suno sunau ek kahani
apni samjho ya begani
suno sunau ek kahani

bees baras hui ek nagar me
munni aayi kisi ke ghar me
jhule jhuli godo kheli
nanhi munni wo albeli
thumak thumak kar aati jati
sare ghar ko nach nachati
thumak thumak kar
dhire dhire bachpan bita
dhum machati aayi jawani
aayi jawani, aayi jawani
mast jawani kya kya layi
masti me dubi angdayi
bat bat par sharma jana
aachal dato tale dabana
bat bat par
bat bat par sharma jana
aachal dato tale dabana
naye nazare naye tarane
nayi mahfile nayi kahani
aayi jawani, aayi jawani, aayi jawani

suno sunau naya fasana
kali bani jab phul suhana
suno sunau naya fasana
nayi umange dil me jaagi
kisi se uski ankhiya laagi
ankhiya laagi, ankhiya laagi
dilse dil ki bat ho gayi
khushiyo ki barsat ho gayi
ban kar bigda khel suhana
dard bhara ab suno fasana
pyar bhare dil mil sakte the
phul khushi ke khil sakte the
bich dahej ki bat aa gayi
dub gaya din rat aa gayi
keemat bees hazar thi war ki
khatre me izzat thi ghar ki
tum kaho ab wo kya karti
bechari, bechari jeeti ya marti
is jine se marna acha
maut ke ghat utarna acha
dunia walo, dunia walo dil ke kalo
apna ye sansar sambhalo
jis dunia me pyar nahi
wo mera sansar nahi

Listen, I shall tell a tale,
Yours, or one that makes you wail.
A tale I'll weave, let it unfurl.

Twenty years, a city's heart,
Munni entered, played her part.
A swing she knew, a world of glee,
A child of grace, wild and free.
Tripping, twirling, here and there,
The house she danced, beyond compare.
Tripping, twirling.

Slowly, childhood slipped away,
Youth arrived, a vibrant day.
Youth arrived, a fervent call,
Youth's wild dance embracing all.
Lost in joy, a languid sigh,
Shyly blushing, passing by,
Her veil held, 'twixt teeth she'd keep,
A secret held, in slumber deep.
Shyly blushing.

New sights appear, new songs arise,
New gatherings, beneath new skies.
Youth arrived, a dazzling spark,
A tender bloom, dispelling dark.

Listen now, a tale anew,
A bud transformed, in morning dew.
Listen now, a story told.
New desires, in hearts unfold.
Her eyes now meet another's gaze,
A love ignited, in a maze.
Eyes now met, a tender start,
Joyful rains, within her heart.
A game once played, now turned to pain,
A tale of sorrow, like the rain.

Hearts that loved, could have combined,
Flowers bloomed, for all mankind.
But dowry's shadow, dark and grim,
Drowned the day, and dimmed the hymn.
Twenty thousand, price of groom,
Honor's threat, sealed in a tomb.
Tell me now, what could she do?
Poor soul, live on, or see it through?
Better death, than life's despair,
To seek release, beyond compare.

People of the world, so blind,
Guard your world, leave hate behind.
In a world where love's not found,
Is not the world where I am bound.