raahi matavaale tu chhed ik baar man kaa sitaar
jaane kab chori-chori aai hai bahaar
chhed man kaa sitaar
chhed man kaa sitaar

dekh dekh chakori kaa mana huaa chachal
chadaa ke mukhade pe badali kaa aanchal
dekh dekh chakori kaa mana huaa chachal
chadaa ke mukhade pe badali kaa aanchal
kabhi chhupe kabhi khile rup kaa nikhaar
khile rup kaa nikhaar

kali-kali chum ke pavan kahe khil jaa
kali-kali chum ke
khili kali bhanvare se kahe aa ke mil jaa
aa piyaa mila ja kali-kali chum ke
dil ne suni kahi dil ki pukaar
dil ne suni kahi dil ki pukaar
kahi dil ki pukaar

raat bani dulhan bhigi hui palake
bhini-bhini kushabu se saagar chhalake
raat bani dulhan bhigi hui palake
bhini-bhini kushabu se saagar chhalake
aise me nainaa se nainaa ho chaar
zaraa nainaa ho chaar

rahi matwale tu chhed ik bar man ka sitar
jane kab chori chori aayi hai bahar chhed man ka sitar
rahi matwale rahi matwale
rahi matwale rahi matwale

dil ka sarur tu mang ka sindur tu
man kahe bar bar aayega jarur tu aayega jarur tu
dil ka sarur tu mang ka sindur tu
man kahe bar bar aayega jarur tu aayega jarur tu
tujhko bulaye mere ansuo ki dhar
tujhko bulaye mere ansuo ki dhar aaja ek bar
rahi matwale tu aaja ek bar suni hai hai sitar
tere bina ruth gayi hamse bahar tu aaja ek bar
rahi matwale

aankh naa mose bairan nindiya bairan nindiya
aankh na nilaye mose bairan nindiya
piya kaha piya kaha puchh rahi bindiya puchh rahi bindiya
aankh na milaye mose bairan nindiya bairan nindiya
ruth raha mujhse mera hi singaar
ruth raha mujhse mera hi singaar aaja ek bar
rahi matwale tu aaja ek bar suni hai sitar
tere bina ruth gayi hamse bahar aaja ek bar

O, intoxicated traveler, once more, strum the soul's sitar,
For when did spring arrive, stealing in from afar?
Strum the soul's sitar.
O, intoxicated traveler, O, intoxicated traveler.
O, intoxicated traveler, O, intoxicated traveler.

Beholding the chakori, its heart grows restless,
Upon the moon's face, a veil of cloud, a guest.
Beholding the chakori, its heart grows restless,
Upon the moon's face, a veil of cloud, a guest.
Now hidden, now blooming, beauty's pure art.
Beauty's pure art.

Kissing each bud, the wind whispers, bloom and depart.
Kissing each bud.
The blooming bud tells the bumblebee, come and restart.
Come, my love, reunite, kissing each bud's heart.
The heart heard a call from its own sacred chart.
The heart heard a call from its own sacred chart.
From its own sacred chart.

The night, a bride, with tear-soaked lashes,
From the sweet scent, the ocean splashes.
The night, a bride, with tear-soaked lashes,
From the sweet scent, the ocean splashes.
In such moments, let eyes meet, a spark to impart.
Just a spark to impart.

O, intoxicated traveler, once more, strum the soul's sitar,
For when did spring arrive, stealing in from afar? Strum the soul's sitar.
O, intoxicated traveler, O, intoxicated traveler.
O, intoxicated traveler, O, intoxicated traveler.

You are the heart's delight, the parting's vermillion hue,
The heart repeats, again and again, you will surely accrue, you will surely accrue.
You are the heart's delight, the parting's vermillion hue,
The heart repeats, again and again, you will surely accrue, you will surely accrue.
My tears' torrents summon you, and yearn for you.
My tears' torrents summon you, come once anew.
O, intoxicated traveler, come once anew, the sitar is bare.
Without you, spring has turned away, come once anew.
O, intoxicated traveler.

The eye avoids me, the cruel slumber, cruel slumber,
The eye avoids me, the cruel slumber.
Where is my love, where is my love, the bindi asks, it does lumber.
Where is my love, where is my love, the bindi asks, it does lumber.
The eye avoids me, the cruel slumber, cruel slumber.
My adornments themselves, have now all fallen asunder.
My adornments themselves, have now all fallen asunder, come once anew.
O, intoxicated traveler, come once anew, the sitar is bare.
Without you, spring has turned away, come once anew.