Ama

On this journey full of obstacles
There is a warmth of happiness
She is called benevolent Ama

The one who worships deities and nagas
Exhausted by the snow and wind
She is Ama of the world

In her tears, there is an old wound
Deep in her heart, the agony is buried

Ama, Ama
In the fabric of your life
You laughed when happy
You cried when sad
If put to a song, the lyrics would be soaked with tears
If written down, the realm of paper would fall into grief
Ama, the only one in this world

In this land close to the sun and moon
There is a harbinger of light
She is called benevolent Ama

The one who embraces the mountains and rivers
The embodiment of compassion and altruism
She is the Ama of the world

In her tears, there is an old wound.
Deep in her heart, the agony is buried.

Ama, Ama
In the fabric of your life
You laughed when happy
You cried when sad
If sung, the melody of the voice would be soaked with tears
If written down, the realm under the pen would be suffused with tears
Ama, the only one in this world

Epilogue:

This song called Ama is sung by the young Tibetan singer phag mo bde skyid from Tibet. I have translated the lyrics at the request of a prominent filmmaker for his upcoming documentary. At this point, I cannot reveal anything about the film nor its well-known director. Even though the lyrics are sad, I am fond of the joyful voice of the singer. These lyrics don’t shy away from revealing the hardships that many Tibetan women endure in their lives in the land of snow.

I have endeavored to translate the lyrics literally in order to keep the meaning and the poetic quality of the song in its original flow and structure. Some of the expressions might look quite odd to some readers, but I wanted to keep some traces of the translation rather immersing it fully into English, for readers can learn some Tibetan expressions.

The writer is unknown which is common in Tibetan music culture!

To hear the song, click here.