Leej Muam Dai Siab


This song is kind of catty, and I kind of love it. It works for my petty little heart. 😁

Plus, contrasting voices and nostalgia.

Lyrics

Verse 1 Dang

Leej muam dai siab

Sister of my heart,

Koj mus nyob sab ntuj twg

which part of the world did you go to?

Ua cash nub no

Today, why did

Koj ho tshwm hauv fev

you suddenly show up on Facebook?

Koj noog kuv tias

You asked me

Puas kam ua koj phooj ywg

if I would be your friend.

Kuv twb xav tias

I thought

Koj mus tau lub neej zoo

you had a good life.

Los koj tus fev

On your Facebook,

Nws tias koj single

it said that you are single.

Es koj tus txiv

And your husband,

Nws mus rau qhov twg lawm

where did he go?

Xav nrog koj tham

Want to talk to you,

Los tau ua twj ywm

but have to do nothing.

Ntshai ib tsam

Afraid that

Kuv poj niam ho paub

my wife might know.

Chorus

Ntsia koj daim duab

Look at your picture

Tseem pom koj luag ntxhi

and see you smiling.

Nco txog thaum ib

Remember long ago

Thaum coj koj mus ua si

when I took you out.

Ntuj teb tag hmo

At night,

Koj nyob hauv kuv xub ntiag

you were in my arms.

Wb txoj kev hlub

Our love

Uas nws twb tu los ntev

that ended long ago.

Leej muam dai siab

Sister of my heart.

Verse 2 Jay

Leej muam dai siab

Sister of my heart,

Es koj nyob li cas

how are you doing?

Thauv ntawv

Back then,

Hlub hlub los nim tsiv tau

Loved you so much but couldn’t have you.

Lub kua muag

Tears

Twb poob rau koj ntau zaus

fell for you many times.

Muab xav los mas

Come to think of it,

Tsis tsim nyog wb bua phooj ywg

we shouldn’t be friends.

Txij hnub ntawd los

Since that day,

Kuv twb ua tau ib siab

I was able to let go.

Kuv twb muab

I left

Txhua yam ntawm wb tso ca

everything with us behind.

Kheev lam thaum ntawd

If back then

Es kuv cia li xaiv koj

I had chosen you,

Ntshe hnub no

Maybe today

Kuv twb single li koj

I would have been single like you.

Chorus Dang

Chorus Jay

Notes

  • Leej muam dai siab is literally translated as “sister hung heart” but that doesn’t make sense. The better phrasing is probably “sister who holds my heart,” but that’s really long, so “sister of my heart” it is.
  • Leej muam is “sister.” In Hmong, it is the respectful way for a man to address a woman who is unrelated to him.
  • This song is a nod to this phenomenon (if it can be called as such) in the hmong community where older folks are getting onto Facebook and reconnecting with family and friends and past lovers after a long time and across great distance. Shenanigans can and did happen. There are implications within the song that the relationship could be rekindled if given the chance.

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