Tujhse naaraaz nahin zindagi (Masoom)

It feels stupid trying to translate one of Gulzar's most iconic and widely loved songs (It got him one of his 10 Filmfare awards for best lyricist (in 1984)). But stupidity is nothing new to me, so here it goes!

The stage is set thus:
Indu (Shabana Azmi) and DK (Naseeruddin Shah) are happily married, with two daughters. The unexpected and unwelcome arrival of Rahul (the love child of DK) in the family shakes the very foundation of their lives. At different points of time in the movie, this song expresses the unspoken feelings of both the protagonists.

But more than that, it speaks for all of us ... of how life keeps throwing surprises our way, much to our bafflement and annoyance. Yet how important these roadblocks are, to maintain the delicate balances in  our lives - of smiles and tears, and of sun and shade.

Lyrics, and Translation:

Tujhse naaraaz nahin, Zindagi! hairan hoon main 

Hairaan hoon main

Tere masoom Sawaalon se, pareshaan hoon main

Pareshaan hoon main

[[Dear Life! I'm not mad at you, just a little weary ...
Stumped by the seemingly innocent questions you keep throwing at me*]]

Jeene ke liye socha hi nahin, dard sambhaalne honge

Muskuraayein to, muskuraane ke karz utaarne honge

Muskuraaun kabhi to lagta hai, 

Jaise hothon pe karz rakha hai

(Tujhse naaraaz nahin...)

[[Somehow I never thought, that I'll have to handle pains in order to live happily

Never realized that I'll have to pay a debt for each smile 

Now every time I smile, 

I am reminded of the debt that's weighing on my lips]]

Zindagi tere gham ne humein, rishte naye samjhaaye

Mile to humein, dhoop mein mile, chaaon ke thande saaye

(Tujhse naaraaz nahin...)

[[Dear Life! But it's not as if these pains are without purpose... because each pain makes me aware of things I never noticed before...

It is only in the scorching heat that we come to know of the relief a cool shade brings**]]

Aaj agar bhar aayin hain, boonde baras jaayengi

Kal kya pata, inke liye aankhein taras jaayengi

Jaane kahan ghum hua, kahan khoya

Ek aansoo chhupa ke rakha tha

(Tujhse naaraaz nahin...)

[[So today, if my eyes well up, I'll cry as long as I want to
Because who knows, tomorrow I may long for these very tears
And then, where will I look for this lone tear drop,
That I had hidden away for so long?]]

My two three cents:

* Earlier I thought the song was addressed not to "life", but to Rahul (Jugal Hansraj). Because just before the song, he asks a question that leaves Naseeruddin Shah totally stumped. I interpreted it as "Main hairaan hoon (ki meri) zindagi tujhse naaraaz nahin" = It amazes me that I am not mad at you  (just baffled by your innocent questions). 

** Something very similar to the lines "Mile jo humein dhoop mein mile, chhanv ke thande saaye" can be found in Gulzar's nazm "Chhaanv-Chhaanv" (from Pukhraj):

Ajeeb hai dard aur taskeen ka saanjha rishta

Milegi chhaanv to bas kahin dhoop mein milegi

(Strange is the relationship between pain and content,

The only place you'll ever find shade, is under the harsh sun)

*** In his album "Pancham: Gulzar Remembers RD Burman", Gulzar introduces this song with the following poignant lines:

"Yaad hai Pancham, jab bhi koi dhun bana kar bhejte the, to saath kah diya karte the, “The ball is in your court”... ye kaun sa ball mere court mein chhod gaye ho tum, Pancham! Zindagi ka khel akele nahin khela jaata... Humari to team hai, aa jao ya bula lo."