The Chori Chori number sung by Reshma (~1947 – 3 November 2013) in her signature rustic, rich, full bodied style:
.
Updated: Reshma ji passed away on 3 November 2013 after a prolonged battle with throat cancer. I was mesmerized by her singing many times in my life and since this post was written, I considered myself her friend, too. So, her passing is more than just another blip in the information overload. Reshma ji, aap ne hamein chori chori jeet liya. Khuda Hafiz (May the Lord be your Shepherd).
The lyrics (penned by Manzoor Jhalla), with translation:
—–
vey main chori chori tere nall la layeiaan ahkhaan vey
वे मैं चोरी चोरी तेरे नल ला लयियां अखां वे
Silently and secretly I fell in love with you (transliteration: my eyes met yours)
.
main chori chori
vey main chori chori
vey main chori chori tere nall la layeiaan ahkhaan vey
main chori chori
vey main chori chori
.
duniya tonh jakhaan te mainh; duniya tonh
duniya tonh jakhaan te mainh (pause) pyaar tera rakhaan
दुनिया तोह जक्खान ते मैं प्यार तेरा रखां
I shy away from the world and keep safe my love (for you)
.
vey main chori chori tere nall la layeiaan ahkhaan vey
main chori chori
vey main chori chori
.
maa-peyan di lajj tere leyi main gavayein ve
(repeat)
माँ पयाँ दी लज्ज तेरे लेई मैं गवाईं वे
I sacrificed the honor of my parents for you
.
tu teh anjaan saadih kadarr na paayi ve
तू तेह अनजान साडिह कदर न पायी वेह
But you remain unaware and do not value me
.
phir vih mainh jhalee hoke; phir vih mainh
phir vih main jhalee hoke (pause) rah tera takkan
फिर विह मैं झली होके राह तेरा तकां
And yet, like an imbecile, I await your arrival
.
vey main chori chori tere nall la layeiaan ahkhaan vey
main chori chori
vey main chori chori
vey main chori chori tere nall la layeiaan ahkhaan vey
main chori chori
vey main chori chori
.
pyaar piche har koyi mittiyan vi chaan da
(repeat)
प्यार पिछे हर कोई मिट्टियाँ वी छान दा
In the pursuit of love, everyone toils (transliteration: everyone sieves sands)
.
disda na ik pal, vaeri meri jaan da
दिस्दा न इक पल वैरि मेरी जान दा
Not visible for a moment, an enemy to my peace
.
eh teh ve mainh jaanideiyan; eh te mainh
eh teh ve mainh jaanideiyan (pause) taenu mere jaiyyan lakhan
एह तान मैं जांदियाँ तैनु मेरे जैय्यां लखां
I know that, for you there are hundreds of thousands like me
.
vey main chori chori tere nall la layeiaan ahkhaan vey
main chori chori
vey main chori chori
vey main chori chori tere nall la layeiaan ahkhaan vey
main chori chori
vey main chori chori
.
changeya main jaatha taenu, lakhaan jind jaan tu
(repeat)
चंगेया मैं जाता तैनु लखां जिंद जान तू
I have found you to be a good person, you are a thousand lives to me
.
rajj gayiyaan paavein bibba jag te jahan tonh
रज्ज गईयाँ पावें बिब्बा जग ते जहान तोंह
even though, sweetheart, I’ve had my heart’s content of this world
.
das manzoor keevein; das man
das manzoor keevein (pause) dil nu main dakkaan
दस मंज़ूर कीवें दिल नू मैं दक्कां
Tell me, O Manzoor, how do I stop my heart
.
vey main chori chori tere nall la layeiaan ahkhaan vey
main chori chori
vey main chori chori
vey main chori chori tere nall la layeiaan ahkhaan vey
main chori chori
vey main chori chori
—–
I was helped by my father, Parminderji, and Gagan in the translation.
I also liked the Coke Studio take, sung by Meesha Shafi:
.
Shafi’s rendition makes it seem like a song of stillness, but without any sadness. As if the love hangs there, in mid-air, neither claimed nor disowned. Non-chalant and bold at the same time. The neutrality of her tone hiding passionate expression, which is what makes it both sensuous and edgy (for me). I was asking myself “who is she singing to?” and the only answer I seem to get is “herself”.
Guldasta 
Thank you sooooooo much. May god bless you!!
I mean Thank you for the lyrics with the meanings.What a song!!
superb effort on the translation
Thank you, Fahad.
Thanks a lot, this is the only site which has the complete lyrics. Its my favorite song and i am searching for long for its lyrics. Finally i got it and as a bonus the true translation. Simply awsome. Thanks
Thank you, Umair, for your kind words and stopping by.
Hey Gurdas!! Thanks for lyrics…Shahzad Roy has done justice to this one with his deep voice…
The best best best ever Song in the history of Classic Music..
Ase bohut kam Songs h0te hain jin ko sun k hum chahte hain k bs with0ut any disturbance hum bs Sunte he jahain . . . Sunte jahain. . . Sunte jahain. . .
Loved it..
Ab unki yaad hi reh gayi hai, jo kal tak hamare beech thi.
great efofrt. you already have updated her passing away date of today.
just one line in translation and lyrics:
I always thought it was:
pyar peechay har koi, mittian ve chaan da
‘jis da na ek pal, veer meri jaan da”
may be you are right.
Ali, thanks. I went back and replayed that line multiple times and am positive the lyric is “vaeri” (enemy). It sounds like that but more importantly, it also fits in the context of the immediate lines which say that the love is nothing but easy and yet she cannot give it up.
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Best translation and lyrics ever! Thanks a million for posting this! I’m a non-punjabi person so its always a splendid puzzle for me to unravel the meaning of the songs… and this one is like a prized rare gem! Thanks so much!!!
amazing job…impressed… i ve heard the meesha version on coke studio…yet to listen to the original one…. n yes i too felt the same…meesha no doubt has done justice to the song….but ur points are valid…she couldn’t express the pain thru her neutral voice…
Reblogged this on A datapost’s Blog.
Great …loved it. I appreciate the Effort of writing lyrics with their meanings so that everybody should understand deep essence of the song….congratulations …! I would be more thankful if you tell us the Raag in which this song is sung, that would help us not make mistake while singing it by touching the exact notes..
Excellent translation except in the last line where in my openion ‘मन्जूर’ should mean Accept and it goes well with the verse
Secondly though Meesha Shafi is a beauty singing beautifully but not the Chori Chori one
Her best is Jugni Ji
“Jee “
Sir Manzoor is the name of poet who wrote this fantastic SONG(Manzoor Challa)
I think manzoor in the last couplet is used as in name as well as its meaning. Manzoor literally means ‘approve’ or ‘accept’ so ‘das manzoor kevain, dil nu mei dakkan’ would mean tell me how would you like me to stop my heart as well as tell me manzoor how do I stop my heart.
Poet Name is MANZOOR HUSSAIN JHALLA ( not challa )
Thanks. I have updated the post.
Thank you very much for this excellent translation. After a lot of search, I could this.
Thanks for translation
Many many thanks for the lyrics