Bidhir Bandhon Kaatbe Tumi

 

Bidhir bandhon kaatbe tumi

Emon shoktimaan —

Tumi ki emon shoktimaan!

Aamader bhaanga gara tomar haathe

Emon obhimaan —

Tomader emni obhimaan

Chirodin taanbe pichhe, chirodin raakhbe nichhe —

Eto bal naai re tomaar shoeibe na shei taan.

Shashone jotoi ghero — aache bol durbolero, 

Hao-na jotei boro aachhen bhogaban.

Aamader shokti mere torao banchbi ne-re

Bojha tor bhari holei doob-be torikhan. 

Rabindranath Tagore, 1905

And so you believe you 

Can evade what destiny has in store for you —

So powerful are you!

And so you believe you

Can break us and make us too —

So full of pride are you.

That it is you who

Can always drive us back, keep us under —

That power you do Not possess, 

Your hold will sunder.

Encircle us as you might

Know that the weak too can resist, can fight.

Elevate yourself all you will

There is a God higher still.

Suppress us and you perish too.

The swollen ship you steer 

Will buckle and sink with you.

Free Rendition/Translation in English: Anisha Shekhar Mukherji

Consultation and advice: Snehanshu Mukherjee and Dilip K Basu

विधि के बंधन को भी काट सकोगे, हो इतने शक्तिमान,

तुम क्या इतने शक्तिमान!

हमारा बनना-बिगड़ना तुम्हारे हाथों, इतना अभिमान,

तुम्हारा ऐसा अभिमान।

हमेशा खींचोगे पीछे, हमेशा रखोगे नीचे,

इतना बल नहीं तुममें, रहोगे नहीं हमें खींचें।

शासन में जितना ही घेरो, है बल दुर्बल में भी,

जितने भी क्यों न हो तुम बड़े, है भगवान भी।

हमारी शक्ति मार के, ख़ैर नहीं तुम्हारी,

बोझा भारी कर के, डूबेगी ही नाव तुम्हारी।

Translation in Hindi: Anisha Shekhar Mukherji