Seyyum Thozhile Deivam
From Aalukkoru Veedu · 1960
- Lyricist
- Pattukkottai Kalyanasundram
- Singers
- K. Jamunarani, Renuka
- Music director
- Vishwanathan-Ramamoorthy
- Details
- Aalukkoru Veedu1960
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Female | |
| Seiyum thozhilae dheivam | Work that we do is God |
| Antha thiramaithaan namathu selvam | That skill itself is our wealth |
| Seiyum thozhilae dheivam | Work that we do is God |
| Antha thiramaithaan namathu selvam | That skill itself is our wealth |
| Female | |
| Kaiyum kaalumthaan uthavi konda | With our hands and legs as our aid |
| Kadamaithaan namakku padhavi | Duty itself is our status and position |
| Kaiyum kaalumthaan uthavi konda | With our hands and legs as our aid |
| Kadamaithaan namakku padhavi | Duty itself is our status and position |
| Female | |
| Seiyum thozhilae dheivam | Work that we do is God |
| Antha thiramaithaan namathu selvam | That skill itself is our wealth |
| Female | |
| Payirai valarththaal palanaagum | Nurturing crops will yield fruit and benefits |
| Athu uyiraik kaakkum unavaagum | It becomes life-saving food |
| Veyile namakku thunaiyaagum | The heat of the sun becomes our companion |
| Intha vervaigal ellam vithaiyaagum | All these drops of sweat will become seeds |
| Female | |
| Dhinam velai undu kula maanam undu | There is work every day, there is honor for our lineage |
| Varugaalam undu athai nambiduvom | There is a future ahead, let us believe in it |
| Female | |
| Seiyum thozhilae dheivam | Work that we do is God |
| Antha thiramaithaan namathu selvam | That skill itself is our wealth |
| Female | |
| Saamikku theriyum boomikku theriyum | God knows, Mother Earth knows |
| Yaezhaigal nilaimai | The plight of the poor |
| Antha saami maranthaalum boomi thanthidum | Even if that God forgets, the Earth will give |
| Thaguntha palanai | The appropriate reward |
| Ithai paadi paadi vilaiyaadi | Singing this again and again, playing around |
| Aadippala kodi kodi murai kumbiduvom | Dancing, let us worship a crore times |
| Female | |
| Seiyum thozhilae dheivam | Work that we do is God |
| Antha thiramaithaan namathu selvam | That skill itself is our wealth |
| Female | |
| Kaayum oru naal kaniyaagum | The unripe fruit will become ripe one day |
| Nam kanavum oru naal ninaivaagum | Our dream will also come true one day |
| Female | |
| Aa…..aaa…..aaa…..aaa…..aa….a…. | Aa…..aaa…..aaa…..aaa…..aa….a…. |
| Aa…..aaa…..aaa…..aaa…..aa….a…. | Aa…..aaa…..aaa…..aaa…..aa….a…. |
| Female | |
| Kaayum oru naal vilaiyaagum | The unripe fruit will acquire value one day |
| Nam kanavum ninaivum nilaiyaagum | Our dream and reality will become permanent |
| Udal vaadinaalum pasi meerinaalum | Even if the body grows weak, even if hunger exceeds bounds |
| Vali maaridaamale vaazhnthiduvom | Let us live without deviating from our righteous path |
| Female | |
| : Seiyum thozhilae dheivam | Work that we do is God |
| Antha thiramaithaan namathu selvam | That skill itself is our wealth |
| Female | |
| Kaiyum kaalumthaan uthavi konda | With our hands and legs as our aid |
| Kadamaithaan namakku padhavi | Duty itself is our status and position |
| Female | |
| Seiyum thozhilae dheivam | Work that we do is God |
| Antha thiramaithaan namathu selvam | That skill itself is our wealth |
செய்யும் தொழிலே தெய்வம்
அந்த திறமைதான் நமது செல்வம்
செய்யும் தொழிலே தெய்வம்
அந்த திறமைதான் நமது செல்வம்
Work that we do is God
That skill itself is our wealth
Work that we do is God
That skill itself is our wealth
கையும் காலும்தான் உதவி கொண்ட
கடமைத்தான் நமக்கு பதவி
கையும் காலும்தான் உதவி கொண்ட
கடமைத்தான் நமக்கு பதவி
With our hands and legs as our aid
Duty itself is our status and position
With our hands and legs as our aid
Duty itself is our status and position
செய்யும் தொழிலே தெய்வம்
அந்த திறமைதான் நமது செல்வம்
