Solitude

Solitude

 by Ella Wheeler Wilcox

Stanza 1

Laugh, and the world laughs with you;

(হাসো, আর পৃথিবীও (=পৃথিবীর লোক) তোমার সঙ্গে হাসবে।)

Weep, and you weep alone;

(কাঁদো, এবং তুমি একাই কাঁদবে।)

For the sad old earth must borrow its mirth,

(কারণ এই দুঃখী পুরনো পৃথিবীকে (=পৃথিবীর মানুষকে) তার আনন্দ অন্যের কাছ থেকে ধার করতে হবে।)

But has trouble enough of its own.

(কিন্তু তার (=পৃথিবীর মানুষের) নিজেরই অনেক দুঃখ-কষ্ট আছে।)

Stanza 2

Sing, and the hills will answer;

(গাও, আর পাহাড়গুলোও প্রতিধ্বনি করে উত্তর দেবে।)

Sigh, it is lost on the air;

(দুঃখে দীর্ঘ নিশ্বাস ফেল, (দেখবে) তা বাতাসে মিলিয়ে যাবে।)

The echoes bound to a joyful sound,

(শুধু আনন্দের শব্দই প্রতিধ্বনি হয়ে  ফিরে আসে।)

But shrink from voicing care.

(কিন্তু দুঃখের শব্দ থেকে তারা (প্রতিধ্বনি) সরে যায়।)

Stanza 3

Rejoice, and men will seek you;

(আনন্দ করো, আর মানুষ তোমাকে খুঁজে নিবে)

Grieve, and they turn and go;

(দুঃখ করো, আর তারা (তোমার থেকে) মুখ ফিরিয়ে চলে যাবে।)

They want full measure of all your pleasure,

(তারা তোমার আনন্দের সবটুকুই নিতে চায়।)

But they do not need your woe.

(কিন্তু তারা তোমার দুঃখের ভাগ নিতে চায় না।)

Stanza 4

Be glad, and your friends are many;

(খুশি থাক, তোমার বন্ধুরা অনেক থাকবে।)

Be sad, and you lose them all,—

(দুঃখী হও, (দেখবে) সবাই তোমাকে ছেড়ে যাবে।)

There are none to decline your nectared wine,

(কেউই তোমার মধুর পানীয় ফিরিয়ে দেবে না,)

nectared wine (মধুর মদ [symbol of happiness])

But alone you must drink life’s gall.

(কিন্তু জীবনের তিক্ততা তোমাকেই একা পান করতে হবে।)

Stanza 5

Feast, and your halls are crowded;

(ভোজ দাও, লোকজনে তোমার ঘর ভরে যাবে ।)

Fast, and the world goes by.

(না খেয়ে থাকো, পৃথিবী তোমাকে ছেড়ে চলে যাবে।)

Succeed and give, and it helps you live,

(সফল হও ও দান করো, তা তোমাকে বাঁচতে সাহায্য করবে।)

But no man can help you die.

(কিন্তু কেউ তোমার মৃত্যুর ভার নিতে পারবে না।)

Stanza 6

There is room in the halls of pleasure

(আনন্দের প্রাসাদে অনেক জায়গা আছে।)

For a large and lordly train,

(একটি বড় ও রাজকীয় দলের জন্য।)

But one by one we must all file on

(কিন্তু আমাদের সবাইকে একে একে যেতে হবে।)

Through the narrow aisles of pain.

(দুঃখের সরু পথে দিয়ে।)

Difficult Words and Meanings

• mirth আনন্দ joy, happiness
• sigh নিঃশ্বাস ফেলা express sadness by breathing out
• echo প্রতিধ্বনি repeated sound
• grieve শোক করা feel sad
• woe দুঃখ sorrow, pain
• nectar অমৃত sweet drink
• gall তিক্ততা bitterness
• feast ভোজ celebration meal
• fast উপবাস not eating
• aisle পথ passage or walkway

Analysis of the Poem

Paraphrase

The poet says that when we laugh, people are happy with us. But when we cry, no one stays beside us. The world likes joy and laughter, not sadness. If we sing happily, the hills echo our song. But if we sigh, no one answers. When we are happy, everyone wants to be our friend. But when we are sad, they leave us. People want to share our joy but not our sorrow. Life is like this — in joy, we have many friends; in sorrow, we are alone. When we are rich and successful, everyone comes to us. But when we are poor or in pain, no one cares. Finally, everyone must face pain and death alone — no one can take that journey for us.

