It's from the same album as the last song I translated, and this one's a bit sadder. I offer the usual disclaimer: I'm not a Korean speaker, so my translation shouldn't be seen as definitive. It was the best I could do using dictionaries and grammar reference sources. Take a listen:
눈물로 보이는 그대
You, Looking Like Tears
(Verse 1)
누가 바람을 보았나
Who saw hope?
나는 바람을 보았네
I saw hope
당신이 잊고간 손수건 작별 인사의 손진같네
You leaving forgetting a handkerchief is like a goodbye gesture
가슴을 시리게 적셔오는 손수건의 눈물자욱
The thick tears of the handkerchief are coldly soaking my heart
바람처럼 사라져간 당신의 추억이
Your memory is like my hope that disappeared
머무를 때는 보이지 않고 떠난 뒤에야 보이네
It didn’t look that way when you were staying, but now that you’ve left,
well, it does
(Verse 2)
누가 사랑을 보았나
Who saw love?
나는 사랑을 보았네
I saw love
이별은 쉬운 것이었는데 어려운건 혼자 남는것
A farewell shouldn’t be easy, but remaining by myself is difficult
그것이 사랑은 아니던가 이제야 알것 같은데
Perhaps it wasn’t love, at last I think I know that
그리움을 아는 이는 나의 슬픔 알리라
My sadness tells me I still have that old yearning
떠난 뒤에야 보이는건가 눈물로 보이는 그대
Did it only look that way after you left? You, looking like tears
(Closing Refrain)
그리움을 아는 이는 나의 슬픔 알리라
My sadness tells me I still have that old yearning
머무를 때는 보이지 않고 떠난 뒤에야 보이네
It didn’t look that way when you were staying, but now that you’ve left,
well, it does
떠난 뒤에야 보이는건가 눈물로 보이는 그대
Did it only look that way after you left? You, looking like tears
떠난 뒤에야 보이는건가 눈물로 보이는 그대
Did it only look that way
after you left? You, looking like tears
While translating poetic material is difficult, I enjoyed the challenge. There are several parts where I'm uncertain about the meaning, but at least I think I was able to come up with something that makes sense. I tried to stay true to the literal meaning as best I could, but when you're dealing with two very differently-structured languages that's impossible to do perfectly. There were a few parts where I changed the wording a little to make the intent clearer (at least, what I think was the intent), and I'm happy with the way they turned out.
One thing that can make translation difficult is that different languages use words differently. We might say that two words correspond to each other, but the contexts in which Korean speakers use their word might be different than the ones in which we English speakers use it.
For instance, look at the line that says "the thick tears of the handkerchief are coldly soaking my heart." The word I translated as "heart" is "가슴," which literally means "chest." I've noticed that several songs use that word similarly to the way English songs might use "heart," i.e. representing a person's emotional core. Korean also has the word "마음," which can also be translated as "heart" in the "emotional core" sense, but it literally refers to a person's mind. Our English "heart" has a little of both meanings in it, as it's essentially a metaphor, but it seems that Koreans choose their word depending on how they spin the metaphor.
For instance, look at the line that says "the thick tears of the handkerchief are coldly soaking my heart." The word I translated as "heart" is "가슴," which literally means "chest." I've noticed that several songs use that word similarly to the way English songs might use "heart," i.e. representing a person's emotional core. Korean also has the word "마음," which can also be translated as "heart" in the "emotional core" sense, but it literally refers to a person's mind. Our English "heart" has a little of both meanings in it, as it's essentially a metaphor, but it seems that Koreans choose their word depending on how they spin the metaphor.
I think in this case the word "가슴" (chest) was used to give the line a double meaning. One might put a handkerchief inside a pocket against his chest, and in this case the handkerchief is still soaked with the woman's tears, so the man feels the wetness. However, it also pains him internally, because it reminds him of the love he lost. In that sense, both his physical chest and his emotions are affected by this wet handkerchief. At least, that's how I interpret it. That interpretation, of course, relies on the correctness of my translation, which isn't a certainty.
I've already begun translating another song, and instead of Jo Yong-Pil, it'll be by Jang Yoon-Jeong next time. I've already run into a slight roadblock, as there's a line I can't make much sense out of, but perhaps I'll figure it out eventually, just as I did with the difficult lines in the first two songs I translated.
I've already begun translating another song, and instead of Jo Yong-Pil, it'll be by Jang Yoon-Jeong next time. I've already run into a slight roadblock, as there's a line I can't make much sense out of, but perhaps I'll figure it out eventually, just as I did with the difficult lines in the first two songs I translated.
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