The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #124665   Message #2754552
Posted By: Gibb Sahib
28-Oct-09 - 09:56 PM
Thread Name: How to translate a song from Punjabi?
Subject: RE: How to translate a song from Punjabi?
Here's what I get of the "Wedding Song." It might be in the genre "suhag" -- need more context to confirm. What do the album notes say? Anyway, it is being addressed to the bride. If it is a traditional song, it would only be sung amongst the company of women, in the couple weeks prior to the wedding. I don't know if it is a traditional song, or just one meant to evoke that style. The singer is good -- and this is not a value judgement -- but she does not sound like the "traditional" sound of Punjabi women's singing; sounds "trained." Her pronunciation, also, is more of the Eastern dialects, and non-standard on a couple words.

Though I couldn't get it 100% clear, this may give a nice boost to someone else who can finish it off. Apologies for any errors. [Note: capital letters denote retroflex sounds, and ~ denotes nasalization of the preceding vowel.]

Refrain:
aaiaa laaRie ni tera sihariaa~ vaala viaahvaN aaia
aaiaa te sada rang laaia laaRie...

1. naazaa~ de nal paal ke maape
des ne khaalaa (?? des ni kaala??) devaN aape

2, sakhiaa~ ral-mil jhummar paae
shaala ih din sabh te aae

3. jaan di vaari ih hoi kahiNa
ikk-duuje lai zinda rahiNa

Refrain:
He's come, oh bride, your chaplet*-wearer has come to wed
He's come to spread everlasting joy, oh bride

1. Your parents nourished you from the water-pump of gracefulness
??The land itself gives you troughs (in which to flow) [Some metaphor ging on here. It's unclear to me.]

2. Your girl-friends get together and dance
God willing all days will be like this [rough translation]

3. Vows of sacrificing ones life being said
That you may live long for each other


*"chaplet" is the silly English translation one sees used for what is called "sihra" in Punjabi, a sort of face covering of dangling flowers and stuff that the groom wears when he goes to fetch the bride for the wedding.

Gibb