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May 17, 2006
Ben Reads his Japanese Dictionary
Fun fact: Did you know that the "yuku" pronunciation of the character "to go" was used with "iku" in the Nara period, but that in most of the Heian and Kamakura periods, "yuku" was used and "iku" had become extremely rare? Wonder what the rest of the story is. Someday I will look it up.
And just so this post isn't completely pointless, here's another Hirasawa translation.
Rubedo (Red)
Look, the red of the undying sunset
Look, the red of the flowers' unending chorus
The silence of the watchman that protects the desolate garden
On the voice heard from far away, crying at the barrier
A flower blooms, and the unselfish garden
Perfectly shows you the golden message
In the dream of the old patriarch, asleep in the chattering and fruitful garden
One can hear the perfect song of that day of birth
The flowers wither, without hesitation in the garden
The golden melody, blowing like a whirlwind
Look, the red of the undying sunset
Oh, look, the red of the flowers' unending chorus
Oh, look, the red above the flowers spinning without end
Oh, look, the red of the undecaying garden
Your shape lingers leisurely on the grass
The shadow on the cliff that reaches from faraway
The flowers rustle and call for the rain's rich moisture
The golden time is coming
It will descend on you as perfection
Look, the red of the undying sunset
Oh, look, the red of the flowers' unending chorus
Oh, look, the red above the flowers spinning without end
Oh, look, the red of the undecaying garden
This is actually quite a bad translation for a number of reasons. One of them is that I've completely failed to elegantly express the poetic nuances he incorporates by using words with similar origins but different meanings. For instance, the word "rinshou" for chorus or song in a round actually uses the same kanji as the counter for "flower." Need to find a way to incorporate that. Also, the kanji for "melody" actually mean "spinning rule," and so putting "spinning wind" (whirlwind) next to it is very nice, and something I totally failed to express. Finally, the word for moisture or wetness can also mean richness or wealth and "rich moisture" just doesn't capture it. Also there are probably lots of mistakes.
Posted by b-applegate at May 17, 2006 7:00 AM
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