Bas ek chup sii lagii hai :: A quietness has taken over

A deep quiet has taken over me, not an overwhelming melancholy, but a deep quietness. This poem was written by Gulzar-ji, and sung by Hemant-da, and picturized on Tanuja. I have translated it the way I have perceived the words. There’s a sense of loneliness in these lyrics, a desire, a longing, a regret.

Bas ek chup sii lagii hai

A quietness has taken over

Nahii.n udaas nahii.n

No, not sadness

kahii.n pe saa.Ns rukii hai, nahii.n udaas nahii.n

Somewhere, my breath is trapped, no, not sadness

bas ek chup sii lagii hai

A quietness has taken over

Ko_ii anokhii nahii.n aisii zi.ndagii lekin

Not extraordinary, but a life that

khuub na ho

is not splendid

mili jo –

the one that I have found

khuub milii hai.

Is plenty.

nahii.n udaas nahii.n

No, not sadness

bas ek chup sii lagii hai …

A quietness has taken over

Sahar bhii ye raat bhii dopahar bhii milii lekin

I was given dawn, this night too, also the day, but

hamii.n ne shaam chunii

I am the one who chose the evening

hamii.n ne –

I am the one

shaam chunii hai

who chose evening

nahii.n udaas nahii.n

No, not sadness

bas ek chup sii lagii hai …

Just, a quietness has taken over

Vo daasataa.N jo hamane kahii bhii

That story that I spoke of,

hamane likhii

I wrote,

aaj vo –

Today, I

khud se sunii hai

heard it from myself

nahii.n udaas nahii.n

No, not sadness

Bas ek chup sii lagii hai

A quietness has taken over

Nahii.n udaas nahii.n

No, not sadness

kahii.n pe saa.Ns rukii hai, nahii.n udaas nahii.n

Somewhere, my breath is trapped, no, not sadness

bas ek chup sii lagii hai

A quietness has taken over

Ko_ii anokhii nahii.n aisii zi.ndagii lekin

Not extraordinary, but a life that

khuub na ho

is not splendid

mili jo –

the one that I have found

khuub milii hai.

Is plenty.

nahii.n udaas nahii.n

No, not sadness

bas ek chup sii lagii hai …

A quietness has taken over

Sahar bhii ye raat bhii dopahar bhii milii lekin

I was given dawn, this night too, also the day, but

hamii.n ne shaam chunii

I am the one who chose the evening

hamii.n ne –

I am the one

shaam chunii hai

who chose evening

nahii.n udaas nahii.n

No, not sadness

bas ek chup sii lagii hai …

Just, a quietness has taken over

Vo daasataa.N jo hamane kahii bhii

That story that I spoke of,

hamane likhii

and wrote too,

aaj vo –

Today, I

khud se sunii hai

heard it from myself

nahii.n udaas nahii.n

No, not sadness

Bas ek chup sii lagii hai

A quietness has taken over

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