This song is probably the most popular Iranian song. I remember vividly at a Shajarian concert a few years ago we attended in Toronto, how annoyed Shajarian was when at the end everyone started to scream “Morgh’e Sahar!”.
Anyway, being completely inundated with work, I decided to spend time translating it to English since I couldn’t find the lyrics anywhere. Please feel free to correct or expand my translation. This really stretched the limits of my Farsi…
A video has been included for your listening pleasure.
(notice the people crying in the video.. I counted several.)
morgh’e sahar - morning bird
morgh’e sahar, naale sar kon - morning bird, mourn
morgh’e sahar, naale sar kon - morning bird, mourn
daagh’e ma ra taaze tar kon - further renew my pain
z’aah shararbar, een ghafas raa
barshekan o, zeer o zebar kon
- with a sigh that rains fire,
break this cage and overturn it
bolbol’e par-baste, ze kaaj’e ghafas daraa
naghme’ye azadi no’e bashar saraa
-flightless nightingale, from the pine cage sing humanity’s song of freedom
va’z nafas arseye een khake tudeh ra,
por sharar kon
-from the breath of the masses
fill the open earth with fire (?)
zolm, zalem
jor-e sayyad.
-oppression, the oppressor
the hunter’s oppression
aasheeyan’am daade bar baad
- it has left my nest dwindling in the wind,
ey khoda, ey falak, ey tabee-at
shaam’e taareek’e maara, sahar kon
- god, universe, nature
make our dark evening into dawn
no-bahar ast
gol be bar ast
- it’s a new a spring
the flowers have bloomed
abr cheshmam
jale bar ast
- the clouds in my eyes
are filled with dew
een ghafas, chon delam, tang o taar ast
- this cage, like my heart, is suffocated and dark
sho’le fekan, dar ghafas, ey aah aatasheen
- oh fiery sigh! start a flame in this cage,
dast tabee’at, gol’e omr’e mara macheen
- nature’s hand, don’t cut short this flower of my life
janeb aashegh negah ey taaze-gol az een -
look at my dear young flower
beeshtar kon! beeshtar kon! beeshtar kon! -
make it more! [sing more loudly(?)]
morgh’e beedel, sharh hejran!
mokhtasar kon! mokhtasar kon!
- you heartless bird
make it brief! make it brief;
the story of your separation,
Hey there,
Thanks for the translation. I appreciate it.
But it still doesn’t explain the meaning behind the song. This song is supposed to be about freedom, right?
I was under the impression that the bird of dawn is being told to stop complaining about his imprisoned situation and to do something about it.
On second thought, I think with your translation, I sort of get it now. You couldn’t translate the second half for me, could you? It’s on youtube under Gissoo Shakeri “Morghe Sahar.” If I could get the translation of the second half, the first half would make more sense.
I think it is good if you know the words in the song in Persian.
مرغ سحر ناله سر کن
داغ مرا تازه تر کن
ز آه شرر بار ، این قفس را
بر شکن و زیر زبر کن
بلبل پر بسته ز کنج قفس درا
نغمه آزادی نوع بشر سرا
وزنفسی عرصه این خاک توده را
پر شرر کن
ظلم ظالم ، جور صیّاد
آشیانم ، داده بر باد
شام تاریک ما را سحر کن !
نو بهار است ، گل به بار است
ابر چشمم ، ژاله بار است
این قفس ، چون دلم ، تنگ و تار است .
شعله فکن در قفس ای آه آتشین
دست طبیعت گل عمر مرا مچین !
جانب عاشق نگه ای تازه گل ، از این
بیشتر کن ! بیشتر کن ! بیشتر کن !
مرغ بیدل ، شرح هجران ،
مختصر ، مختصر کن !
this is really nice - good translation!
[...] Translations from “Peace in Earth” website [...]