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by Rabindranath Tagore (1861 - 1941)
Translation by Rabindranath Tagore (1861 - 1941)

I long to speak the deepest words I have...
Language: English  after the Bangla (Bengali) 
I long to speak the deepest words I have to say to you;
But I dare not, for fear you should laugh.
That is why I laugh at myself and shatter my secret in jest.
I make light of my pain, afraid that you should do so. 
I long to tell you the truest words I have to say to you;
But I dare not, being afraid that you would not believe them.
That is why I disguise them in untruth, saying the contrary of what I mean.
I make my pain appear absurd, afraid that you should do so.
I long to use the most precious words I have for you;
But [I]1 dare not, fearing I should not be paid with like value.
That is why I [gave]2 you hard names and boast of my callous strength.
I hurt you, for fear you should never know any pain.
I long to [sit]3 silent by you;
But I dare not lest my heart come out at my lips.
That is why I prattle and chatter lightly and hide my heart behind words.
I rudely handle my pain, for fear you should do so.
I long to go away from your side; but I dare not,
For fear my cowardice should become known to you.
That is why I hold my head high and carelessly come into your presence.
Constant thrusts from your eyes keep my pain fresh for ever.

Available sung texts:   ← What is this?

•   N. Sohal 

About the headline (FAQ)

View original text (without footnotes)
1 omitted by Sohal.
2 Sohal: "give"
3 Sohal: "visit"

Text Authorship:

  • by Rabindranath Tagore (1861 - 1941), no title, appears in The Gardener, no. 41 [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]

Based on:

  • a text in Bangla (Bengali) by Rabindranath Tagore (1861 - 1941) [text unavailable]
    • Go to the text page.

Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):

  • by Naresh Sohal (b. 1939), "Poems of Tagore I", 1970 [ soprano and piano ] [sung text checked 1 time]

Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]

This text was added to the website: 2010-01-24
Line count: 20
Word count: 243

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