To you little babe, to my love for you, and to this life in which I can love you shall I sing a lullaby?

I beg the wind to caress you not any harder than the notes of this song. I wish on my heart that you hair not be ruffled by anything rougher than these fingers passing through.

To you little babe, to my love for you, and to this life in which I can love you shall I sing a lullaby?

Over these eyes, in which dreams are not yet dry, resting in my lap, to please not let any wet shadows fall, I plead the mist and cloud.

Please do not thunder, O clouds, on this day, please float away. You sing too, O koyel, as if this lullaby was yours, Please sprinkle your honeyed notes over my dozing babe.

In this space between day and dark, in this room in which torrents are silent, this rocking lap where my babe sleeps, I request you both, red sun and gentle moon, to hum this lullaby too.

To you little babe, to my love for you, and to this life in which I can love you, shall I sing a lullaby?

Translated from the Telugu of "O Papa Lali"