Traditional Punjabi song based on the story of Sohni Mahival. The heroine Sohni, unhappily married to a man she despises, swims every night across the river using an earthenware pot to keep afloat in the water, to where her beloved Mehar herds buffaloes. One night her sister-in-law replaces the earthenware pot with a vessel of unbaked clay, which dissolves in water and she dies in the whirling waves of the river.

CHORUS HINDI
Menu par langa de ve, kadiya mintha teria kardi
othoh raat haneri ni, ithe koyee na tera dardi
piche mud ja sohniye ni, ni ithe koyee na tera dardi

CHORUS EXPLANATION
Sohni's talking to her clay pot, which she's using to help her float as she tries to swim across the river, begging it to get her across.

VERSE 1 HINDI
mera kunda ban ke saathi ve, ki gal te mino ah-ki ve
mere maar husan val chathi ve gayee lali te ah gayee zardi

VERSE 1 EXPLANATION
As she’s drowning, she says to the clay pot: you’re supposed to be my friend, look my redness (beauty) is fading away into blue

VERSE 2 HINDI
ve mein jaandi jaandi mar ja ve, gal yaar de jime kar ja ve
aj ishk di bedi chad jaye ve meri poori ho jaye marzi

VERSE 2 EXPLANATION
if I die, please tell my lover Mehar I’ve died for him, that’s how much I love him

VERSE 3 HINDI
ni sun mast allad mutiyare ni, is ishk de ulte kaare ni
(pehnde bijli chumkaare ni, ithe taru tar tar haare ni)
tinu azal avaaja maare ni ithe aas na doonge sar-di

VERSE 3 EXPLANATION
The claypot replies to Sohni: you made the wrong decisions, I can’t save you

VERSE 4 HINDI
kaanu gal ishk di kar da ve, nahi mehram dunge sar da ve
jinu naag i-shk da lad da ve, ohnoo taang rahe dil bar di

VERSE 4 EXPLANATION
The claypot says: love is like the cobra snake which will sting and bite your heart deeply