Infant:
At nighttime everybody slumbers;
Why do the shiuli stay awake?
Please explain, oh mother mine–
Please tell me ere I sleep.

Other flowers are awake by day;
They slumber in the night.
During the day, fragrance they emanate;
Sweetly they sing.
Their acquaintance I make
Through our mutual love of light.

Asleep are the puppies and the parakeets;
Asleep are the honeybees.
The shiuli shrub smiles and says:
"I am awake."
Mother, please reply, shiuli stay awake
Out of love for whom?

Mother:
Darling child, here's why shiuli stay awake
In the dark of night.
By daylight they feel shy;
To the ground they fall.
At end of night, shiuli drop
Shortly after dawn.
At that time, my golden child,
The sleep that's yours will leave.

Translated from Bengali

BÁCCÁ:
RÁTER BELÁY SABÁI GHUMÁY
SHIULI KENA JÁGE
BALTE HABE MÁ GO ÁMÁY
BALTE HABEI ÁGE

ÁR PHULERÁ DINE JÁGE
RÁTRIRE GHUMÁY
DINER BELÁY SUVÁSA D́HÁLE
MADHUTE GÁN GÁY
TÁDER SÁTHE MOR PARICAY
ÁLOR ANURÁGE

GHUMÁY MAYNÁ KUKURCHÁNÁ
GHUMÁY JE MAUMÁCHI
SHIULI TARU HESE BALE
ÁMI JEGE ÁCHI
BALO NÁ MÁ SHIULI JÁGE
KÁHÁR ANURÁGE

MÁTÁ:
SHON RE KHOKAN SHIULI JÁGE
RÁTER ANDHAKÁRE
DINER ÁLOY LAJJÁ PEYE
MÁT́ITE JÁY PAŔE
RÁTER SHEŚE SHIULI JHARE
HALE PAREI BHOR
SEI SAMAYE SOŃÁR KHOKAN
GHUMT́I JÁBE TOR

20-03-1983