This poem teaches that happiness attracts people, but sorrow makes us lonely. The world prefers joy and success. So, we should try to stay strong and positive even in sadness. It also reminds us that life’s final journey (death) is something everyone must face alone — no one can take our place in suffering or dying.

Bangla Description

এই কবিতাটিতে মানুষে-মানুষে সম্পর্কের এক কঠিন সত্য কথা তুলে ধরা হয়েছে।

কবিতায় কবি বলেন, যখন আমরা হাসি এবং সুখে থাকি, তখন সবাই আমাদের পাশে থাকে, কিন্তু যখন আমরা কাঁদি, তখন কেউ থাকে না। পৃথিবীতে সবাই তোমার আনন্দের ভাগ বসাতে চায়, কিন্তু কেউই তোমার দুঃখের ভাগ নিতে চায় না।

যখন আমরা সফল হই, সবাই আমাদের চারপাশে থাকে। কিন্তু যখন ব্যর্থ হই, তখন সবাই দূরে সরে যায়। আনন্দে আমাদের অনেক বন্ধু থাকে, কিন্তু দুঃখে আমরা একা হয়ে যাই।

শেষে কবি বলেন, জীবন যেমন আনন্দের, তেমনি দুঃখেরও। আনন্দে অনেকজন আমাদের সঙ্গে থাকে, কিন্তু কষ্ট ও মৃত্যুর পথে যেতে হয় একাকীভাবে।

অর্থাৎ জীবনের সুখ ভাগ করা যায়, কিন্তু দুঃখ ও মৃত্যু ভাগ করা যায় না।

Questions and Answers

1. What happens when we laugh, according to the poet?

When we laugh, the world also laughs with us. People love to share joy and happiness. They enjoy being with happy people because laughter spreads positive energy and makes everyone feel good.

3. What happens when we weep or cry?

When we cry, we are left alone. No one likes to stay beside a sad person for long. The world turns away from sorrow because everyone already has their own worries and problems to face.

4. What kind of sound does the hill echo?

The hills echo only joyful sounds like singing or laughter. When someone sings happily, the sound bounces back. But when someone sighs sadly, the sound disappears in the air — showing that nature and people both respond to joy, not sadness.

5. How do people behave when we are happy and successful?

When we are happy and successful, everyone wants to be our friend. People love to be around those who are cheerful and doing well. They enjoy our company because they get pleasure and energy from our happiness.

6. How do people behave when we are sad or in trouble?

When we are sad or in trouble, people move away from us. They do not want to share our pain or listen to our problems. The poem teaches that in sorrow, we become lonely because people prefer joy, not grief.

7. What does “life’s gall” mean in the poem?

“Life’s gall” means the bitterness and suffering of life. It refers to the painful or unpleasant experiences that we must face alone. The poet says that although others may share our joys, we must drink the bitterness of life by ourselves.

8. What does the poet say about feasting and fasting?

The poet says that when we give a feast, many people come and fill our house. But when we fast or have nothing to offer, the world forgets us. It means that people like to join us in good times but leave us in hard times.

9. What message does the poet give about death?

The poet reminds us that no one can help us die. We all must face death alone. People may support us while we live, but the last journey of life — death — is something each person must take alone.

10. What is the main theme or message of the poem “Solitude”?

The main theme of the poem is that happiness attracts others, but sorrow makes us lonely. People love to share joy but avoid sadness. The poet encourages us to be brave and stay cheerful because the world values joy, not grief.

11. Why does the poet call the earth “sad and old”?

The poet calls the earth “sad and old” because it is full of suffering, pain, and problems. Everyone on earth faces difficulties, so the earth itself seems tired and sorrowful from carrying all this sadness through time.

12. What does the poet mean by “the narrow aisles of pain”?

“The narrow aisles of pain” means the difficult and lonely path of suffering that everyone must walk alone. It symbolizes human pain, problems, and finally death — the part of life no one can escape or share.

13. How does the poem show human selfishness?

The poem shows human selfishness through people’s reactions to others’ emotions. People happily join others’ celebrations but ignore their sadness. They want pleasure, not pain — which proves that human nature is often self-centered.

14. What lesson does the poem teach us about friendship?

The poem teaches that true friendship is rare. Many friends stay with us in happy times, but few stay during sorrow. Real friends are those who support us not only in joy but also in our sadness and difficulties.

15. What is your personal feeling after reading this poem?

This poem makes us think deeply about life and human nature. It reminds us to be kind and understanding toward sad people because everyone feels lonely at times. It also teaches us to stay strong and spread happiness wherever we go.