Dil Cheez Kya Hai Song from Umrao Jaan Translated in English

 

Dil Cheez Kya Hai – English Translation of Umrao Jaan Ghazal

Meta Description:  Dil Cheez Kya Hai is a ghazal performed as a mujra in Umrao Jaan. The film has Rekha playing the eponymous courtesan.  Check out my English translation.

The Poetic English Translation of the Lyrics of Dil Cheez Kya Hai 

My heart is a trifle take my life away   

My heart is a trifle take my life away    

Just for once listen to

Just for once listen to what I have to say

Just for once listen to what I have to say

My heart is a trifle take my life away   

 

You will be in this audience

You will be in this

You will be in this audience

You will be in this audience again and again

Again and again

Please make sure you remember

Please make sure you remember the walls and doorway

Please make sure you remember the walls and doorway

My heart is a trifle take my life away   

 

Agreed that friends do not always

Agreed that friends do not

Agreed that friends do not always honour friendship

Take help from others and you’ll be

Take help from others and you’ll be under their sway

Take help from others and you’ll be under their sway

My heart is a trifle take my life away   

 

I will pull

I will pull down the heavens

I will pull down the heavens to earth if you say so

Once you resolve there is

Once you resolve there is nothing you cannot attain

Once you resolve there is nothing you cannot attain

My heart is a trifle take my life away   

Just for once, just for once

Just for once listen to what I have to say

I have to say, I have to say

The Original Hindi Lyrics of Dil Kya Cheez Hai from Umrao Jaan

Dil cheez kya hai aap meri jaan lijiye

Dil cheez kya hai aap meri jaan lijiye

Bas ek baar mera kaha

Bas ek baar mera kaha maan lijiye

Bas ek baar mera kaha maan lijiye

Dil cheez kya hai aap meri jaan lijiye

 

Is anjuman mein aap ko

Is anjuman mein,

Is anjuman mein aap ko

Is anjuman mein aap ko aana hai baar baar

Aana hai baar baar

Deevaar-o-dar ko gaur se

Deevaar-o-dar ko gaur se pehchaan lijiye

Deevaar-o-dar ko gaur se pehchaan lijiye

Dil cheez kya hai aap meri jaan lijiye

 

Maana ke doston ko nahin

Doston, doston ko nahin

Maana ke doston ko nahin dosti ka paas

Lekin yeh kya ke gair ka

Lekin yeh kya ke gair ka ehsaan lijiye

Lekin yeh kya ke gair ka ehsaan lijiye

Dil cheez kya hai aap meri jaan lijiye

 

Kahiye to

Kahiye to aasmaan ko

Kahiye to aasmaan ko zameen par utaar laaye

Mushkil nahin hai kuch bhi

Mushkil nahin hai kuch bhi agar thaan lijiye

Mushkil nahin hai kuch bhi agar thaan lijiye

Dil cheez kya hai aap meri jaan lijiye

Bas ek baar, bas ek baar

Bas ek baar mera kaha maan lijiye

Maan lijiye, maan lijiye

 

Meanings of difficult Urdu words

 

Anjuman = gathering

Paas = respect

Dil Cheez Kya Hai Fact Sheet 

·       Movie: Umrao Jaan (1981)
·       Singer: Asha Bhosle
·       Lyricist: Shahryar
·       Composer: Khayyam
·       On Screen: Rekha
·       Director & Producer: Muzaffar Ali
 
Enjoy the video of Dil Cheez Kya Hai.  The other ghazal from Umrao Jaan, In Ankhon Ki Masti, has also been translated at Bollywood Translations.
 
Please follow Bollywood Translations and give your feedback in the comments section. Connect with me on X and Instagram @HarshNev. In case you want any song to be translated, whether from Hindi films or otherwise, please mention in the comments.
 
All the translations are my original work. If you quote them, you must acknowledge my name and provide a link to Bollywood Translations. 

In Ankhon Ki Masti from Umrao Jaan Translated in English

 In Ankhon Ki Masti – English Translation of Mujra Ghazal

Meta Description:  In Ankhon Ki Masti is a ghazal delivered as a mujra from Umrao Jaan. The film has Rekha playing the eponymous courtesan.  Check out my English translation.

Some Difficulties in Translating a Ghazal from Urdu to English 

The metre and the rhyme known as qafiya (AA BA CA …) do not pose any difficulty in translation. The problem comes from the refrain or radif, which is phrase that appears at the end of every second line of the couplet. In the first couplet the radif appears in both lines. The qafiya comes just before the radif.

 

In aankhon se vaabasta afsaane hazaaron hain: hazaaron hai is the radif and afsaane is the qafiya.

 

Because the grammatical sentence structure of English differs from that of Urdu and Hindi, it is easy to insert a radif in the middle of the line, but difficult to do so at the end. In my translations of ghazals, I do not use the radif at all, which I realise is a flaw. I wanted to be upfront about this.

