"We shall overcome" - Sanskrit translation and song

The famous song We shall overcome is most commonly attributed as being lyrically descended from "I'll Overcome Some Day", a hymn by Charles Albert Tindley that was first published in 1900

"Tindley's songs were written in an idiom rooted in African American folk traditions, using pentatonic intervals, with ample space allowed for improvised interpolation, the addition of "blue" thirds and sevenths, and frequently featuring short refrains in which the congregation could join. Tindley's importance, however, was primarily as a lyricist and poet whose words spoke directly to the feelings of his audiences, many of whom had been freed from slavery only 36 years before he first published his songs, and were often impoverished, illiterate, and newly arrived in the North. "Even today," wrote musicologist Horace Boyer in 1983, "ministers quote his texts in the midst of their sermons as if they were poems, as indeed they are."

The song was translated outside of USA as well. In India, the renowned poet Girija Kumar Mathur composed its literal translation in Hindi "Hum Honge Kaamyab (हम होगें कामयाब)" which became a popular patriotic/spiritual song during the 1970s and 80s. This was a staple song that the kids who grew up with singing in schools in those decades.

In the time of the pandemic of Novel Corona, this song has been translated in Sanskrit as well.

Translated by Shibu Kumar, sung by Aditi, this was released on YouTube on the occasion of the national observation of lighting lamps on 5th April 2020 at 9 pm as a symbolic ritual of national integration and solidarity in the fight against the novel Corona virus.

A very good initiative and end result. Hope you enjoy.

The words are given in Hindi and English below. Sanskrit words are in the video as well.

Imagine the times for which it was written. These words spoke directly to the feelings of his audiences, many of whom had been freed from slavery only 36 years before he first published his songs, and were often impoverished, illiterate, and newly arrived in the North

We shall overcome!

We shall overcome
We shall overcome
We shall overcome some day

Oh, deep in my heart
I do believe
We shall overcome some day

We’ll walk hand in hand
We’ll walk hand in hand
We’ll walk hand in hand some day

We shall all be free
We shall all be free
We shall all be free some day

We are not afraid
We are not afraid
We are not afraid some day

We are not alone
We are not alone
We are not alone some day

The whole wide world around
The whole wide world around
The whole wide world around some day

We shall overcome
We shall overcome
We shall overcome some day (Source)

And the Hindi version - hum honge kaamayaab, हम होंगे कामयाब

होंगे कामयाब, होंगे कामयाब
हम होंगे कामयाब एक दिन
हो हो मन में है विश्वास
पूरा है विश्वास
हम होंगे कामयाब एक दिन

होगी शान्ति चारों
होगी शान्ति चारों ओर
होगी शान्ति चारों ओर एक दिन
हो हो मन में है विश्वास
पूरा है विश्वास
होगी शान्ति चारों ओर एक दिन

हम चलेंगे साथ साथ
डाले हाथों में हाथ
हम चलेंगे साथ साथ एक दिन
हो हो मन में है विश्वास
पूरा है विश्वास
हम चलेंगे साथ साथ एक दिन

नहीं डर किसी का आज
नहीं भय किसी का आज
नहीं डर किसी का आज के दिन
हो हो मन में है विश्वास
पूरा है विश्वास
नहीं डर किसी का आज के दिन

हम होंगे कामयाब, हम होंगे कामयाब
हम होंगे कामयाब एक दिन
हो हो मन में है विश्वास
पूरा है विश्वास
हम होंगे कामयाब एक दिन (Source)

(c) Shashikant Joshi । शशिकांत जोशी । ॐ सर्वे भवन्तु सुखिनः ।
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