Song Translation:: Lawv Os Lawv
Posted on 09 June 2010
This is one of the more serious song from Xaab’s Tig Laug Xab volume 3 album. I have to say, this is a very, very beautiful song, sang by Xab, Txiab and Dab Pob Tawb. It’s a very beautiful duet by all 3 individual. They all sang this song in such a beautiful unison and their tones made me just want to cry along with the very sad music video, it’s a wonderful pair of voices together. I think if it was 3 other singers collaborate to sing this song, it may not have been as strong and as beautiful as it is.
One thing about this song that first bugged me a lot, but now I finally understood its reasoning is that in this song they sang in two different dialects; the White Hmong dialect (my dialect) and the Green Hmong dialect; listen carefully and you’ll hear the two dialects. This song begins with the White Hmong dialect, which is Txiab’s natural dialect then after the first main part of the song they switch it into the Green Hmong dialect, which is Xaab’s natural dialect.
I do not know the reason why they sang this song in two different dialect, but after listening carefully to this song, my understanding is because this song pretty much states the pain of EVERY Hmong individual during the time when everyone had been migrating from Laos to Thailand and then from Thailand into another world rather it is America, France, Australia and etc. During this migration, many people had lost their loved ones either from death or from separation due to migrating. Many people had been left behind while their friends, families and loved ones had left them behind or they wait for the arrival of their loved ones.
If you guys had seen the documentary by Xab entitled “Tig Laug Xab Tour”, my rough explanation would have made more sense. In this documentary by Xab, he did a great job explaining what I had just attempted to explain. Watching that documentary had brought tears to my eyes. In that documentary, they had also featured this song in there which breaks the heart even more. I recommend everyone to watch that documentary, it has a lot of sadness, wonderful feelings, heart breaking moments, moments full of laughter and warmth and etc.
Overall, this is a beautiful song, heart breaking and very true. When listening to this song, it makes me think of how life must had been during this time when everyone was trying to come to America and many loved ones was left behind. As I listen to this song, I ask myself, “how was life like when my parents was getting ready to come to the America?”. I was honestly too young to remember my childhood while living at the refugee camps in Thailand, I honestly do not have a bit of memory left from that era of my life, which I wish I still at least remember something from it.
This song really goes with the book I am currently reading entitled “The Latehomecomer (A Hmong Family Memoir)” (yes it’s all one word) written by Kao Kalia Yang. Will do my review when I finish this book, I should be done soon!!! But back on topic, this book and this song really goes along side each other!
Lawv Os Lawv by Xaab, Txiab and Dab Pob TawbSong: Lawv Os Lawv
Artist: Xaab, Txiab and Dab Pob Tawb
Album: Tig Laug Xab Volume 3
Release: 2010
Ab… Lawv os lawv es
Ahhh… People oh people
Puas kho nej lub siab
Does your hurt beat in sorrow?
Ua cas hnub no
Why is it that today
Kho kho kuv lub siab
My heart beats in sorrow
Ab… lawv os lawv es
Ahhh… People oh people
Nej dua twg lawm os
Where have you all gone
Ua cas hnub no
Why is it that today
Kuv xav xav quaj
I want to cry
Cas ib ntsais muag
Why is it in a blink of an eye
Tshuav kuv lawm xwb
There is only me left behind
Tej phooj tej ywg
All my friends
Tej kwv tej tig
All my cousins/family (on the husband/father side)
Tej neej tej tsa
All my cousins/family (on the wife/mother side)
Nyob leeg siab ntuj
Is in their own part of the world
Tug neeg kuv hlub
The person I love
Los ncaim kuv lawm
Has now left me
Nyob deb li deb
So far away
Yuav yog Hnub twg
For how long
Mam rov tau los sib ntsib
Will we be able to meet again
Yuav yog thaum twg
For how long
Mam rov tau los nyob ua ke
Will we be able to live close together
Kua muag yuav ntwg txog thaum twg
How long will the tears fall
Yuav kho lub siab mus txog hnub twg
How long will my heart be in sorrow
Mam rov sisb tsib dua
So we’ll meet again
Mam li tau los nyob ua ke
So we’ll live close together again
Ab… hmoob os hmoob es
Ahh… Hmong oh Hmong
Puas khua mej lub sab
Does your heart beat in sorrow
Ua caag hnub nua
Why is it today
Khua khua kuv lub sab
My heart beats with sorrow
Caag ib ntsais muag
Why in a blink of an eye
Tshuav kuv lwm xwb
There is only me left behind
Tej phooj tej twg
All my friends
Tej kwv tej tig
All my cousins/family (on the husband/father’s side)
Tej neej tej tsaav
All my cousins/family (on the wife/mother’s side)
Nyob leeg saab ntuj
Is in their own part of the world
Tug neeg kuv hlub
The person I loved
Los nciam kuv lawm
Has also left me
Nyob dleb li dleb
So far from away
Yuav yog thaum twg
For how long
Maam rov qaab tau sib ntsib
Will we meet again
Yuav yog thaum twg
For how long
Maam rov tau lug nyob ua ke
Will we live closely again
Kuv muag yuav ndlwg txug thau twg
For how long will my tears fall
Yuav khua lub sab moog txug hnub twg
For how long will the heart beat in sorrow
Maam rov sib ntsib dlua
Until we meet again
Maam le tau lug nyob ua kev
Will we live closely together again
5 responses to Song Translation:: Lawv Os Lawv
Nice, yeej kho siab kawg. A very powerful, meaningful song, definately.
Lasia, yog lawm!! See Xab can be serious too!
Uhm… This is not what i call a serious song. What i meant by serious is that he actually sings, sings…Not like this.
But it is a good song though haha
Thanks for the translation, that is a very sad and powerful song. I love the MV, they did a great job of conveying their messages through their song.
Nye, I agree, they did a great job conveying their message! Such a beautiful song and i really love the message! I really enjoy Xab becuase he can be a total joke and at the same time he can be so serious in a good way.