soundararajan
Music directors
Vishwanathan, Ramamoorthy
Details
Idhu Sathiyam1963

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Male
Sathiyam idhu sathiyamThis is a promise, this is the truth.
Sathiyam idhu sathiyamThis is a promise, this is the truth.
Ellaam valla iraivanin aanaiIt is the command of the Almighty God.
Solla povadhu yaavaiyum unmaiEverything I am going to say is the truth.
Male
Sathiyam idhu sathiyamThis is a promise, this is the truth.
Ellaam valla iraivanin aanaiIt is the command of the Almighty God.
Solla povadhu yaavaiyum unmaiEverything I am going to say is the truth.
Sathiyam idhu sathiyamThis is a promise, this is the truth.
Male
Pathu thingal siraiyil irundhaenI stayed in the prison of the womb for ten months.
Pallikkooda araiyil irundhaenI stayed inside the classroom of a school.
Male
Pathu thingal siraiyil irundhaenI stayed in the prison of the womb for ten months.
Pallikkooda araiyil irundhaenI stayed inside the classroom of a school.
Ethanaiyo siraigalaiSo many prisons...
Naan paarthu vittaen podaa po podaa poI have seen them all; go away, oh go away!
Male
Sathiyam idhu sathiyamThis is a promise, this is the truth.
Ellaam valla iraivanin aanaiIt is the command of the Almighty God.
Solla povadhu yaavaiyum unmaiEverything I am going to say is the truth.
Sathiyam idhu sathiyamThis is a promise, this is the truth.
Male
Thalaikku melae vellam ponaalOnce the flood goes above one's head,
Jaan enna muzham ennaWhat difference does a hand-span or a cubit make?
Thannai nambum dhairiyam irundhaalIf one has the courage to believe in oneself,
Naal enna pozhudhennaWhat does the day or time matter?
Male
Thalaikku melae vellam ponaalOnce the flood goes above one's head,
Jaan enna muzham ennaWhat difference does a hand-span or a cubit make?
Thannai nambum dhairiyam irundhaalIf one has the courage to believe in oneself,
Naal enna pozhudhennaWhat does the day or time matter?
Vilaikku melae vilai vaithaalumEven if a price is placed upon a price,
Manidhan vilai ennaWhat is the actual worth of a human being?
Uyir vittu vittaal udal suttu vittaalOnce life leaves and the body is burned,
Adhil adutha kadhai enna ennaWhat is the next story after that, what?
Adhil adutha kadhai ennaWhat is the next story after that?
Male
Ellaam valla iraivanin aanaiIt is the command of the Almighty God.
Solla povadhu yaavaiyum unmaiEverything I am going to say is the truth.
Sathiyam idhu sathiyamThis is a promise, this is the truth.
Male
Panjai pottu neruppai maraippavanHe who tries to hide fire by covering it with cotton,
PaithiyakkaaranadaaIs a madman, my friend!
Paavam theerkka panathai iraippavanHe who lavishly spends money to wash away his sins,
Pachai madaiyanadaaIs a complete fool, my friend!
Nenjukku needhiyai olithae vaazhbavanHe who lives hiding justice from his own conscience,
Nichayam mirugamadaaIs surely a beast, my friend!
Nalla naermaiyilum than vaervaiyilumHe who lives in true honesty and by the sweat of his brow,
Dhinam vaazhbavan dheivamadaa aa…Is indeed a living god every single day!
Dhinam vaazhbavan dheivamadaaIs indeed a living god every single day!
Male
Ellaam valla iraivanin aanaiIt is the command of the Almighty God.
Solla povadhu yaavaiyum unmaiEverything I am going to say is the truth.
Sathiyam idhu sathiyamThis is a promise, this is the truth.
Sathiyam idhu sathiyamThis is a promise, this is the truth.

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

Sathiyam Idhu Sathiyam is a philosophical song from the 1963 Tamil film 'Idhu Sathiyam', featuring lyrics by Kannadasan. The song serves as a moral proclamation on truth, resilience, and righteous living. It asserts that truth is an divine mandate and encourages individuals to overcome fear and despair through self-confidence, pointing out that when adversity reaches its peak, worrying over minor details is pointless.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Metaphor (Uruvagim)

Pathu thingal siraiyil irundhaen

Describing the mother's womb during ten months of pregnancy as a 'sirai' (prison).

Proverb / Idiomatic Expression (Pazhamozhi)

Thalaikku melae vellam ponaal Jaan enna muzham enna

Uses the popular Tamil proverb 'Thalaikku melae vellam ponaal jaan enna muzham enna' to illustrate that once a crisis passes a certain threshold, minor variations in difficulty no longer matter.

Analogy / Imagery

Panjai pottu neruppai maraippavan Paithiyakkaaranadaa

Comparing the foolish attempt to cover up evil or sin to placing flammable cotton over fire.

Antithesis / Contrast (Muran)

Nichayam mirugamadaa ... Dhinam vaazhbavan dheivamadaa

Contrasting a dishonest person who hides justice as a 'mirugam' (beast) with an honest, hard-working person as a 'dheivam' (god).

Did you know?

Trivia

The film 'Idhu Sathiyam' (1963) was directed by K. Shankar and produced by GN Pictures. The music was composed by the duo Viswanathan–Ramamoorthy with vocals by T. M. Soundararajan. Kannadasan's lyrics in this song strongly reflect his characteristic philosophical style that blends moral commentary with simple, rhythmic Tamil.

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