Meena Thao- Niam Nkauj Txhav Qaib Lub Kua Muag

Posted on 08 September 2011

Here’s a song translation requested from a fellow reader, Pangia Xiong. It’s a great pick for a song to be translated. This song is very beautiful, okay depressing but very beautiful. The song really complimented Meena Thao’s beautiful voice; her nice smooth and calm voice really give this song meaning. Meena Thao picked a style of song that really goes great with her voice, I’ve heard a few people who had heard her music said that her voice resembles a Chinese opera singer type voice, very high yet very smooth and soft.

If you guys would like to hear a song or wants me to translate a particular song, if I can get my hands on the song, I can always get my hands on the lyrics so with that being said, if I can find the song I can always translate the song and it’ll be my pleasure to translate them.

Here are a few side notes on the song/phrases in the song

*niam nkauj txhav qaib (female) txiv nraug txhav noog (male) are the Hmong equivalent to Adam and Eve or you can say they are what Hmong people called “soul-mate”. So the words can be use such as, “She is her husband’s niam nkauj txhav qaib”, which then can be translated into “she is her husband’s soul-mate” and for the other one we can use it exactly the same “he is her txiv raug txhav noog” which it too translate into he is her soul-mate”. Or you can use it in such terms as “They are so cute together, true niam nkauj txhav qaib txiv nraug txhav noog” This is one of the terms that we cannot exactly dissect the words to translate piece by piece yet we just know exactly what it means. If I was to translate it word for word it’ll be something like “lady paralyzed chicken, sir paralyzed bird”. I believe niam nkauj txhav qaib and txiv nraug txhav noog are a set of Hmong fairy tale characters.

* niam nkauj hnub thiab txiv nraug hli can also be translate into “soul-mate” as well, it literally means lady of the moon and sir of the sun. They are Hmong fairy tale characters.

* tsis pom dej dag siab tsis nkig is a term Hmong people uses a lot; an old saying. It is used to be said for numbers of different reasons but one of the most used reasons is through a relationship, a cheating spouse. The term is literally translate into “If you do not see fake water, you’ll never get enough”. It means your good person is in front of you, you’ll never see his/her goodness until you’ve already done screwed up and notice everyone around you will never compare to her.

Special thanks to my friend Lasia of EmmerTT for the Hmong lyrics, I stole it from her. I was too lazy to watch the MV (since it is at home in my basket) I thought it’ll be easier taking it from her.

The video cannot be shown at the moment. Please try again later.

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Niab Nkauj Txhav qaib Lub Kua Muag

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

niam nkauj txhav qaib txiv nraug txhav noog ib txws raug puag thaub ub
niam nkauj txhav qaib txiv nraug txhav noog have been soul-mates many years before
koj thiab yog thxua txhia yam nyob hauv kuv lub neej no
you mean everything in my life
sim neej no kuv muaj tag txoj kev hlub rau koj
this life time I’ve given you all of my love
txhua lo lus zoo koj twb muaj hais tag rau kuv ib leeg
every kind word you’ve already had said it to only me

yam niam nkauj hnub thiab txiv nraug hli
like lady of the moon and sir of the sun
yuav sib hlub mus tag ib txhis
will love each other forever
cas hnub no es
but why today
koj siab yuav txawv tag
your heart has changed so much
tseg kuv nyob kua muag ntws sis
you left me with tears flowing endlessly
kuv ua lub neej nyob tsaus ntuj nti
I live my life in darkness
tsis muaj ib hnub es
There is no day
kuv yuav tsis nco koj
I do not miss you
kuv nyob tos koj txhua hnub txhua hmo rov los
I’ve waited every day and night for your return
koj siab dub npaum no
You are so very cruel
muaj ib hnub
there will be one day
koj lub me kua muag yuav ntws los
your tears will fall

thaum twg sib hlub koj hais tias kuv thiab yog tus zoo tshaj
when we were in love, you said I was the best
koj tsis pub tshav ntuj kub tsis pub ib lub nag los ntuv kuv
you wouldn’t let the sun burn, never let the rain falls upon me
cas zaum no koj nim muaj txoj kev hlub tag rau luag
why are you now giving someone else all your love
tseg kuv quaj ntsuag tsis paub kuv txoj sia lub neej rau leej twg
leaving me cry endlessly not knowing who to turn my life to

kuv quaj thov ntsia ntsoov lub ntuj
I cry and beg looking into the heaven
los koj twb ploj mus zuj zum
but you are slowly going away
ntshe koj xav hais tias
maybe you may think
luag zoo tshaj kuv
someone else is better than me
koj thiab khiav ncaim ntawv kuv mus
so you ran away, left out of my life
tsis pom dej dag siab tsis nkig
if you don’t see the fake water, you’ll never get enough
yeej muaj ib hnub es
there will be a day
koj mam nco txog kuv
you will think of me
ces ntshe twb tsis muaj kuv nyob tos koj lawm
then that day I will not be here waiting on you
koj siab dub npaum no
you are so cruel
kav tsij mus kom kawg
so please go far away
kuv tsis tos koj lawm
I will no longer wait for you