Work that we do is God
That skill itself is our wealth
பயிரை வளர்த்தால் பலனாகும்
அது உயிரைக் காக்கும் உணவாகும
வெயிலே நமக்கு துணையாகும்
இந்த வேர்வைகள் எல்லாம் விதையாகும்
Nurturing crops will yield fruit and benefits
It becomes life-saving food
The heat of the sun becomes our companion
All these drops of sweat will become seeds
தினம் வேலை உண்டு குல மானம் உண்டு
வருங்காலம் உண்டு அதை நம்பிடுவோம்
There is work every day, there is honor for our lineage
There is a future ahead, let us believe in it
செய்யும் தொழிலே தெய்வம்
அந்த திறமைதான் நமது செல்வம்
Work that we do is God
That skill itself is our wealth
சாமிக்கு தெரியும் பூமிக்கு தெரியும்
ஏழைகள் நிலைமை
அந்த சாமி மறந்தாலும் பூமி தந்திடும் தகுந்த பலனை
இதைப் பாடி பாடி விளையாடி
ஆடிப்பல கோடி கோடி முறை கும்பிடுவோம்
God knows, Mother Earth knows
The plight of the poor
Even if that God forgets, the Earth will give
The appropriate reward
Singing this again and again, playing around
Dancing, let us worship a crore times
செய்யும் தொழிலே தெய்வம்
அந்த திறமைதான் நமது செல்வம்
Work that we do is God
That skill itself is our wealth
காயும் ஒருநாள் கனியாகும்
நம் கனவும் ஒருநாள் நினைவாகும்
The unripe fruit will become ripe one day
Our dream will also come true one day
ஆஅ......ஆஅ.....ஆ.....ஆஅ.....ஆ....
ஆஅ......ஆஅ.....ஆ.....ஆ.....ஆஅ......
Aa…..aaa…..aaa…..aaa…..aa….a….
Aa…..aaa…..aaa…..aaa…..aa….a….
காயும் கனியும் விலையாகும்
நம் கனவும் நினைவும் நிலையாகும்
உடல் வாடினாலும் பசி மீறினாலும்
வழி மாறிடாமலே வாழ்ந்திடுவோம்
The unripe fruit will acquire value one day
Our dream and reality will become permanent
Even if the body grows weak, even if hunger exceeds bounds
Let us live without deviating from our righteous path
செய்யும் தொழிலே தெய்வம்
அந்த திறமைதான் நமது செல்வம்
Work that we do is God
That skill itself is our wealth
கையும் காலும்தான் உதவி கொண்ட
கடமைத்தான் நமக்கு பதவி
With our hands and legs as our aid
Duty itself is our status and position
செய்யும் தொழிலே தெய்வம்
அந்த திறமைதான் நமது செல்வம்
Work that we do is God
That skill itself is our wealth
Seiyum thozhilae dheivam
Work that we do is God
Antha thiramaithaan namathu selvam
That skill itself is our wealth
Seiyum thozhilae dheivam
Work that we do is God
Antha thiramaithaan namathu selvam
That skill itself is our wealth
Kaiyum kaalumthaan uthavi konda
With our hands and legs as our aid
Kadamaithaan namakku padhavi
Duty itself is our status and position
Kaiyum kaalumthaan uthavi konda
With our hands and legs as our aid
Kadamaithaan namakku padhavi
Duty itself is our status and position
Seiyum thozhilae dheivam
Work that we do is God
Antha thiramaithaan namathu selvam
That skill itself is our wealth
Payirai valarththaal palanaagum
Nurturing crops will yield fruit and benefits
Athu uyiraik kaakkum unavaagum
It becomes life-saving food
Veyile namakku thunaiyaagum
The heat of the sun becomes our companion
Intha vervaigal ellam vithaiyaagum
All these drops of sweat will become seeds
Dhinam velai undu kula maanam undu
There is work every day, there is honor for our lineage
Varugaalam undu athai nambiduvom
There is a future ahead, let us believe in it
Seiyum thozhilae dheivam
Work that we do is God
Antha thiramaithaan namathu selvam
That skill itself is our wealth
Saamikku theriyum boomikku theriyum
God knows, Mother Earth knows
Yaezhaigal nilaimai
The plight of the poor
Antha saami maranthaalum boomi thanthidum
Even if that God forgets, the Earth will give
Thaguntha palanai
The appropriate reward
Ithai paadi paadi vilaiyaadi
Singing this again and again, playing around
Aadippala kodi kodi murai kumbiduvom
Dancing, let us worship a crore times
Seiyum thozhilae dheivam
Work that we do is God
Antha thiramaithaan namathu selvam
That skill itself is our wealth
Kaayum oru naal kaniyaagum
The unripe fruit will become ripe one day
Nam kanavum oru naal ninaivaagum
Our dream will also come true one day
Aa…..aaa…..aaa…..aaa…..aa….a….