The Poetic English Translation of the Lyrics of In Ankhon Ki Masti 

Thousands are captivated,

Thousands are captivated by the allure of my eyes

By the allure of my eyes

These eyes have given rise to

These eyes have given rise to many thousands of li..es

Many thousands of li..es

By the allure of my eyes

 

You are not the only one

You are not the only one who is disgraced in my love

Disgraced in my love

There are thousands like yourself

There are thousands like yourself who your families despise

Who your families despise

Thousands are captivated by the allure of my eyes

By the allure of my eyes

 

There are thousands of taverns,

There are thousands of taverns scattered all over the town

Scattered all over the town

One sip of wine from my eyes

One sip of wine from my eyes and you’ll be in paradise

And you’ll be in paradise

Thousands are captivated by the allure of my eyes

By the allure of my eyes

 

You are frightening this flame

You are frightening this flame with threats of a hurricane

With threats of a hurricane

Thousands of moths protect this

Thousands of moths protect this bright flame from any capsize

Bright flame from any capsize

Thousands are captivated by the allure of my eyes

These eyes have given rise to many thousands of li..es

Many thousands of li..es

By the allure of my eyes

The Original Hindi Lyrics of In Ankhon Ki Masti from Umrao Jaan

In aankhon ki masti ke,

In aankhon ki masti ke mastaane hazaaron hain

Mastaane hazaaron hain

In aankhon se vaabasta

In aankhon se vaabasta afsaane hazaaron hain

Afsaane hazaaron hain

In aankhon ki masti ke

 

Ek tum hi nahin tanha,

Ek tum hi nahin tanha ulfat mein meri rusva

Ulfat mein meri rusva

Is shaher mein tum jaise

Is shaher mein tum jaise deewaane hazaaron hain

Deewaane hazaaron hain

In aankhon ki masti ke mastaane hazaaron hain

In aankhon ki masti ke, aah aah aah

 

Ek sirf humi mai ko,

Ek sirf humi mai ko aankhon se pilaate hain

Aankhon se pilaate hain

Kehne ko to duniya mein

Kehne ko to duniya mein maikhaane hazaaron hain

Maikhaane hazaaron hain

In aankhon ki masti ke mastaane hazaaron hain

In aankhon ki masti ke

 

Is shamm-e-faroza ko,

Is shamm-e-faroza ko aandhi se darraate ho

Aandhi se darraate ho

Is shamm-e-faroza ke

Is shamm-e-faroza ke parvaane hazaaron hain

Parvaane hazaaron hain

 

In aankhon ki masti ke mastaane hazaaron hain

In aankhon se vaabasta afsaane hazaaron hain

Afsaane hazaaron hain

In aankhon ki masti ke

 

Meanings of difficult Urdu words

 

Vaabasta = Related to

Afsaane = stories

Tanha = alone

Ulfat = love

Rusva = disgraced

Maikhaane = taverns

Shamm-e-faroza = bright flame

Parvaane = moths

The Literal English Translation of the Lyrics of In Ankhon Ki Masti 

I had to take some liberties with the exact words to maintain the structure and essence of the ghazal, so I am providing a literal English translation as well.

 

In aankhon ki masti ke mastaane hazaaron hain

There are thousands of admirers of the mystique of my eyes

 

In aankhon se vaabasta afsaane hazaaron hain

There are thousands of stories connected to my eyes

 

Ek tum hi nahin tanha ulfat mein meri rusva

You alone have not been disgraced by falling in love with me

 

Is shaher mein tum jaise deewaane hazaaron hain

There are thousands of die-hard lovers like you in this city

 

Ek sirf humi mai ko aankhon se pilaate hain

I am the only one who can offer wine (intoxicate) through my eyes

 

Kehne ko to duniya mein maikhaane hazaaron hain

They say there are thousands of taverns in this world

 

Is shamm-e-faroza ko aandhi se darraate ho

Are you trying to scare this bright flame by talking of storms

 

Is shamm-e-faroza ke parvaane hazaaron hain

There are thousands of moths to protect this bright flame

 

In Ankhon Ki Masti Fact Sheet

·       Movie: Umrao Jaan (1981)
·       Singer: Asha Bhosle
·       Lyricist: Shahryar
·       Composer: Khayyam
·       On Screen: Rekha
·       Director & Producer: Muzaffar Ali
 
Enjoy the video of In Ankhon Ki Masti.  I have other ghazals at Bollywood Translations with more from Umrao Jaan coming next.
·       Hum Hain Mataa-e-Koocha-o
·       Champayi Rang Yaar Aa Jaye
·       Mun Bairagi Tan Anuragi
·       Khud se jo vada kiya tha

·       Sansar ki har shay ka
 
Please follow Bollywood Translations and give your feedback in the comments section. Connect with me on X and Instagram @HarshNev. In case you want any song to be translated, whether from Hindi films or otherwise, please mention in the comments.
 
All the translations are my original work. If you quote them, you must acknowledge my name and provide a link to Bollywood Translations.