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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Ye Nilave Ye Nilave

From Mugavari · 2000

Lyricist
Vairamuthu
Singer
Unni Menon
Music director
Deva
Details
Mugavari2000

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Male
Yae nilavae yae nilavaeOh moon, oh moon!
Naan unnai thodaTo touch you,
Unnai thoda unnai thodaTo touch you, to touch you,
Vinnai adainthenI reached the sky.
Yae nilavae yae nilavaeOh moon, oh moon!
Nee vinnai vittu mannai thottuLeaving the sky and touching the earth,
Kadalukkul pugunthuvittaiYou have plunged into the ocean.
Male
Imai mooda maruthu vittalIf eyelids refuse to close,
Vizhigal thoongathuThe eyes cannot sleep.
Idi thaangum idhayam koodaEven a heart that can withstand thunder,
Mounam thaangathuCannot bear your silence.
Un vizhi eerppu visaiyinilae anbae anbaeIn the gravitational force of your eyes, my love, my love,
Naan vanthu vizhunthu vitten anbae anbaeI came and fell into it, my love, my love.
Male
Kan jaadai aamaam endrathuThe signal of your eyes said yes,
Kai jaadai illai endru irupathuWhile the gesture of your hands says no.
Poonkodi nijam ennadiOh delicate creeper, what is the truth?
Ithu vaazhvaa saavaaIs this life or death?
Ethai nee tharuvaai pennaeWhich of the two will you give me, girl?
Male
Yae nilavae yae nilavaeOh moon, oh moon!
Naan unnai thodaTo touch you,
Unnai thoda unnai thodaTo touch you, to touch you,
Vinnai adainthenI reached the sky.
Male
Ninaindhu ninaindhuThinking and longing repeatedly,
Nenjam vali kondathaeMy heart aches with pain.
En nizhalil irunthumEven from my shadow,
Ratham kasigindrathaeBlood seems to bleed out.
Oru sol oru sol oru solJust one word, one word, one word,
Sonnaal uyirae oori vidumIf you say it, my soul will come alive with joy.
Adiyae adiyae mudiyaathendralOh girl, oh girl, if you say it's impossible,
Idhayam keeri vidumIt will tear my heart apart.
Male
Nilaaaaa… neeyallavaaAren't you the moon?
Theibavan naan allavaaAm I not the one who wanes away?
Kaaranam naan sollavaaShall I tell you the reason?
Kaalgal illamalaeEven without legs,
Kaatru nadai podalaamThe wind can still walk.
Neeyum illamalaeWithout you,
Naatkal nadai podumaCan my days move forward?
Male
Imai mooda maruthu vittalIf eyelids refuse to close,
Vizhigal thoongathuThe eyes cannot sleep.
Idi thaangum idhayam koodaEven a heart that can withstand thunder,
Mounam thaangathuCannot bear your silence.
Un vizhi eerppu visaiyinilaeIn the gravitational force of your eyes,
Anbae anbae naan vanthuMy love, my love, I came and
Vizhunthu vitten anbae anbaeFell into it, my love, my love.
Male
Kan jaadai aamaam endrathuThe signal of your eyes said yes,
Kai jaadai illai endru irupathuWhile the gesture of your hands says no.
Poonkodi nijam ennadiOh delicate creeper, what is the truth?
Ithu vaazhvaa saavaaIs this life or death?
Ethai nee tharuvaai pennae…Which of the two will you give me, girl?

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

This song depicts the deep emotional turmoil and agonizing longing of a lover torn between hope and rejection. The protagonist compares his beloved to the unreachable moon and expresses how her mixed signals—encouraging eye contact versus hesitant physical gestures—leave him floating between life and death. He describes how his heart, strong enough to face severe hardships, crumbles under her absolute silence. In the second verse, the intensity of his affection deepens into poetic agony, suggesting that even his shadow bleeds from the persistent grief of separation. He pleads for a single word of hope to revive his soul, emphasizing that just as days cannot pass without time moving forward, his life cannot progress without her presence.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Metaphor

Un vizhi eerppu visaiyinilae anbae anbae

The lover's gaze is metaphorically compared to gravitational force ('eerppu visai') pulling the protagonist towards her.

Metaphor (Uruvagam)

Poonkodi nijam ennadi

The woman is addressed directly as a tender flowering creeper ('Poonkodi').

Contrast / Antonymy (Muran)

Kan jaadai aamaam endrathu / Kai jaadai illai endru irupathu

Contrasts 'yes' ('aamaam') indicated by her eyes with 'no' ('illai') shown by her hand gestures.

Hyperbole

En nizhalil irunthum / Ratham kasigindrathae

An extreme exaggeration where pain is described as blood oozing out even from the protagonist's shadow.

Rhyme / Assonance (Monai)

Ninaindhu ninaindhu / Nenjam vali kondathae

Repetition of initial consonant/vowel sounds ('Ni' and 'Ne') across lines.

Did you know?

Trivia

This track is composed by Deva for the 2000 musical romantic drama movie 'Mugavari', starring Ajith Kumar and Jyothika. Sung by Unni Menon, the song features rich orchestral arrangements that highlight Vairamuthu's melancholic poetry.

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