Aa…..aaa…..aaa…..aaa…..aa….a….
Aa…..aaa…..aaa…..aaa…..aa….a….
Aa…..aaa…..aaa…..aaa…..aa….a….
Kaayum oru naal vilaiyaagum
The unripe fruit will acquire value one day
Nam kanavum ninaivum nilaiyaagum
Our dream and reality will become permanent
Udal vaadinaalum pasi meerinaalum
Even if the body grows weak, even if hunger exceeds bounds
Vali maaridaamale vaazhnthiduvom
Let us live without deviating from our righteous path
: Seiyum thozhilae dheivam
Work that we do is God
Antha thiramaithaan namathu selvam
That skill itself is our wealth
Kaiyum kaalumthaan uthavi konda
With our hands and legs as our aid
Kadamaithaan namakku padhavi
Duty itself is our status and position
Seiyum thozhilae dheivam
Work that we do is God
Antha thiramaithaan namathu selvam
That skill itself is our wealth
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
'Seiyum Thozhile Dheivam' is an iconic Tamil philosophical anthem written by the legendary socialist poet Pattukkottai Kalyanasundaram. The song elevates physical labor to the highest form of worship, asserting that honest work and acquired skill are humanity's true divine gifts and genuine wealth. It instills dignity in labor, reminding working-class people that their physical efforts and daily sweat serve as the seeds for future prosperity. Furthermore, the song offers profound comfort to the poor by reminding them that even if the heavens seem indifferent, Mother Earth never fails to yield fair returns for hard work. It uses hopeful metaphors—like raw fruit ripening over time—to urge laborers to remain patient, hold on to moral integrity, and never compromise their values even in the face of poverty or suffering.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Metaphor (Urvagam)
“Seiyum thozhilae dheivam / Antha thiramaithaan namathu selvam”
Work is directly equated to God ('Seiyum thozhilae dheivam') and skill is equated to wealth ('thiramaithaan namathu selvam').
End Rhyme (Iyaippu)
“Payirai valarththaal palanaagum / Athu uyiraik kaakkum unavaagum”
Lines end with the rhyming suffix '-aagum' (palanaagum, unavaagum, thunaiyaagum, vithaiyaagum).
Initial Alliteration (Moonaai)
“Kaiyum kaalumthaan uthavi konda / Kadamaithaan namakku padhavi”
Matching initial consonants 'Ka-' across lines ('Kaiyum' and 'Kadamaithaan').
Metaphor (Urvagam)
“Intha vervaigal ellam vithaiyaagum”
Sweat produced during hard physical labor is metaphorically described as seeds sown into the ground.
Did you know?
Trivia
Written by Pattukkottai Kalyanasundaram (known as 'Makkal Kavignar' or the People's Poet), this song from 'Aalukkoru Veedu' (1960) composed by Viswanathan–Ramamoorthy and sung by T. M. Soundararajan remains one of Tamil cinema's most famous anthems celebrating the dignity of labor and social empowerment.
Keep listening
More from Aalukkoru Veedu
Aalukkoru Veedu
Aalukkoru Veedu
Aalukkoru Veedu
Aalukkoru Veedu
Aalukkoru Veedu